Abstract

There are at least twelve major virtues of good theories: evidential accuracy, causal adequacy, explanatory depth, internal consistency, internal coherence, universal coherence, beauty, simplicity, unification, durability, fruitfulness, and applicability. These virtues are best classified into four classes: evidential, coherential, aesthetic, and diachronic. Each virtue class contains at least three virtues that sequentially follow a repeating pattern of progressive disclosure and expansion. Systematizing the theoretical virtues in this manner clarifies each virtue and suggests how they might have a coordinated and cumulative role in theory formation and evaluation across the disciplines—with allowance for discipline specific modification. An informal and flexible logic of theory choice is in the making here. Evidential accuracy (empirical fit), according to my systematization, is not a largely isolated trait of good theories, as some (realists and antirealists) have made it out to be. Rather, it bears multifaceted relationships, constituting significant epistemic entanglements, with other theoretical virtues.

Highlights

  • Theoretical virtues are the traits of a theory that show it is probably true or worth accepting

  • I will show how this theoretical virtue taxonomy is more illuminating than others

  • While my theoretical virtue systematization borrows from McMullin’s work, it goes beyond his accomplishment primarily in how I develop the following: (i) the evidential virtues, which McMullin reduces to the one-of-a-kind “empirical fit” virtue, and does not treat the closely related evidential virtues of causal adequacy and explanatory depth, and (ii) the aesthetic virtues, which McMullin dismisses as irrelevant factors in rational theory choice

Read more

Summary

Introduction

Theoretical virtues are the traits of a theory that show it is probably true or worth accepting. Analysis of widely accepted theories, especially in the natural sciences, can help us to more skillfully use these tools in all disciplines. I offer a new systematization of the theoretical virtues to deepen our understanding of them. The most widely accepted theories across the academic disciplines usually exhibit many of the same theoretical virtues listed below. Each virtue class contains at least three virtues that sequentially follow a repeating pattern of progressive disclosure and expansion. This pattern, and other systematic features, will become apparent as we explore the theoretical virtues. Evidential accuracy: A theory (T) fits the empirical evidence well (regardless of causal claims)

Causal adequacy
Internal coherence
Early attempts to understand and systematize the theoretical virtues
Evidential theoretical virtues in the light of theories of explanation
Unification as a mode of fruitfulness
The role of prediction in the diachronic virtues
The big picture that emerges from this theoretical virtue systematization
Conclusion
Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call