Language, Logic and Method

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-viii

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2. Scales of Measurement

   • Karel Berka

   Pages 1-73

3. Some Logical Problems Suggested by Empirical Theories

   • Maria Luisa Dalla Chiara

   Pages 75-90

4. Comments on ‘Some Logical Problems Suggested by Empirical Theories’ by Professor Dalla Chiara

   • John Stachel

   Pages 91-102

5. A Methodology without Methodological Rules

   • J. N. Hattiangadi

   Pages 103-151

6. Truth, Fallibility and the Growth Of Knowledge

   • Isaac Levi

   Pages 153-174

7. Fallible is as Fallible Does

   • Israel Scheffler

   Pages 175-178

8. Knowledge in Pursuit of Knowledge — A Few Worries

   • Avishai Margalit

   Pages 179-183

9. Response To Scheffler

   • Isaac Levi

   Pages 185-188

10. Response To Margalit

    • Isaac Levi

    Pages 189-195

11. Rejoinder to Levi’s Reply

    • Avishai Margalit, Israel Scheffler

    Pages 197-198

12. A Category-Theoretic Approach to Systems in a Fuzzy World

    • Michael A. Arbib, Ernest G. Manes

    Pages 199-224

13. Natural Languages and Formal Languages: A Tenable Dualism

    • Julius M. Moravcsik

    Pages 225-239

14. The Problem of Vague Predicates

    • Rohit Parikh

    Pages 241-261

15. Peirce and Pearson: Pragmatism vs. Instrumentalism

    • Peter Skagestad

    Pages 263-282

16. Theory of Propensity

    • Satosi Watanabe

    Pages 283-308

17. Gödel’s Theorems and Church’s Thesis:

    • Judson C. Webb

    Pages 309-353

18. The Non-Traditional Theory of Quantifiers

    • A. A. Zinov’ev

    Pages 355-408

19. Dialogue: How Do We Know What Others Mean and Why?

    • Francesca Rivetti Barbò

    Pages 409-444

20. Towards a Richer Theory of Dialogue: Comments on Professor Rivetti Barbò’s Paper

    • Richard M. Burian

    Pages 445-457

Fundamental problems of the uses of formal techniques and of natural and instrumental practices have been raised again and again these past two decades, in many quarters and from varying viewpoints. We have brought a number of quite basic studies of these issues together in this volume, not linked con­ ceptually nor by any rigorously defined problematic, but rather simply some of the most interesting and even provocative of recent research accomplish­ ments. Most of these papers are derived from the Boston Colloquium for the Philosophy of Science during 1973-80, the two exceptions being those of Karel Berka (on scales of measurement) and A. A. Zinov'ev (on a non-tradi­ tional theory of quantifiers). Just how intriguing these results (or conjectures?) seem to us may be seen from some brief quotations: (1) Judson Webb: " . . . . the abstract machine concept has many of the appropriate kinds of properties for modelling living, reproducing, rule­ following, self-reflecting, accident-prone, and lucky creatures . . . the a priori logical results relevant to the abstract machine concept, above all Godel's, could not conceivably have turned out any better for the mechanist. " (2) M. L. Dalla Chiara: " . . . modal interpretation (of quantum logic) shows clearly that it possesses a logical meaning which is quite independent of quantum mechanics. " (3) Isaac Levi: (as against Peirce and Popper) " . . . infallibilism is con­ sistent with corrigibilism, and a view which respects avoidance of error is an important desideratum for science.

• Karl R. Popper
• philosophy of science
• quantum mechanics
• science

• Boston University, USA

  Robert S. Cohen, Marx W. Wartofsky

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