Oct 28, 2014 04:49 AM
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/physic...cturalism/
EXCERPT: Under the heading of “structuralism in physics” there are three different but closely related research programs in philosophy of science and, in particular, in philosophy of physics. These programs were initiated by the work of Joseph Sneed, Günther Ludwig, and Erhard Scheibe, respectively, since the beginning of the 1970s. For the sake of simplicity we will use these names in order to refer to the three programs, without the intention of ignoring or minimizing the contributions of other scholars. [...] The activities of the structuralists have been mainly confined to Europe, especially Germany, and, for whatever reasons, largely ignored in the Anglo-American discussion.
[...] The three programs share the following characteristics and convictions:
• A metatheory of science requires a kind of formalization different from that already employed by scientific theories themselves.
• The structuralistic program yields a framework for the rational reconstruction of particular theories.
• A central tool of formalization is Bourbaki's concept of “species of structures”, as described in Bourbaki (1986).
Among the significant features of theories to be described are:
• Mathematical structure
• Empirical claims of a theory
• Function of theoretical terms
• Rôle of approximation
• Evolution of theories
• Intertheoretic relations
EXCERPT: Under the heading of “structuralism in physics” there are three different but closely related research programs in philosophy of science and, in particular, in philosophy of physics. These programs were initiated by the work of Joseph Sneed, Günther Ludwig, and Erhard Scheibe, respectively, since the beginning of the 1970s. For the sake of simplicity we will use these names in order to refer to the three programs, without the intention of ignoring or minimizing the contributions of other scholars. [...] The activities of the structuralists have been mainly confined to Europe, especially Germany, and, for whatever reasons, largely ignored in the Anglo-American discussion.
[...] The three programs share the following characteristics and convictions:
• A metatheory of science requires a kind of formalization different from that already employed by scientific theories themselves.
• The structuralistic program yields a framework for the rational reconstruction of particular theories.
• A central tool of formalization is Bourbaki's concept of “species of structures”, as described in Bourbaki (1986).
Among the significant features of theories to be described are:
• Mathematical structure
• Empirical claims of a theory
• Function of theoretical terms
• Rôle of approximation
• Evolution of theories
• Intertheoretic relations