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Ceteris Paribus in Conservative Epistemic Change

Zenker, Frank LU orcid (2009)
Abstract
This work contrasts conservative or minimally mutilating revisions of empirical theories as they are identified in the presently dominant AGM model of formal belief revision and the structuralist program for the reconstruction of empirical theories. The aim is to make understandable why both approaches only partly succeed in substantially informing and formally restraining the issue. With respect to the rationality of minimal change, the overall result is negative. Readers with an interest in formal epistemology are provided with application cases (mercury anomaly, revision of early thermo-dynamics, introduction of the neutrino), the historically inclined reader is offered a systematic perspective. The discussion can largely be followed... (More)
This work contrasts conservative or minimally mutilating revisions of empirical theories as they are identified in the presently dominant AGM model of formal belief revision and the structuralist program for the reconstruction of empirical theories. The aim is to make understandable why both approaches only partly succeed in substantially informing and formally restraining the issue. With respect to the rationality of minimal change, the overall result is negative. Readers with an interest in formal epistemology are provided with application cases (mercury anomaly, revision of early thermo-dynamics, introduction of the neutrino), the historically inclined reader is offered a systematic perspective. The discussion can largely be followed without a background in formal logic. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Prof Olsson, Erik, University of Lund
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
minimal change, mercury anomaly, ceteris paribus laws, completeness assumptions, epistemic entrenchment
pages
145 pages
publisher
Peter Lang Publishing Group
defense location
Hamburg
defense date
2007-09-07 14:00:00
ISBN
978-3-631-57283-2
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
bf061732-2295-446d-9acb-0acf85dbbed5 (old id 1471739)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:08:39
date last changed
2020-03-23 10:57:58
@phdthesis{bf061732-2295-446d-9acb-0acf85dbbed5,
  abstract     = {{This work contrasts conservative or minimally mutilating revisions of empirical theories as they are identified in the presently dominant AGM model of formal belief revision and the structuralist program for the reconstruction of empirical theories. The aim is to make understandable why both approaches only partly succeed in substantially informing and formally restraining the issue. With respect to the rationality of minimal change, the overall result is negative. Readers with an interest in formal epistemology are provided with application cases (mercury anomaly, revision of early thermo-dynamics, introduction of the neutrino), the historically inclined reader is offered a systematic perspective. The discussion can largely be followed without a background in formal logic.}},
  author       = {{Zenker, Frank}},
  isbn         = {{978-3-631-57283-2}},
  keywords     = {{minimal change; mercury anomaly; ceteris paribus laws; completeness assumptions; epistemic entrenchment}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Peter Lang Publishing Group}},
  title        = {{Ceteris Paribus in Conservative Epistemic Change}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}