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The Importance of Historical Accuracy in Philosophy of Science: The Case of Curd's Conception of Copernican Rationality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2022

Keith A. Nier
Keith A. Nier*
Affiliation:
Thomas A. Edison Papers, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
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Abstract

General discussions of the appropriate relations between history and philosophy of science must be complemented by examinations of particular studies involving both fields. Martin Curd's attempt to illuminate the rationality of theory change through analysis of the Copernican Revolution is such a study; his work is undercut by serious flaws and actually displays an ahistorical approach. The result misleads both about the Copernican Revolution and the general problem of theory change in science. The study does illustrate several types of failing that can vitiate efforts to bring historical considerations into philosophical discussion, namely, pitfalls in the characterization of theories, arguments, range of choices, and criteria.

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 53 , Issue 3 , September 1986 , pp. 372 - 394
Copyright
Copyright © The Philosophy of Science Association 1986

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