Mary Hesse’s Hermeneutic Approach in Understanding Scientific Concepts; an Explanation

Bagheri, Saide; Iravani, Shahin; Bagheri NoaParast, Khosrow; Sharafi, Mohammd Reza

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ Ph.D. student in Philosophy of Education, Tehran University

² Associate Professor of Philosophy of Education department, Tehran University

³ Professor of Philosophy of Education department, Tehran University

Abstract

This study consists of three parts: reviewing approaches in philosophy of science; presenting Mary Hesse’s hermeneutic approach and, finally, extracting Hesse's view on the understanding of scientific concepts. In order to clarify Hesse’s approach, we, in the first part, review the post-positivistic space of philosophy of science in the second half of the 20th century. In the second section, the models Hesse has proposed to explain the mechanism of science advancement and scientific theories are described. Emphasizing the explanatory function of metaphor in scientific theories, suggesting minimalistic realism as a requirement for scientific activity, and explaining the dual objectivity for science, are among the achievements of Hesse's view in philosophy of science. Scientific concepts have a certain place in Hesse's discussions, and it can be argued that, in Hessian approach, scientific concepts are historical and theoretical and can be used as metaphors in the metaphorical language of science. Finally, people's understanding of scientific concepts would be different according to the characteristics of the concepts. Also peoples’ understanding of scientific concepts is dynamic due to the dynamics of the language of science

Keywords

References

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Mary Hesse’s Hermeneutic Approach in Understanding Scientific Concepts; an Explanation

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Volume 7, Issue 13 - Serial Number 13September 2017Pages 1-22

Volume 7, Issue 13 - Serial Number 13
September 2017
Pages 1-22