Conceptual Revolutions

Name: Conceptual Revolutions
Author: Paul Thagard
ISBN: 9780691024905

by Paul Thagard

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Conceptual Revolutions

by Paul Thagard

Paperback

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Overview

In this path-breaking work, Paul Thagard draws on the history and philosophy of science, cognitive psychology, and the field of artificial intelligence to develop a theory of conceptual change capable of accounting for all major scientific revolutions. The history of science contains dramatic episodes of revolutionary change in which whole systems of concepts have been replaced by new systems. Thagard provides a new and comprehensive perspective on the transformation of scientific conceptual systems. Thagard examines the Copernican and the Darwinian revolutions and the emergence of Newton's mechanics, Lavoisier's oxygen theory, Einstein's theory of relativity, quantum theory, and the geological theory of plate tectonics. He discusses the psychological mechanisms by which new concepts and links between them are formed, and advances a computational theory of explanatory coherence to show how new theories can be judged to be superior to previous ones.

FormatPaperback

LanguageEnglish

PublisherPrinceton University Press

Publication DateJan. 3rd, 1993

ISBN-139780691024905

Dimensions6.10 x 9.21 x 0.87 inches

ISBN-100691024901

Shipping Weight1.00 lbs

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"Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (1962) familiarised a wide public with the idea of revolutions as the inevitable result of the development of 'normal science.' It also made them seem irrational, the outcome of processes which were compared to Gestalt-switches and religious conversions. Thagard seeks to reinstall reason at the core of science." --P. M. Rattansi, The Times Higher Education Supplement

List of Figures
List of Tables
Acknowledgments
The Problem of Revolutionary Conceptual Change	p. 3
The importance of conceptual change	p. 3
Are there scientific revolutions?	p. 5
Theses on conceptual revolutions	p. 6
Overview	p. 9
Summary	p. 11
Appendix: Chronology of revolutions	p. 11
Concepts and Conceptual Systems	p. 13
Philosophical theories of concepts	p. 13
Belief revision versus conceptual change	p. 19
What are concepts for?	p. 21
What are concepts?	p. 24
Concepts as complex structures	p. 28
Conceptual hierarchies	p. 30
Summary	p. 33
Conceptual Change	p. 34
Degrees of conceptual change	p. 34
The chemical revolution	p. 39
Stahl's phlogiston theory	p. 40
Lavoisier, 1772	p. 42
Lavoisier, 1774	p. 43
Lavoisier, 1777	p. 44
Lavoisier's mature theory: the 1780s	p. 46
Toward a theory of conceptual change	p. 47
Development of conceptual systems by discovery	p. 50
Conceptual combination	p. 51
Generalization and abduction	p. 52
Special heuristics	p. 54
Replacement by discovery	p. 55
Development and replacement by instruction	p. 58
Summary	p. 61
Explanatory Coherence	p. 62
A theory of explanatory coherence	p. 63
Coherence	p. 64
Principles of explanatory coherence	p. 65
Discussion of the principles	p. 66
ECHO, a computational model of theory evaluation	p. 70
Connectionist models	p. 70
ECHO, the program	p. 71
Explanatory breadth	p. 74
Being explained	p. 75
Refutation	p. 76
Unification	p. 76
Simplicity	p. 77
Analogy	p. 78
Evidence and acceptability	p. 79
Parameters	p. 80
Application of ECHO to the chemical revolution	p. 82
