Empirical factors and structure transference: Returning to the London account

Otávio Bueno; Steven French; James Ladyman

doi:10.1016/j.shpsb.2012.02.003

Empirical factors and structure transference: Returning to the London account

Otávio Bueno, Steven French, James Ladyman

Philosophy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

We offer a framework to represent the roles of empirical and theoretical factors in theory construction, and examine a case study to illustrate how the framework can be used to illuminate central features of scientific reasoning. The case study provides an extension of French and Ladyman's (1997) analysis of Fritz and Heinz London's model of superconductivity to accommodate the role of the analogy between superconductivity and diamagnetic phenomena in the development of the model between 1935 and 1937. We focus on this case since it allows us to separate the roles of empirical and theoretical factors, and so provides an example of the utility of the approach that we have adopted. We conclude the paper by drawing on the particular framework here developed to address a range of concerns.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	95-104
Number of pages	10
Journal	Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B - Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics
Volume	43
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsb.2012.02.003
State	Published - May 2012

Keywords

London and London model
Models
Partial structures
Semantic approach
Superconductivity
Theory construction

ASJC Scopus subject areas

History
Physics and Astronomy(all)
History and Philosophy of Science

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abstract = "We offer a framework to represent the roles of empirical and theoretical factors in theory construction, and examine a case study to illustrate how the framework can be used to illuminate central features of scientific reasoning. The case study provides an extension of French and Ladyman's (1997) analysis of Fritz and Heinz London's model of superconductivity to accommodate the role of the analogy between superconductivity and diamagnetic phenomena in the development of the model between 1935 and 1937. We focus on this case since it allows us to separate the roles of empirical and theoretical factors, and so provides an example of the utility of the approach that we have adopted. We conclude the paper by drawing on the particular framework here developed to address a range of concerns.",

keywords = "London and London model, Models, Partial structures, Semantic approach, Superconductivity, Theory construction",

author = "Ot{\'a}vio Bueno and Steven French and James Ladyman",

note = "Funding Information: French would like to thank the support of the Leverhulme Trust and the hospitality of the University of Miami during the preparation of this paper. Ladyman would like thank the support of the AHRC for the Foundations of Structuralism project. Copyright: Copyright 2012 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",

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AU - Ladyman, James

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Empirical factors and structure transference: Returning to the London account

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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