New perspectives on pierre duhems the aim and structure. At the heart of the underdetermination of scientific theory by evidence is the simple idea that the evidence available to us at a given time may be insufficient to determine what beliefs we should hold in response to it. An experiment in physics is the precise observation of phenomena accompanied by. Pierre maurice marie duhem was born in paris on 9 june, 1861, into a deeply catholic family with a strong allegiance to the monarchy whose conservative views duhem was to uphold throughout the conflicts with the new republic. The quineduhem thesis is a form of the thesis of the underdetermination of theory by empirical evidence. The problem concerns a gap between theory and observation. It is less concrete in its connotations than the term but. This book represents his most mature thought on a wide range of topics. Quotes authors p pierre duhem if the aim of physical theories. Pierre duhem, french physicist, mathematician, and philosopher of science who emphasized a history of modern science based on evolutionary metaphysical concepts. Pierre duhem was one of the great figures in french science, a devoted teacher, and a distinguished scholar of the history and philosophy of science. The other papers, forming a threepart series, pursue this project of putting the foundations of thermodynamics on a clearer and more secure basis.
New perspectives on pierre duhems the aim and structure of physical theory. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the death of pierre duhem, one of frances greatest intellects. He maintained that the role of theory in science is to systematize relationships rather than to interpret new phenomena. An experiment in physics can never condemn an isolated hypothesis but only a whole theoretical group the physicist who carries out an experiment, or gives a report of one, implicitly recognizes the. As a physicist, he championed energetics, holding generalized thermodynamics as foundational for physical theory, that is, thinking that all of chemistry and physics, including mechanics, electricity, and magnetism, should be derivable from thermodynamic first principles.
Duhems point goes further than merely claiming that theories are complex, however. Pierre duhem physical theory and experiment l the experimental testing of a theory does not have the same logical simplicity in physics as in physiology the sole purpose of physical theory is to provide a representation and classification of experimental laws. The central point of duhems holism is that theory choice is underdetermined by empirical evidence. The aim and structure of physical theory pierre duhem. Commentary on the principles of thermodynamics by pierre duhem. Philosophy and history in the work of a believing physicist. Pierre duhem, physical theory and experiment, from the aim and structure of physical theory. This book will be of interest to scholars in history and philosophy of science, especially those interested in the development of physical chemistry and the work of pierre duhem. Duhems main reason for advocating good sense is the complexity of theory choice in experimental science duhem, 1991b, pp. Pierre duhems concept of good sense milena ivanova 4 there are two important arguments that arise from the holistic thesis pointed by duhem. To save the phenomena, an essay on the idea of physical theory from plato to galileo. Therefore the contradictions of a theory by experiment can be re.
His work encompasses thermodynamics, physical chemistry, hydrodynamics, elasticity. Holism and realism 25 a wellknown holist about scientific theory, duhem claimed that no particular scientific hypothesis can be tested by an experiment, since experiments test only whole bodies of theory, or sets of hypotheses, at a time. Pierre duhems good sense as a guide to theory choice. This classic work in the philosophy of physical science is an incisive and readable account of the scientific method. Duhems 1908 essay questions the relation between physical theory an. Cabrespine, france, 14 september 1916 physics, rational mechanics, physical chemistry, history of science, philosophy of science. Pdf new perspectives on pierre duhems the aim and structure of. We will then turn to pierre duhems observation that there are no crucial experiments in physics. The duhemquine thesis argues that no scientific hypothesis is by itself capable of making predictions. Explicitly rejecting the idea that science is a set of models that. Instrumentalism is a pragmatic philosophy of john dewey that thought is an instrument for solving practical problems, and that truth is not fixed but changes as problems change.
Dossier pierre duhem antiscepticism and epistemic humility in pierre duhems philosophy of science. According to duhem, the study of the history of science makes any such claim. The physicist, in attempting to rectify a lame theory, resembles the physician and not the watchmaker. Marie gueguen and stathis psillos antiscepticism and epistemic humility in pierre duhems philosophy of science. The aim and structure of physical theory by pierre duhem. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The french term objet designates here that toward which the theory tends. Duliem historical and personal circumstances hlocked the career. However, in 1906 pierre duhem argued that the falsification of a theory is necessarily ambiguous and therefore that there are no crucial experiments. Duhems views on the nature of physical theories were similar to theirs and to henri.
Request pdf on mar 1, 2011, anastasios brenner and others published new perspectives on pierre duhems the aim and structure of physical theory find, read and cite all the research you need. The sole purpose of physical theory is to provide a representation and classification of experimental laws. Duhem was also a historian of science, noted for his work on the european middle ages which is regarded as having created the field of the history of medieval science. Physical theory and experiment the sole purpose of. Duhem was that rare, not to say unique, scientist whose contributions to the philosophy of science, the historiography of science, and science itself in thermodynamics, hydrodynamics, elasticity, and. Images of science, historical continuity, and the first crisis in physics duhem used historical arguments to draw philosophical conclusions about the aim and structure of physical theory. The duhemquine problem is named after pierre duhem 18611916 and willard van orman quine 19082000. Pierre duhem, the history and philosophy of physics, and the teaching of physics pierre duhem, the history and philosophy of physics, and the teaching of physics crowe, m.
Images of science, historical continuity, and the first. Pierre duhem 18611916 was a french physicist and historian and philosopher of science. He is best known for his work on chemical thermodynamics, for his philosophical writings on the indeterminacy of experimental criteria, and for his historical research into the science of the european middle ages. Duhems aim and structure of physical theory kynosarges. Selections from pierre duhem, the aim and structure of physical theory princeton science library edition, 1991, pp. He argued against explanatory theories and in favor of theories that.
If the aim of physical theories is to explain experimental laws, theoretical physics is not an autonomous science. Every experiment involves assumptions about the way in which the measuring instruments. A physical theory reputed to be satisfactory by the sectarians of one metaphysical school will be. Can theories be refuted essays on the duhemquine thesis. Instrumentalism is the view that scientific theories are useful tools for predicting phenomena instead of true or approximately true descriptions. The aim and structure of physical theory princeton science library 9932nd edition. Pierre maurice marie duhem was a french theoretical physicist who worked on.
One must take into account duhems distinction between the aim of individual theories and the tendency of physical theories. An essay on the idea of physical theory from plato to galileo. F rom pierre duhem, the aim and structure of physical theory, trans. Pierre duhem physical theory and experiment the physicist who carries out an experiment, or gives a report of one, implicitly recognizes the accu racy of a whole group of theories.
Pierre duhem french physicist and philosopher britannica. Firstly, the fact that we always test our theory in light of other theories made duhem notice that the phenomena we are going to observe and the way we interpret them is always driven by theory. Ernst mach and pierre duhem on physical theory book ii page 2 duhem on physical theory and metaphysics. The aim and structure of physical theory pierre maurice. Pierre duhem was born in paris on 10 june 1861, and died at his country home of cabrespine aude on 14 september.
Now that we have minutely analyzed the characteristics of a physical experiment and of a physical law, we can establish the prin. Pierre duhem 18611916 was a french physicist and historian and. An experiment in physics is not simply the observation of a phenomenon. Dossier pierre duhem antiscepticism and epistemic humility in. Instead, deriving predictions from the hypothesis typically requires background assumptions that several other hypotheses are correct.
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