Objections and replies	p. 89
Summary	p. 97
Appendix: Technical details of ECHO	p. 98
Algorithms	p. 98
Sensitivity	p. 100
Theory Dynamics, Rationality, and Explanation	p. 103
Dynamic relations of theories	p. 104
Theory replacement	p. 104
The relation between the oxygen and phlogiston theories	p. 106
Impediments to rationality	p. 108
Conversion and motivated inference	p. 109
Sociological explanations	p. 111
Translation	p. 113
Philosophical and computational models of explanation	p. 118
Strands of explanation	p. 118
Toward an integrated cognitive model of explanation	p. 127
Summary	p. 130
The Darwinian Revolution	p. 131
The development of Darwin's theory	p. 131
Conceptual change in evolutionary theory	p. 135
Addition and deletion of concepts	p. 135
New kind-relations	p. 136
Hierarchy reinterpretation	p. 137
The explanatory coherence of Darwin's theory	p. 139
Darwin versus the creation hypothesis	p. 139
ECHO analysis of Darwin	p. 140
Relation of Darwin's theory to its predecessor	p. 148
Other interpretations of Darwin's argument	p. 149
The reception of Darwin's argument	p. 151
Other revolutions in biology?	p. 152
Conceptual evolution?	p. 154
Summary	p. 156
The Geological Revolution	p. 157
The conceptual development of plate tectonics	p. 157
Historical sketch	p. 157
The discovery of continental drift	p. 158
Changes in conceptual structure	p. 160
Hierarchy transformation	p. 160
Wegener's concepts	p. 161
Concepts of Wegener's opponents	p. 164
Concepts of Hess and plate tectonics	p. 166
Evaluating theories of continental drift and plate tectonics	p. 171
The coherence of continental drift	p. 171
The rejection of continental drift	p. 176
The acceptance of plate tectonics	p. 179
Summary	p. 182
Appendix	p. 183
Revolutions in Physics	p. 191
Copernicus	p. 191
Aristotle	p. 192
Ptolemy	p. 193
The development of Copernicus's theory	p. 195
Conceptual change in Copernicus	p. 196
The explanatory coherence of Copernicus's theory	p. 197
Newton	p. 199
Newton's conceptual changes	p. 200
The explanatory coherence of Newtonian mechanics	p. 203
Einstein	p. 206
The development of relativity theory	p. 206
Conceptual change in relativity theory	p. 209
The explanatory coherence of relativity theory	p. 211
Quantum theory	p. 215
The development of quantum theory	p. 215
Conceptual change in quantum theory	p. 219
The explanatory coherence of quantum theory	p. 221
Forces, quarks, and superstrings	p. 222
Summary	p. 223
Revolutions in Psychology?	p. 225
Approaches, framework, and theories	p. 225
Behaviorism	p. 227
The development of behaviorism	p. 227
Behaviorism and conceptual change	p. 230
Behaviorism and explanatory coherence	p. 231
Cognitivism	p. 233
The development of cognitivism	p. 233
Cognitivism and conceptual change	p. 236
Cognitivism and explanatory coherence	p. 239
Connectionism	p. 240
Other developments	p. 244
Summary	p. 245
Conceptual Change in Scientists and Children	p. 246
Comparative summary of scientific revolutions	p. 247
Discovery and conceptual change	p. 247
Explanatory coherence	p. 248
Revolutions and scientific knowledge	p. 250
Conceptual change in children	p. 251
Are children like scientists?	p. 251
Changes in children's concepts	p. 252
Children's theories	p. 256
The growth of knowledge in children and scientists	p. 259
Projects for understanding science	p. 260
Children and education	p. 261
Scientific knowledge	p. 261
Summary	p. 262
References	p. 265
Index	p. 279
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.

