180057 SE Theory confirmation (2012S)

The Seminar addresses a core question of the philosophy of science: what is theory confirmation? First, we will discuss some classical ideas and positions: Duhem’s argument against the existence of an experimentum cruxis, the logical empiricist concept of theory confirmation, Poppers falsificationism and Quine’s holism. We then will look at some specific debates which are of importance in contemporary philosophy of science. Bayesianism deals with the question in how far a probabilistic understanding of theory confirmation can do justice to the scientific process. The novel confirmation debate asks whether empirical data that has entered the process of theory construction has less confirmation value than confirming data that has not influenced theory construction. Finally, we will address the question what role non-empirical arguments can play for theory confirmation.