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Communication, Rationality, and Conceptual Changes in Scientific Theories

Author

Editor

  • F. Zenker
  • P. Gärdenfors

Summary, in English

This article outlines how conceptual spaces theory applies to modeling changes of scientific frameworks when these are treated as spatial structures rather than as linguistic entities. The theory is briefly introduced and five types of changes are presented. It is then contrasted with Michael Friedman’s neo-Kantian account that seeks to render Kuhn’s “paradigm shift” as a communicatively rational historical event of conceptual development in the sciences. Like Friedman, we refer to the transition from Newtonian to relativistic mechanics as an example of “deep conceptual change.” But we take the communicative rationality of radical conceptual change to be available prior to the philosophical meta-paradigms that Friedman deems indispensable for this purpose.

Publishing year

2015-01-01

Language

English

Pages

259-277

Publication/Series

Synthese library. Studies in Epistemology, Logic, Methodology, and Philosophy of Science

Volume

359

Document type

Book chapter

Publisher

Springer International Publishing

Topic

  • General Language Studies and Linguistics
  • Learning
  • Philosophy

Keywords

  • Incommensurability
  • Conceptual spaces
  • Revisable a priori
  • Neo-Kantianism
  • Scientific revolution
  • Persuasion
  • Theory change

Conference name

Conceptual spaces at work, 2012

Conference date

2012-05-24 - 2012-05-26

Conference place

Lund, Sweden

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISBN: 9783319150208
  • ISBN: 9783319150215