Science, truth and democracy

234 Pages·1.834 MB·English

by  Oxford University Press., Kitcher, Philip

science, truth, and democracy
OXFORD STUDIES IN PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
General Editor
Paul Humphreys,University ofVirginia
Advisory Board
Jeremy Butterfield
Peter Galison
Ian Hacking
Philip Kitcher
Richard Miller
James Woodward
The Book ofEvidence
Peter Achinstein
Science,Truth,and Democracy
Philip Kitcher
The Devil in the Details: Asymptotic Reasoning in Explanation,
Reduction,and Emergence
Robert Batterman
science, truth, and
:
democracy
Philip Kitcher
1
2001
3
Oxford New York
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Copyright © 2001 by Philip Kitcher
Published by Oxford University Press,Inc.
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Oxford is a registered trademark ofOxford University Press.
All rights reserved.No part ofthis publication may be reproduced,
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Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kitcher,Philip,1947–
Science,truth,and democracy / Philip Kitcher.
p.cm.—(Oxford studies in philosophy ofscience)
ISBN 0-19-514583-6
1. Science—Social aspects. 2. Science—Philosophy. I. Title. II. Series.
Q175.5 .K525 2002
501—dc21 2001036144
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States ofAmerica
on acid-free paper
In memory of Roger
who taught so many so much about friendship
This page intentionally left blank
Acknowledgments
The ideas presented in what followshave emerged from a gradual
rethinking ofthe general account ofthe sciences I offered in earlier discus-
sions (particularly in The Advancement ofScience) in light ofmy studies ofthe
uses ofscientific findings in social contexts.In particular,reflection on the char-
acter and likely employment ofcurrent and foreseeable work in molecular ge-
netics has led me to appreciate points to which I was previously insensitive.Yet
although this book is the result ofmy own intellectual meandering,I have tried
to present my current views in a way that would not presuppose prior acquain-
tance with the literature in philosophy ofscience.I hope it will be accessible to
people in a wide variety ofdisciplines and also to those who are beginning study
ofphilosophical questions about the sciences.
I owe many debts to many people.Reviewers ofThe Advancement ofScience
made important points,and I am particularly indebted to Richard Boyd,John
Dupré, Ian Hacking, Jarrett Leplin, Isaac Levi, Carl Matheson, and Richard
Miller.An early draft ofthe book benefited enormously from the constructive
criticism of Nancy Cartwright and William Loomis; discussions with Nancy
and with Bill were most helpful in showing me how I should reshape an un-
necessarily complex and forbidding manuscript.I received useful advice also
from Clark Glymour,Alvin Goldman,Peter Godfrey-Smith,and Michael Roth-
schild.Noretta Koertge led a discussion group on that manuscript at Indiana
University and sent me valuable reports on responses to the various chapters;I
am grateful to her and to the others who contributed their thoughts.
During 1999,I had the opportunity to discuss this material in two seminars,
one at UCSD and one at Columbia University.I would like to thank the students
who helped me refine my ideas: particularly P. D. Magnus and Carl Sachs
viii Acknowledgments
(UCSD),and Eleonora Cresto,Ernesto Garcia,Stephanie Ruphy,and Jeremy
Simon (Columbia).Central themes ofthe book also trace back to a seminar I
taught jointly with Martin Rudwick at UCSD.Besides Martin’s valuable sug-
gestions,a number ofthe participants in that seminar made important points;
I am particularly grateful to Kyle Stanford and Thomas Sturm.
Along the way I have been aided by numerous colleagues and members of
audiences to which I’ve presented pertinent material. I would like to thank
Richard Arneson, Jerrold Aronson, David Brink, Ruth Chang, Susan Dwyer,
Delia Graff,Richard Grandy,Amy Guttman,Gilbert Harman,Richard Nelson,
Helen Nissenbaum,Sherrilynn Rousch,and Peter Singer.Two colleagues de-
serve special mention:both Isaac Levi and Joseph Raz have helped me enor-
mously to see how to articulate my views.
The final version has benefited greatly from the constructive suggestions of
John Dupré,Paul Humphreys,and an anonymous reader for Oxford University
Press.It was also considerably improved by Patricia Kitcher’s wise counsel.
I apologize in advance ifI have forgotten anyone who corrected my mistakes
or pointed me in a useful new direction.And it should go without saying that
none ofthe kind people who have helped me is responsible for the residuum of
error.
Contents
Introduction,xi
part i: the search for truth
1. Unacceptable Images,3
2. The World as We Find It,11
3. The Ideal ofObjectivity,29
4. The World as We Make It,43
5. Mapping Reality,55
6. Scientific Significance,63
part ii: the claims of democracy
7. The Myth ofPurity,85
8. Constraints on Free Inquiry,93
9. Organizing Inquiry,109
10. Well-Ordered Science,117
11. Elitism,Democracy,and Science Policy,137
12. Subversive Truth and Ideals ofProgress,147