Combining Texts

Ideas for 'Unconscious Cerebral Initiative', 'In Defence of Pure Reason' and 'The Metaphysics of Scientific Realism'

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2 ideas

14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 2. Aim of Science
Science aims to explain things, not just describe them [Ellis]
     Full Idea: The primary aim of science is to explain what happens, not just to describe it.
     From: Brian Ellis (The Metaphysics of Scientific Realism [2009], 2)
     A reaction: This I take to be a good motto for scientific essentialism. Any scientist who is happy with anything less than explanation is a mere journeyman, a servant in the kitchens of the great house of science.
14. Science / C. Induction / 2. Aims of Induction
Induction must go beyond the evidence, in order to explain why the evidence occurred [Bonjour]
     Full Idea: Inductive explanations must be conceived of as something stronger than mere Humean constant conjunction; …anything less than this will not explain why the inductive evidence occurred in the first place.
     From: Laurence Bonjour (In Defence of Pure Reason [1998], §7.7)