Henry E. Kyburg, Jr. & Isaac Levi

321 Pages·1982·7.382 MB·English

by  Henry E. Kyburg Jr. (auth.), Radu J. Bogdan (eds.)

HENRY E. KYBURG, JR. & ISAAC LEVI
PROFILES
AN INTERNATIONAL SERIES ON
CONTEMPORAR Y PHILOSOPHERS AND LOGICIANS
EDITORS
RADU J. BOGDAN, Tulane University
ILKKA NIINIL UOTO, University of Helsinki
EDITORIAL BOARD
D. F</>LLESDAL, University of Oslo
S. KORNER, University of Bristol
1. 1. C. SMART, Australian National University
w. STEGMULLER, Universitiit Munchen
P. SUPPES, Stanford University
K. SZANIA WSKI, University of Warsaw
1. VUILLEMIN, College de France
VOLUME 3
HENRY E. KYBURG, JR.
&
ISAAC LEVI
Edited by
RADU J. BOGDAN
Tulane University
D. REIDEL PUBLISHING COMPANY
DORDRECHT : HOLLAND/BOSTON : U.S.A.
LONDON: ENGLAND
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Main entry under title:
Henry E. Kyburg, Jr. & Isaac Levi.
(Profiles; v. 3)
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
\. Kyburg, Henry Ely, 1928- . 2. Levi, Isaac, 1930-
I. Bogdan, Radu J. II. Title. III. Series: Profiles
(Dordrecht, Holland); v. 3)
B945.K94H46 191 81-15417
ISBN -13: 978-90-277-1309-4 e-ISBN -13 :978-94-009-7718-1
DOl: 10.1007/978-94-009-7718-1
Published by D. Reidel Publishing Company,
P.O. Box 17, 3300 AA Dordrecht, Holland.
Sold and distributed in the U.S.A. and Canada
by Kluwer Boston Inc.,
190 Old Derby Street, Hingham, MA 02043, U.S.A.
In all other countries, sold and distributed
by Kluwer Academic Publishers Group,
P.O. Box 322, AH Dordrecht, Holland.
D. Reidel Publishing Company is a member of the Kluwer Group.
All Rights Reserved
Copyright © 1982 by D. Reidel Publishing Company, Dordrecht, Holland
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1982
No part of the material protected by this copyright notice may be reproduced or
utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording or by any informational storage and
retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner
T ABLE OF CONTENTS
EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION VII
PREFACE xi
I
Part One 3
HENR Y E. KY BURG, JR. - Self-Profile 5
1. Introduction 5
2. A Glance Over the Shoulder 6
3. Probability II
4. Theory and Inference 28
5. Metaphysics and Ontology 40
6. Language and Logic 44
7. Value Theory 47
8. Social and Political Philosophy 50
9. Summary 52
Part Two 55
STEPHEN SPIELMAN-Kyburg's System of Prob-
ability 57
WILLIAM L. HARPER - Kyburg on Direct In-
ference 97
HENRY E. KYBURG, JR. - Reply 129
v
CONTENTS
Part Three 163
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF HENRY E. KYBURG, JR. 165
II
Part One 179
ISAAC LEVI - Self-Profile 181
1. Beginnings 181
2. Early Themes 185
3. Cognitive States 191
4. Revision of Knowledge 194
5. Credal Probability and Decision Making 202
6. Conditionalization and Revision of Probabilities 205
7. Inductive Logic 207
8. Statistical Probability and Direct Inference 210
9. Evidential Support 213
10. Unfinished Business 214
Part Two 217
WILLIAM K. GOOSENS - Levi's Theory of Ac-
ceptance 219
TEDDY SEIDENFELD - Levi on the Dogma of Ran-
domization in Experiments 263
ISAAC LEVI'-Replies 293
Part Three 307
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ISAAC LEVI 309
INDEX OF NAMES 319
INDEX OF SUBJECTS 321
vi
EDITORIAL INTRODUCTION
The aim of this series is to inform both professional philosophers and a
larger readership (of social and natural scientists, methodologists,
mathematicians, students, teachers, publishers, etc.) about what is going
on, who's who, and who does what in contemporary philosophy and logic.
PROFILES is designed to present the research activity and the results of
already outstanding personalities and schools and of newly emerging ones
in the various fields of philosophy and logic. There are many Festschrift
volumes dedicated to various philosophers. There is the celebrated Library
ofL iving Philosophers edited by P. A. Schilpp whose format influenced the
present enterprise. Still they can only cover very little of the contemporary
