9. Introduction to the Semantic Approach

Author: van Fraassen, Bas C.

Source: Laws and Symmetry, November 1989 , pp. 217-233(17)

Publisher: Oxford Scholarship Online Monographs

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Abstract:

This approach, developed (under various names) in the twentieth century provides a model-oriented view, identifying scientific theories in terms of classes of models and their relation to both nature and to the observable phenomena. Originally, it was offered in reaction to the syntactic, axiomatic view of theories that dominated logical positivist discussions of science; it has the merit of being equally hospitable to scientific realist and empiricist views. This chapter discusses specifically, theory structure, the relation between theoretical models and data models, interpretations of theories, and the many-faceted character of experimentation.

Keywords: semantic approach; empiricism; theories; experimentation; data models; scientific realism; phenomena; models

Document Type: Research article

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