33 ideas
| 3853 | For science to be rational, we must explain scientific change rationally [Newton-Smith] |
| 3859 | We do not wish merely to predict, we also want to explain [Newton-Smith] |
| 3870 | The real problem of science is how to choose between possible explanations [Newton-Smith] |
| 3855 | Critics attack positivist division between theory and observation [Newton-Smith] |
| 3854 | Positivists hold that theoretical terms change, but observation terms don't [Newton-Smith] |
| 3869 | More truthful theories have greater predictive power [Newton-Smith] |
| 3861 | Theories generate infinite truths and falsehoods, so they cannot be used to assess probability [Newton-Smith] |
| 7786 | Propositional logic handles negation, disjunction, conjunction; predicate logic adds quantifiers, predicates, relations [Girle] |
| 7798 | There are three axiom schemas for propositional logic [Girle] |
| 7799 | Proposition logic has definitions for its three operators: or, and, and identical [Girle] |
| 7797 | Axiom systems of logic contain axioms, inference rules, and definitions of proof and theorems [Girle] |
| 7794 | There are seven modalities in S4, each with its negation [Girle] |
| 7793 | ◊p → □◊p is the hallmark of S5 [Girle] |
| 7795 | S5 has just six modalities, and all strings can be reduced to those [Girle] |
| 7787 | Possible worlds logics use true-in-a-world rather than true [Girle] |
| 7788 | Modal logic has four basic modal negation equivalences [Girle] |
| 7796 | Modal logics were studied in terms of axioms, but now possible worlds semantics is added [Girle] |
| 7789 | Necessary implication is called 'strict implication'; if successful, it is called 'entailment' [Girle] |
| 7790 | If an argument is invalid, a truth tree will indicate a counter-example [Girle] |
| 7800 | Analytic truths are divided into logically and conceptually necessary [Girle] |
| 7801 | Possibilities can be logical, theoretical, physical, economic or human [Girle] |
| 3867 | De re necessity arises from the way the world is [Newton-Smith] |
| 7792 | A world has 'access' to a world it generates, which is important in possible worlds semantics [Girle] |
| 3872 | We must assess the truth of beliefs in identifying them [Newton-Smith] |
| 3857 | Defeat relativism by emphasising truth and reference, not meaning [Newton-Smith] |
| 3858 | A full understanding of 'yellow' involves some theory [Newton-Smith] |
| 3862 | All theories contain anomalies, and so are falsified! [Newton-Smith] |
| 3863 | The anomaly of Uranus didn't destroy Newton's mechanics - it led to Neptune's discovery [Newton-Smith] |
| 3864 | Anomalies are judged against rival theories, and support for the current theory [Newton-Smith] |
| 3865 | Why should it matter whether or not a theory is scientific? [Newton-Smith] |
| 3866 | If theories are really incommensurable, we could believe them all [Newton-Smith] |
| 3871 | Explaining an action is showing that it is rational [Newton-Smith] |
| 19436 | Bare or primary matter is passive; it is clothed or secondary matter which contains action [Leibniz] |