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Nagelian Reduction beyond the Nagel Model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Raphael van Riel
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Abstract

Nagel's official model of theory reduction and the way it is represented in the literature are shown to be incompatible with the careful remarks on the notion of reduction Nagel gave while developing his model. Based on these remarks, an alternative model is outlined, which does not face some of the problems the official model faces. Taking the context in which Nagel developed his model into account, it is shown that the way Nagel shaped his model and, thus, its well-known deficiencies are best conceived of as a mere by-product of his philosophical background.

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 78 , Issue 3 , July 2011 , pp. 353 - 375
Copyright
Copyright © The Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

‡

I would like to express my gratitude to Albert Newen, Stephan Hartmann, two anonymous reviewers, and Dan Brooks for their suggestions and comments on earlier drafts of this article. Moreover, I would like to thank the groups at the Philosophy Department of Ruhr-University of Bochum and at the Tilburg Center for Logic and Philosophy of Science, for stimulating discussions of related topics.

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