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Communication, Rationality, and Conceptual Changes in Scientific Theories

Zenker, Frank LU orcid and Gärdenfors, Peter LU (2015) Conceptual spaces at work, 2012 In Synthese library. Studies in Epistemology, Logic, Methodology, and Philosophy of Science 359. p.259-277
Abstract

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... (More)

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.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Incommensurability, Conceptual spaces, Revisable a priori, Neo-Kantianism, Scientific revolution, Persuasion, Theory change
host publication
Applications of Conceptual Spaces : The Case for Geometric Knowledge Representation - The Case for Geometric Knowledge Representation
series title
Synthese library. Studies in Epistemology, Logic, Methodology, and Philosophy of Science
editor
Zenker, F. and Gärdenfors, P.
volume
359
pages
19 pages
publisher
Springer International Publishing
conference name
Conceptual spaces at work, 2012
conference location
Lund, Sweden
conference dates
2012-05-24 - 2012-05-26
external identifiers
  • wos:000380455500014
  • scopus:85117147908
ISBN
9783319150215
9783319150208
DOI
10.1007/978-3-319-15021-5_14
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7bc2a980-20ec-4827-8dae-1ee437d591f9 (old id 4897151)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:53:14
date last changed
2024-12-08 15:41:33
@inbook{7bc2a980-20ec-4827-8dae-1ee437d591f9,
  abstract     = {{<p>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.</p>}},
  author       = {{Zenker, Frank and Gärdenfors, Peter}},
  booktitle    = {{Applications of Conceptual Spaces : The Case for Geometric Knowledge Representation}},
  editor       = {{Zenker, F. and Gärdenfors, P.}},
  isbn         = {{9783319150215}},
  keywords     = {{Incommensurability; Conceptual spaces; Revisable a priori; Neo-Kantianism; Scientific revolution; Persuasion; Theory change}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  pages        = {{259--277}},
  publisher    = {{Springer International Publishing}},
  series       = {{Synthese library. Studies in Epistemology, Logic, Methodology, and Philosophy of Science}},
  title        = {{Communication, Rationality, and Conceptual Changes in Scientific Theories}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15021-5_14}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/978-3-319-15021-5_14}},
  volume       = {{359}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}