'Of Water Drops and Atomic Nuclei: Analogies and Pursuit Worthiness in Science'
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Authors
Nyrup, R
Publication Date
2020Journal Title
British Journal for the Philosophy of Science
ISSN
0007-0882
Publisher
University of Chicago Press
Volume
71
Issue
3
Pages
881-903
Type
Article
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Nyrup, R. (2020). 'Of Water Drops and Atomic Nuclei: Analogies and Pursuit Worthiness in Science'. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 71 (3), 881-903. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjps/axy036
Abstract
This paper highlights a use of analogies in science that so far has received relatively little systematic discussion: providing reasons for pursuing a model or theory. Using the development of the liquid drop model as a test case, I critically assess two extant pursuit worthiness accounts: (i) that analogies justify pursuit by supporting plausibility arguments and (ii) that analogies can serve as a guide to potential theoretical unification. Neither of these fit the liquid drop model case. Instead, I develop an alternative account, based on the idea that analogies facilitate the transfer of a well-understood modelling strategy to a new domain.
Sponsorship
Leverhulme Trust Research Centre Grant (awarded to the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence)
Funder references
Leverhulme Trust (RC-2015-067)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/bjps/axy036
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/279799
Rights
Licence:
http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
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