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Overview

Product Details

FormatPaperback

LanguageEnglish

PublisherPrinceton University Press

Publication DateJan. 3rd, 1993

ISBN-139780691024905

Dimensions6.10 x 9.21 x 0.87 inches

ISBN-100691024901

Shipping Weight1.00 lbs

Professional Reviews

List of Figures
List of Tables
Acknowledgments
The Problem of Revolutionary Conceptual Change	p. 3
The importance of conceptual change	p. 3
Are there scientific revolutions?	p. 5
Theses on conceptual revolutions	p. 6
Overview	p. 9
Summary	p. 11
Appendix: Chronology of revolutions	p. 11
Concepts and Conceptual Systems	p. 13
Philosophical theories of concepts	p. 13
Belief revision versus conceptual change	p. 19
What are concepts for?	p. 21
What are concepts?	p. 24
Concepts as complex structures	p. 28
Conceptual hierarchies	p. 30
Summary	p. 33
Conceptual Change	p. 34
Degrees of conceptual change	p. 34
The chemical revolution	p. 39
Stahl's phlogiston theory	p. 40
Lavoisier, 1772	p. 42
Lavoisier, 1774	p. 43
Lavoisier, 1777	p. 44
Lavoisier's mature theory: the 1780s	p. 46
Toward a theory of conceptual change	p. 47
Development of conceptual systems by discovery	p. 50
Conceptual combination	p. 51
Generalization and abduction	p. 52
Special heuristics	p. 54
Replacement by discovery	p. 55
Development and replacement by instruction	p. 58
Summary	p. 61
Explanatory Coherence	p. 62
A theory of explanatory coherence	p. 63
Coherence	p. 64
Principles of explanatory coherence	p. 65
Discussion of the principles	p. 66
ECHO, a computational model of theory evaluation	p. 70
Connectionist models	p. 70
ECHO, the program	p. 71
Explanatory breadth	p. 74
Being explained	p. 75
Refutation	p. 76
Unification	p. 76
Simplicity	p. 77
Analogy	p. 78
Evidence and acceptability	p. 79
Parameters	p. 80
Application of ECHO to the chemical revolution	p. 82
Objections and replies	p. 89
Summary	p. 97
Appendix: Technical details of ECHO	p. 98
Algorithms	p. 98
Sensitivity	p. 100
Theory Dynamics, Rationality, and Explanation	p. 103
Dynamic relations of theories	p. 104
Theory replacement	p. 104
The relation between the oxygen and phlogiston theories	p. 106
Impediments to rationality	p. 108
Conversion and motivated inference	p. 109
Sociological explanations	p. 111
Translation	p. 113
Philosophical and computational models of explanation	p. 118
Strands of explanation	p. 118
Toward an integrated cognitive model of explanation	p. 127
Summary	p. 130
The Darwinian Revolution	p. 131
The development of Darwin's theory	p. 131
Conceptual change in evolutionary theory	p. 135
Addition and deletion of concepts	p. 135
New kind-relations	p. 136
Hierarchy reinterpretation	p. 137
The explanatory coherence of Darwin's theory	p. 139
Darwin versus the creation hypothesis	p. 139
ECHO analysis of Darwin	p. 140
Relation of Darwin's theory to its predecessor	p. 148
Other interpretations of Darwin's argument	p. 149
The reception of Darwin's argument	p. 151
Other revolutions in biology?	p. 152
Conceptual evolution?	p. 154
Summary	p. 156
The Geological Revolution	p. 157
The conceptual development of plate tectonics	p. 157
Historical sketch	p. 157
The discovery of continental drift	p. 158
Changes in conceptual structure	p. 160
Hierarchy transformation	p. 160
Wegener's concepts	p. 161
Concepts of Wegener's opponents	p. 164
Concepts of Hess and plate tectonics	p. 166
Evaluating theories of continental drift and plate tectonics	p. 171
The coherence of continental drift	p. 171
The rejection of continental drift	p. 176
The acceptance of plate tectonics	p. 179
Summary	p. 182
Appendix	p. 183
Revolutions in Physics	p. 191
Copernicus	p. 191
Aristotle	p. 192
Ptolemy	p. 193
The development of Copernicus's theory	p. 195
Conceptual change in Copernicus	p. 196
The explanatory coherence of Copernicus's theory	p. 197
Newton	p. 199
Newton's conceptual changes	p. 200
The explanatory coherence of Newtonian mechanics	p. 203
Einstein	p. 206
The development of relativity theory	p. 206
Conceptual change in relativity theory	p. 209
The explanatory coherence of relativity theory	p. 211
Quantum theory	p. 215
The development of quantum theory	p. 215
Conceptual change in quantum theory	p. 219
The explanatory coherence of quantum theory	p. 221
Forces, quarks, and superstrings	p. 222
Summary	p. 223
Revolutions in Psychology?	p. 225
Approaches, framework, and theories	p. 225
Behaviorism	p. 227
The development of behaviorism	p. 227
Behaviorism and conceptual change	p. 230
Behaviorism and explanatory coherence	p. 231
Cognitivism	p. 233
The development of cognitivism	p. 233
Cognitivism and conceptual change	p. 236
Cognitivism and explanatory coherence	p. 239
Connectionism	p. 240
Other developments	p. 244
Summary	p. 245
Conceptual Change in Scientists and Children	p. 246
Comparative summary of scientific revolutions	p. 247
Discovery and conceptual change	p. 247
Explanatory coherence	p. 248
Revolutions and scientific knowledge	p. 250
Conceptual change in children	p. 251
Are children like scientists?	p. 251
Changes in children's concepts	p. 252
Children's theories	p. 256
The growth of knowledge in children and scientists	p. 259
Projects for understanding science	p. 260
Children and education	p. 261
Scientific knowledge	p. 261
Summary	p. 262
References	p. 265
Index	p. 279
Table of Contents provided by Blackwell. All Rights Reserved.

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Conceptual Revolutions

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Conceptual Revolutions

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