168354

(2015) Axiomathes 25 (4).

Science generates limit paradoxes

Eric Dietrich , Chris Fields

pp. 409-432

The sciences occasionally generate discoveries that undermine their own assumptions. Two such discoveries are characterized here: the discovery of apophenia by cognitive psychology and the discovery that physical systems cannot be locally bounded within quantum theory. It is shown that such discoveries have a common structure and that this common structure is an instance of Priest's well-known Inclosure Schema. This demonstrates that science itself is dialetheic: it generates limit paradoxes. How science proceeds despite this fact is briefly discussed, as is the connection between our results and the realism-antirealism debate. We conclude by suggesting a position of epistemic modesty.

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Dietrich, E. , Fields, C. (2015). Science generates limit paradoxes. Axiomathes 25 (4), pp. 409-432.

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