Observations, Experiments, and Arguments for Epistemic Superiority in Scientific Methodology
Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: This article argues against general claims for the epistemic superiority of experiment over observation. It does so by dissociating the benefits traditionally attributed to experiment from physical manipulation. In place of manipulation, we argue that other features of research methods do confer epistemic advantages in comparison to methods in which they are diminished. These features better track the epistemic successes and failures of scientific research, crosscut the observation/experiment distinction, and nevertheless explain why manipulative experiments are successful when they are.
Source: Philosophy of Science
DOI: 10.1017/psa.2023.101
Authors: Nora Mills Boyd, Dana Matthiessen
Institution: Siena College
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4385721295