Tuesday and Thursday, 13 &
15 September 2005
What is Science?
Paul Hoyningen-Huene, U. of Hannover
Ctr. for Philosophy and Ethics of Science
A joint colloquium co-sponsored by CMU, Dept. of Philosophy
Tuesday, 13 September
2005
Part I: The Short Answer
12:05 pm, 817R Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh
Thursday, 15 September
2005
Part II: The Long Answer
4:30 pm, A53 Baker Hall, Carnegie Mellon Campus
Abstract: I will begin the first talk with a few
historical and systematic remarks concerning the historical setting
in which the title questions is being asked. Furthermore, I will
explain how exactly the question should be understood. Then, I shall
give a short answer to the question. The claim is that scientific
knowledge is distinguished from other forms of knowledge, especially
from everyday knowledge, by a comparatively higher degree of systematicity.
This answer will be qualified and clarified. The clarification explicates
the central concept of systematicity. It turns out that the relevant
concept of systematicity has to be made more concrete in seven different
dimensions.
In the second talk, the answer to the title question
will be further elaborated and justified. The elaboration concerns
the seven dimensions in which, according to the given answer, science
is more systematic than other forms of knowledge. These seven dimensions
are descriptions, explanations, predictions, the defense of knowledge
claims, an ideal of completeness, knowledge generation, and the
structure and representation of knowledge.
The necessarily sketchy justification of my answer
consists in examples from various fields of research that exemplify
how scientific knowledge is more systematic than other forms of
knowledge in those seven dimensions. Finally, I will compare my
answer with alternative answers to the title question that have
been given in the history of philosophy.
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