Single Idea 18615

[catalogued under 14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 1. Scientific Theory]

Full Idea

Horizontal arguments for eliminativism of theoretical terms say that some terms should be eliminated if they do not pick out a natural kind.

Gist of Idea

Horizontal arguments say eliminate a term if it fails to pick out a natural kind

Source

Edouard Machery (Doing Without Concepts [2009], 8.2.3)

Book Reference

Machery,Edouard: 'Doing Without Concepts' [OUP 2009], p.237


A Reaction

This is the one Machery likes, but I would say that it is less obvious than the 'vertical' version, since picking out a natural kind may not be the only job of a theoretical term. (p.238: Machery agrees!)

Related Ideas

Idea 18614 Vertical arguments say eliminate a term if it picks out different natural kinds in different theories [Machery]

Idea 18616 If a term doesn't pick out a kind, keeping it may block improvements in classification [Machery]