Essay 2

Instructions

In a 1,500 word essay, state and argue for a thesis that 1) draws on our courses material, and 2) gives a specific answer to one of the following questions.

Whatever your choice of question (1, 2, 3 or 4), your thesis should answer a more specific aspect of this question. Some ideas are suggested below each choice; you are also welcome to answer your own more specific question on one of these four topics.

1. Are our best scientific theories approximately true when they refer to unobservables?

Suggestions for specific questions to answer:

• Does the caloric theory provide a counterexample to preservative or structural realism?
• Does the pessimistic meta-induction succeed as an argument against realism?
• Does any version of the No Miracles Argument succeed as an argument for scientific realism?
• Is structural realism (or any other specific brand of realism) a viable form of realism?
• Is it possible to draw an observabe/unobservable distinction in any science? If not, is this a problem for scientific realism?

2. Can idealisations that are strictly false provide a correct description of the world?

Suggestions for specific questions to answer:

• Are idealisations in the social sciences any more or less legitimate than idealisations in the natural sciences?
• What (if any) implications does the existence of idealisations in science have for scientific realism?
• Can the distinction between empirical and formal idealisation, or even the concept of empirical idealisation itself, be made precise?
• Is Norton correct to argue that infinite idealisations "can and should be eliminated"?

3. What distinguishes a law of nature from a mere fact?

Suggestions for specific questions to answer:

• Is there any plausible dispositionalist account of the laws of nature?
• Does the Best Systems view of laws provide an adequate empricist criterion for the laws of nature?
• Does John Roberts' argument that there are "no laws in the social sciences" succeed?

4. Are there true fundamental laws of nature that govern the behaviour of matter at all places and times?

Suggestions for specific questions to answer:

• Is there reason to think that the propositions of biology or chemistry can be reduced to propositions of physics, or reason to think that they cannot?
• Does Cartwright's acceptance of realism while rejecting fundamentalism allow for an adequate kind of realism?
• Do the laws of physics give "strong evidence for the existence of true universal and fundamental laws" as Hoefer suggests?

Further guidelines

State a clear thesis that answers one of the questions. Your job in this essay is to construct a valid philosophical argument for a clear thesis in 1,500 words.

The principle thing that you will be evaluated on in this essay is the argument for your thesis. Everything that you write should go toward supporting this argument; nothing more and nothing less.

It is recommended that your essay be organised so as to include:

• A brief Introduction in which you state your thesis;
• Relevant background material if necessary for understanding your claim;
• A main body in which you state and argue for your thesis;
• (Optional) Further discussion such as the discussion of possible objections to your argument;
• A brief conclusion in which you summarise the argument of your essay.

Evaluation

Essays are evaluated on the basis of the thesis and the argument. Some of the specific features of your thesis and argument that will be considered include:

1. Expression and style
2. Structure and organisation
3. Understanding and use of literature
4. Quality of argument
5. Independence of thought