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Theory and Experiment pp 33–53Cite as

Reconstructing Science: Discovery and Experiment

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Part of the book series: Synthese Library ((SYLI,volume 195))

Abstract

Science transforms itself by more or less continuously reworking its previous results and techniques. To miss the dynamical, self-reconstructive nature of scientific work is to miss the extent to which scientific inquiry is a bootstrap affair. I shall call non-reconstructive views of science single-pass or one-pass models of scientific inquiry. Here are some examples of reconstruction.

And what the dead had no speech for, when living, They can tell you, being dead: the communication Of the dead is tongued with fire beyond the language of the living.

- T. S. Eliot1

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Philosophy, University of Nevada, Reno, USA

    Thomas Nickles

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  1. Thomas Nickles
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Rijksuniversiteit Gent and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, N.F.W.O., Belgium

    Diderik Batens  & Jean Paul Van Bendegem (Bevoegdverklaard Navorser) &  (Bevoegdverklaard Navorser)

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© 1988 D. Reidel Publishing Company

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Nickles, T. (1988). Reconstructing Science: Discovery and Experiment. In: Batens, D., Van Bendegem, J.P. (eds) Theory and Experiment. Synthese Library, vol 195. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2875-6_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2875-6_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7794-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-2875-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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