The hypothetical-deductive method or the inference to the best explanation: the case of the theory of evolution by natural selection



Document title: The hypothetical-deductive method or the inference to the best explanation: the case of the theory of evolution by natural selection
Journal: Ludus vitalis
Database: CLASE
System number: 000445811
ISSN: 1133-5165
Authors: 1
Institutions: 1Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Facultad de Filosofía, Mendoza. Argentina
Year:
Volumen: 23
Number: 45
Pages: 127-133
Country: México
Language: Inglés
Document type: Artículo
Approach: Analítico
English abstract Critical rationalism sustains that the best way of evaluating scientific theories is through the hypothetical-deductive method. Scientific hypotheses are tested deducting observational conducts from them. The task of science is to refute hypotheses, which mandates to postulate other hypotheses which can surpass the previous ones in terms of their precision and explanatory content. However, according to the Duhem-Quine thesis, the problem is that a hypothesis can never be totally refuted. In view of this, the hypothetical- deductive method appears as extremely permissive, but minimally probative. The aims of this paper are to show that: (1) the so-called ‘inference to the best explanation’ gives a more adequate answer than the hypothetical-deductive method about how to evaluate scientific theories; (2) The theory of evolution by natural selection is a clear example of what is pointed out in (1)
Disciplines: Filosofía,
Biología
Keyword: Epistemología,
Evolución y filogenia,
Metodología,
Teoría de la evolución,
Selección natural,
Teoría del conocimiento
Full text: Texto completo (Ver PDF)