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Full Idea
There are competitive models of the nature of things and materials, and that one is chosen which is successful in explaining the most powers and capacities of particulars and in leading to the discovery of hitherto unsuspected powers and capacities.
Gist of Idea
We prefer the theory which explains and predicts the powers and capacities of particulars
Source
Harré,R./Madden,E.H. (Causal Powers [1975], 8.III)
Book Ref
Harré,R/Madden,E.H.: 'Causal Powers: A Theory of Natural Necessity' [Blackwell 1975], p.149
A Reaction
If the powers and capacities are what get explained, what exactly does the explaining? If you says 'essences', you then have to characterise essences in some other way. I vote for basic powers as primitive. - but Idea 15302.
Related Idea
Idea 15302 We explain powers by the natures of things, but explanations end in inexplicable powers [Harré/Madden]
| 21950 | Science must clear away the idols of the mind if they are ever going to find the truth [Bacon] |
| 18971 | Theories are practical tools for progress, not answers to enigmas [James] |
| 5391 | Science aims to find uniformities to which (within the limits of experience) there are no exceptions [Russell] |
| 3856 | Good theories have empirical content, explain a lot, and are not falsified [Popper, by Newton-Smith] |
| 17508 | Science aims at truth, not at 'simplicity' [Putnam] |
| 12669 | Science aims to explain things, not just describe them [Ellis] |
| 15225 | Science investigates the nature and constitution of things or substances [Harré/Madden] |
| 15298 | We prefer the theory which explains and predicts the powers and capacities of particulars [Harré/Madden] |
| 14917 | To accept a scientific theory, we only need to believe that it is empirically adequate [Fraassen] |
| 19007 | A theory need not be true to be good; it should just be true about its physical aspects [Yablo] |
| 7026 | Science is sometimes said to classify powers, neglecting qualities [Heil] |
| 15207 | We want illuminating theories, rather than coherent theories [Le Poidevin] |
| 14988 | A theory which doesn't fit nature is unexplanatory, even if it is true [Sider] |
| 17488 | Empiricist theories are sets of laws, which give explanations and reductions [Glennan] |
| 20736 | Science has to abstract out the subjective attributes of things, focusing on what is objective [Aho] |