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.
Department/s
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