The Pragmatics of explanation: Remarks on van Fraassen’s theory of why-questions
Autor(a) principal: | |
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Data de Publicação: | 2016 |
Tipo de documento: | Artigo |
Idioma: | eng |
Título da fonte: | Cognitio (São Paulo. Online) |
Texto Completo: | https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/cognitiofilosofia/article/view/30211 |
Resumo: | In this article, my aim is to analyze Bas van Fraassen’s pragmatic solution to two of the traditional problems concerning scientific explanation, namely, rejection and asymmetry. According to his view, an explanation is an answer to some request for information. The emergence of a question, as well as the evaluation of the explanations adduced, depends on considerations about contextual factors. In addition, I will evaluate the pertinence of objections raised by Philip Kitcher and Wesley Salmon against van Fraassen’s account. I will argue that their charge is not sound, for it actually misunderstands the role played by context in van Fraassen’s account. Although Salmon’s and Kitcher’s realist commitments motivate the point made by them, I will hold that a pragmatic account of explanation does not commit one to an anti-realist approach to science. |
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The Pragmatics of explanation: Remarks on van Fraassen’s theory of why-questionsA Pragmática da explicação: Comentários sobre a teoria das questões-por-quê de van FraassenPragmatics of ExplanationBas van FraassenWhy-questionsAsymmetryRealism.Pragmática da ExplicaçãoBas van FranssenQuestões-por-quêAssimetriaRealismo.In this article, my aim is to analyze Bas van Fraassen’s pragmatic solution to two of the traditional problems concerning scientific explanation, namely, rejection and asymmetry. According to his view, an explanation is an answer to some request for information. The emergence of a question, as well as the evaluation of the explanations adduced, depends on considerations about contextual factors. In addition, I will evaluate the pertinence of objections raised by Philip Kitcher and Wesley Salmon against van Fraassen’s account. I will argue that their charge is not sound, for it actually misunderstands the role played by context in van Fraassen’s account. Although Salmon’s and Kitcher’s realist commitments motivate the point made by them, I will hold that a pragmatic account of explanation does not commit one to an anti-realist approach to science.Neste ensaio, meu objetivo é analisar a solução pragmática oferecida por Bas van Fraassen a dois dos tradicionais problemas da explicação científica, quais sejam, o da rejeição e o da assimetria. Em sua visão, uma explicação é uma resposta a alguma demanda por informação. O surgimento de uma questão, bem como a avaliação das possíveis explicações, depende de fatores contextuais. Além disso, avaliarei a pertinência das objeções de Philip Kitcher e Wesley Salmon contra a concepção de van Fraassen. Argumentarei que suas objeções não são fortes o bastante, tendo em vista que elas interpretam incorretamente o papel dos contextos na concepção de van Fraassen. Embora os argumentos de Salmon e Kitcher sejam motivados pelos comprometimentos realistas subscritos por eles, sustentarei que uma concepção pragmática da explicação não implica comprometimento a uma visão antirrealista da ciência.Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo2016-12-27info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/cognitiofilosofia/article/view/30211Cognitio: Revista de Filosofia; Vol. 17 No. 1 (2016); 39-54Cognitio: Revista de Filosofia; v. 17 n. 1 (2016); 39-542316-52781518-7187reponame:Cognitio (São Paulo. Online)instname:Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP)instacron:PUC_SPenghttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/cognitiofilosofia/article/view/30211/21689Copyright (c) 2016 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessCani, Renato Cesar2017-02-04T19:25:58Zoai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/30211Revistahttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/cognitiofilosofiaPRIhttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/cognitiofilosofia/oairevcognitio@gmail.com2316-52781518-7187opendoar:2017-02-04T19:25:58Cognitio (São Paulo. Online) - Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP)false |
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv |
The Pragmatics of explanation: Remarks on van Fraassen’s theory of why-questions A Pragmática da explicação: Comentários sobre a teoria das questões-por-quê de van Fraassen |
title |
The Pragmatics of explanation: Remarks on van Fraassen’s theory of why-questions |
spellingShingle |
The Pragmatics of explanation: Remarks on van Fraassen’s theory of why-questions Cani, Renato Cesar Pragmatics of Explanation Bas van Fraassen Why-questions Asymmetry Realism. Pragmática da Explicação Bas van Franssen Questões-por-quê Assimetria Realismo. |
title_short |
The Pragmatics of explanation: Remarks on van Fraassen’s theory of why-questions |
title_full |
The Pragmatics of explanation: Remarks on van Fraassen’s theory of why-questions |
title_fullStr |
The Pragmatics of explanation: Remarks on van Fraassen’s theory of why-questions |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Pragmatics of explanation: Remarks on van Fraassen’s theory of why-questions |
title_sort |
The Pragmatics of explanation: Remarks on van Fraassen’s theory of why-questions |
author |
Cani, Renato Cesar |
author_facet |
Cani, Renato Cesar |
author_role |
author |
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv |
Cani, Renato Cesar |
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv |
Pragmatics of Explanation Bas van Fraassen Why-questions Asymmetry Realism. Pragmática da Explicação Bas van Franssen Questões-por-quê Assimetria Realismo. |
topic |
Pragmatics of Explanation Bas van Fraassen Why-questions Asymmetry Realism. Pragmática da Explicação Bas van Franssen Questões-por-quê Assimetria Realismo. |
description |
In this article, my aim is to analyze Bas van Fraassen’s pragmatic solution to two of the traditional problems concerning scientific explanation, namely, rejection and asymmetry. According to his view, an explanation is an answer to some request for information. The emergence of a question, as well as the evaluation of the explanations adduced, depends on considerations about contextual factors. In addition, I will evaluate the pertinence of objections raised by Philip Kitcher and Wesley Salmon against van Fraassen’s account. I will argue that their charge is not sound, for it actually misunderstands the role played by context in van Fraassen’s account. Although Salmon’s and Kitcher’s realist commitments motivate the point made by them, I will hold that a pragmatic account of explanation does not commit one to an anti-realist approach to science. |
publishDate |
2016 |
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv |
2016-12-27 |
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion |
format |
article |
status_str |
publishedVersion |
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv |
https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/cognitiofilosofia/article/view/30211 |
url |
https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/cognitiofilosofia/article/view/30211 |
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv |
eng |
language |
eng |
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv |
https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/cognitiofilosofia/article/view/30211/21689 |
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv |
Copyright (c) 2016 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
rights_invalid_str_mv |
Copyright (c) 2016 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
eu_rights_str_mv |
openAccess |
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv |
application/pdf |
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo |
publisher.none.fl_str_mv |
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo |
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv |
Cognitio: Revista de Filosofia; Vol. 17 No. 1 (2016); 39-54 Cognitio: Revista de Filosofia; v. 17 n. 1 (2016); 39-54 2316-5278 1518-7187 reponame:Cognitio (São Paulo. Online) instname:Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) instacron:PUC_SP |
instname_str |
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) |
instacron_str |
PUC_SP |
institution |
PUC_SP |
reponame_str |
Cognitio (São Paulo. Online) |
collection |
Cognitio (São Paulo. Online) |
repository.name.fl_str_mv |
Cognitio (São Paulo. Online) - Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP) |
repository.mail.fl_str_mv |
revcognitio@gmail.com |
_version_ |
1803387421723721728 |