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History of Science and the Material Theory of Induction: Einstein’s Quanta, Mercury’s Perihelion

Norton, John D. (2007) History of Science and the Material Theory of Induction: Einstein’s Quanta, Mercury’s Perihelion. In: HPS1: First Conference in Integrated History and Philosophy of Science, October 11-14, 2007, Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

The use of the material theory of induction to vindicate a scientist’s claims of evidential warrant is illustrated with the cases of Einstein’s thermodynamic argument for light quanta of 1905 and his recovery of the anomalous motion of Mercury from general relativity in 1915. In a survey of other accounts of inductive inference applied to these examples, I show that, if it is to succeed, each account must presume the same material facts as the material theory and, in addition, some general principle of inductive inference not invoked by the material theory. Hence these principles are superfluous and the material theory superior in being more parsimonious.


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Details

Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Status: Unpublished
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Norton, John D.jdnorton@pitt.eduJDNORTON
Date: 2007
Event Title: HPS1: First Conference in Integrated History and Philosophy of Science
Event Dates: October 11-14, 2007
Event Type: Conference
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Schools and Programs: Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences > History and Philosophy of Science
Refereed: No
Uncontrolled Keywords: Induction confirmation Einstein quanta Mercury perihelion material theory
Date Deposited: 19 May 2009 15:29
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2016 13:33
URI: http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/2671

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