The Methodology of “Research Traditions” in Larry Laudan

Abstract

The problem of scientific rationality, which is germane to the assertion that science entails irrational, political and propagandistic elements, has been debated by philosophers, social and natural scientists. At this point, Laudan suggests a new rationality of science and he conceives of science as a problemsolving activity rather than a truth-seeking one. Putting forward the concept of “Research Tradition”, Laudan attempts to re-establish the the rationality of theory choice. Thus, he thinks of science working in this conceptual framework, namely, in a research tradition. A research tradition is composed of a number of specific theories as well as lots of metaphysical and conceptual assumptions shared by the men of science in that tradition. The goal of this study is to spell out and to appraise Laudan's view of the methodology of research traditions; that is, his idea of science and his theory of method

Keywords

• Science,scientific rationality,truth-seeking,problem-solving,research tradition,theory,metaphysical and conceptual assumptions,methodology

LARRY LAUDAN'DA “ARAŞTIRMA GELENEKLERİ”NİN YÖNTEMBİLGİSİ

Öz

Bilimsel rasyonalite sorunu düşünürler, sosyal ve doğa bilimciler arasında oldukça tartışılan bir konudur. Bu mesele bilimin zorunlu olarak irrasyonel, politik ve propagandacı unsurlar taşıdığı iddiasıyla da yakından ilgilidir. Laudan bu noktada yeni bir bilim rasyonalitesi önerir ve bilimi “hakikatiarayan” bir etkinlikten ziyade bir “problem-çözme” etkinliği olarak tasarlar. “Araştırma Geleneği” kavramını getiren Laudan kuram seçimindeki rasyonaliteyi yeniden kurma çabasına girer. İşte bilimi de araştırma geleneği dediği bu kavramsal çerçevede iş gören bir alan olarak görür. Araştırma geleneği çok sayıda spesifik kuramlardan ve bu geleneğe dahil olan bilim adamlarının paylaştığı metafizik ve kavramsal kabuller öbeğinden oluşur. Bu çalışma Laudan'ın “araştırma geleneklerinin yöntembilgisi” anlayışını; dolayısıyla onun bilim tasarımı ve yöntem kuramını gözler önüne sererek değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Bilim,bilimsel rasyonalite,hakikati-arama,problemçözme,araştırma geleneği,kuram,metafizik ve kavramsal kabuller,yöntembilgisi

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