Ideology and its role in metaphysics

Finocchiaro, Peter

doi:10.1007/s11229-018-02077-6

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…In particular it was argued that, if quantifier structure is indeterminate, ontological disagreement can be non-substantive*; and that realism about joint-carving gives us reasons to believe that structure is indeed indeterminate, as structural indeterminacy offers a way out of a 23 An analogous dialectics can be found in the debate about quantitative vs. qualitative ideological parsimony (Torza, 2017a;cf. Cowling, 2012, Finocchiaro, 2019. worrisome dilemma.…”

Section: The Epistemology Of Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

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Structural Indeterminacy

Torza

2019

Philos Phenomenol Research

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The threat of ontological deflationism (the view that disagreement about what there is can be non-substantive) is averted by appealing to realism about fundamental structure-or so tells us Ted Sider. In this paper, the notion of structural indeterminacy is introduced as a particular case of metaphysical indeterminacy; then it is argued that structural indeterminacy is not only compatible with a metaphysics of fundamental structure, but it can even safeguard it from a crucial objection; finally, it is shown that, if there are instances of structural indeterminacy, a hitherto unacknowledged variety of ontological deflationism will arise. Unless structure is shown to be determinate, ontological deflationism remains a live option. Furthermore, I will consider whether structural indeterminacy could be challenged by adopting a naturalistic epistemology of structure; the question is answered in the negative on the basis of a formal result concerning theory choice. Finally, I submit a new way of articulating the epistemology of structure, which hinges on the very possibility of structural indeterminacy.

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Section: The Epistemology Of Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

“… An analogous dialectics can be found in the debate about quantitative vs. qualitative ideological parsimony (Torza, ; cf. Cowling, , Finocchiaro, ). …”

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confidence: 99%

Structural Indeterminacy

Torza

2019

Philos Phenomenol Research

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“…In the more recent literature on meta-metaphysics, a number of compelling arguments towards a neo-Carnapian point of view can be found in the works of Price (2004), Price (2007), Price (2009), Macarthur and Price (2007) and Thomasson (2014). A number of responses on the basis of neo-Quinean concerns can be found in the works of Sider (2009), Finocchiaro (2019), and Van Inwagen (2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A pragmatic approach to the ontology of models

Antoniou

2021

Synthese

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What are scientific models? Philosophers of science have been trying to answer this question during the last three decades by putting forward a number of different proposals. Some say that models are best understood as abstract Platonic objects or fictional entities akin to Sherlock Holmes, while others focus on their mathematical nature and see them as set theoretical structures. Although each account has its own strengths in offering various insights on the nature of models, several objections have been raised against these views which still remain unanswered, making the debate on the ontology of models seem unresolvable. The primary aim of this paper is to show that a large part of these difficulties stems from an inappropriate reading of the main question on the ontology of models as a purely metaphysical question. Building on Carnap, it is argued that the question of the ontology of scientific models is either (i) an internal theoretical question within an already accepted linguistic framework or (ii) an external practical question regarding the choice of the most appropriate form of language in order to describe and explain the practice of scientific modelling. The main implication of this view is that the question of the ontology of models becomes a means of probing other related questions regarding the overall practice of scientific modelling, such as questions on the capacity of models to provide knowledge and the relation of models with background theories.

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“…1 1 For some justifications for these assumptions and an attempt to work through the alternatives, see Finocchiaro (2019a). …”

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confidence: 99%

“…15 15 The terminology I use here comes from Finocchiaro (2019a). Contrast ideological externalists with ideological internalists, who think that the quality of a theory's ideology ought to be determined primarily with reference to features internal to the theory, or with reference to the historical, sociological, and psychological relations that hold between the theory and the theorizer – for example, by being intelligible to the theorizer or employing terminology that has a history of successful projection.…”

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confidence: 99%

High‐Fidelity Metaphysics: Ideological Parsimony in Theory Choice

Finocchiaro

2021

Pacific Philosophical Qtr

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Many metaphysicians utilize the virtue‐driven methodology. According to this methodology, one theory is more worthy of endorsement than another insofar as it is more virtuous. In this paper, I show how a theory's overall virtue is shaped by its ideological parsimony – parsimony with respect to the terminology employed in stating the theory. I distinguish between a theory's truth and its fidelity (‘joint‐carvingness’) and the corresponding epistemic and fidelic virtues. I argue that ideological parsimony is not an epistemic virtue but is a fidelic virtue. Insofar as metaphysicians value fidelity, then, ideological parsimony has an important role in theory choice.

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Ideology and its role in metaphysics

Cited by 10 publications

References 44 publications

Structural Indeterminacy

Structural Indeterminacy

A pragmatic approach to the ontology of models

High‐Fidelity Metaphysics: Ideological Parsimony in Theory Choice

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