philosophical scene. Faced with a tremendous expansion of philosophical
information and with an almost frightening division oflabor and increas
ing specialization we need systematic and regular ways of keeping track
of what happens in the profession. PROFILES is intended to perform such a
function.
Each volume is devoted to one or several philosophers whose views
and results 'are presented and discussed. The profiled philosopher(s} will
summarize and review his (their) own work in the main fields of signifi
cant contribution. This work will be discussed and evaluated by invited
contributors. Relevant historical and/or biographical data, an up-to-date
bibliography with short abstracts of the most important works and,
whenever possible, references to significant reviews and discussions will
also be included.
Since rigorous argumentation and a rational approach to philosophical
problems are among the most worthwhile trends in contemporary philo
sophical thought, PRO F I L E s will give priority to surveys of the work of
vii
INTRODUCTION
authors and schools of thought that meet these standards. However, this
preference allows for a broad spectrum of philosophical and methodologi
cal viewpoints. As a vehicle of information about, and systematization
of, contemporary philosophical and logical knowledge, PROFILES will
strive to report on any major contribution to that body of knowledge, be
it personal or collective. PROFILES will also report on research and new
projects that, although still esoteric and even tentative, may be expected
to become seminal and influential in some field of philosophical or logical
studies. The sooner the information about such new ventures is dissemi
nated and systematized, the greater will be its impact on undergraduate
and graduate students, researchers, teachers on all levels, editors,
publishers, university and foundation managers, etc.
The editors will welcome information on personal and collective
research in progress, Ph.D. theses, surveys and monographs dealing with
individual philosophers and schools of thought working in contemporary
philosophy and logic.
We expect to publish one or two volumes yearly.
RADU J. BOGDAN ILKKA NIINILUOTO
Tulane University University of Helsinki
viii
Left: Henry E. Kyburg, Jr.; right: Isaac Levi.
(Photograph by Bart Crouwers.)
PREFACE
Over the last two decades Henry Kyburg and Isaac Levi have been
engaged in a sustained and systematic inquiry into the foundations of
probability, inductive inference and scientific method. These are the
major areas of their research that the present volume attempts to review
and discuss. Yet it should be apparent from what follows that both philo
sophers have pursued other research lines as well, and that they are
likely to do so in the future. Besides documenting their individual approa
ches and results, the volume also illuminates the ongoing, constructive
dialogue between Kyburg and Levi.
The volume has two similar divisions. The Self Profiles tell us the story
of the two philosophers' intellectual evolution, of their philosophical
interests and of the views they have developed in pursuing them. The
papers by S. Spielman and W. K .. Goosens are comprehensive critical
surveys of the main body of Kyburg's and Levi's work, respectively.
While taking up other aspects and completing this overview, the papers by
W. Harper and T. Seidenfeld also explore new areas of application and
support for Kyburg's and Levi's theories and suggest ways of meeting a
number of difficulties. After the profilees' replies to these papers the
two divisions end with Kyburg's and Levi's complete and self-annotated
bibliographies, supplemented by a representative sample of reviews and
discussions of their work in the recent literature. Kyburg's and Levi's
references in their Self Profile and Replies to their own works can be
found in these final bibliographies.
My thanks go to all the contributors for their cooperation and assis
tance and to Catalina for so many things.
New Orleans, Mardi Gras 1981 RADU J. BOGDAN
xi