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(1974) Developments in the methodology of social science, Dordrecht, Springer.
Recently Beth, van Fraassen, and Suppe have developed the Semantic Conception of Theories (wherein theories are construed as extra-linguistic structures which represent how the world would be were certain idealization and isolation conditions met) as an alternative to the positivistic Received View analysis. This paper further develops the Semantic Conception by exploring how, on this view, theories experimentally relate to phenomena. After summarizing previous work on the Semantic Conception, the paper turns to a detailed examination of the experimental employment of theories: (1) A theory of scientific observation is outlined which allows for inferenceaided observation and limited relativity in what can be observed without making observation 'subjective" in any idealistic sense. (2) A realistic (as opposed to conventionaistic) theory of measurement is developed in detail, and then it is argued that under such an analysis, acts of measurement qualify as a species of observation (under the foregoing account); thus measurement can yield observational knowledge of the world. (3) An analysis of experimental testing, experimental design, and data reduction is developed, and it is then shown how experimentation and measurement can augment one's observational abilities, expanding the domain of the observable. (4) Using these results on observation, measurement, and experimentation, it is shown how they enable the application of theories in an essentially open-ended way. In brief, it is argued that theories arc applied to phenomena via local theories of the experiment which convert data about what the actual phenomena are to data about what the phenomena would be were certain idealization and isolation conditions imposed by the theory being applied met. A general procedure for generating an open-ended variety of such theories of experiment from other available theories is presented. (5) These results are then marshalled into a general account of testing. (6) Finally, the implications of these results for confirmation theory are briefly explored.
Publication details
DOI: 10.1007/978-94-010-2259-0_2
Full citation:
Suppe, F. (1974)., Theories and phenomena, in W. Leinfellner & E. Köhler (eds.), Developments in the methodology of social science, Dordrecht, Springer, pp. 45-91.
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