The Philosophy of Science — Season 1, Episode 6: Progress in Science
Documentary, Talk • 55 min • 1 season, 8 episodes
Episode synopsis
In lecture six, we discuss how science changes and whether it makes progress. We examine Thomas Kuhn's paradigm shift theory, suggesting science replaces one map of reality with another without objective progress. We also consider quantum mechanics paradoxes like wave-particle duality and observer dependence, and the underdetermination of theory by evidence. Dr. Orr also addresses realism vs. anti-realism, featuring Putnam's no-miracles argument that theories must approximate truth to explain their success. We conclude by examining philosophy's essential role in understanding science.
About The Philosophy of Science
In The Philosophy of Science, an eight-hour course, Dr. James Orr traces the development of science from ancient Greece through the Scientific Revolution to today. He examines how theological, institutional, and philosophical forces shaped science, while tackling key issues like the demarcation problem of science versus pseudoscience, Hume’s problem of induction, Kuhn’s theory of paradigm shifts, and the realism debate. The course also engages fascinating unresolved questions raised by cosmology, neuroscience, and quantum mechanics, ultimately arguing that scientific progress does not eliminate philosophical inquiry but rather deepens it, revealing new mysteries that demand philosophical analysis.