Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: In this paper, I will propose a critical evaluation of the ontological hypothesis put forward by Donald T. Campbell, namely, hypothetical realism. I will begin by analysing the broader context of this hypothesis, specifically Campbell’s evolutionary epistemology, which he also refers to as ‘descriptive’ or ‘normative’. Following a critical analysis of this framework, I will attempt to show how the ideas presented here underpin Campbell’s choice of critical hypothetical realism, and then I will elaborate on what this entails. Finally, I will examine a series of critical objections that can be raised against this ontology, both in the version proposed by Campbell and in its more general form.
Authors: Institutul de Filosofie si Psihologie al Academiei Romane, Sergiu Balan
Language: English
Subfield: History and Philosophy of Science
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4409510469