Science and Skepticism

Author: Watkins
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: Is there a rational basis for evaluating and selecting scientific theories? This has long been a puzzle that has troubled people. After the failure of the verifiability criterion of logical positivism and the explanation of probabilityism, skepticism has posed a more serious challenge to rational principles. In this book, Watkins addresses two forms of skepticism. One is rational skepticism, which doubts the rationality of theories, arguing that we do not have sufficient reasons to choose one theory over another. The other is probabilistic skepticism, which doubts the role of probability, asserting that evidence cannot increase the probability of a scientific theory. The purpose of this book is to argue for probabilistic skepticism while opposing rational skepticism, thereby defending the rationality of science, particularly the rationality of selecting scientific theories, without relying on probability.