Pragmatic Idealism and Scientific Prediction : a Philosophical System and Its Approach to Prediction in Science

Description

This monograph analyzes Nicholas Rescher’s system of pragmatic idealism. It also looks at his approach to prediction in science. Coverage highlights a prominent contribution to a central topic in the philosophy and methodology of science. The author offers a full characterization of Rescher’s system of philosophy. She presents readers with a comprehensive philosophico-methodological analysis of this important work. Her research takes into account different thematic realms: semantic, logical, epistemological, methodological, ontological, axiological, and ethical. The book features three, thematic-parts: I) General Coordinates, Semantic Features and Logical Components of Scientific Prediction; II) Predictive Knowledge and Predictive Processes in Rescher’s Methodological Pragmatism; and III) From Reality to Values: Ontological Features, Axiological Elements, and Ethical Aspects of Scientific Prediction. This insightful analysis offers a critical reconstruction of Rescher’s philosophy. The system he created is often characterized as pragmatic idealism that is open to some realist elements. He is a prominent representative of contemporary pragmatism who has made a great deal of contributions to the study of this topic. This area is crucial for science and it has been little considered in the philosophy of science. Front Matter ....Pages i-ix Front Matter ....Pages 1-1 Scientific Prediction in a System of Pragmatic Idealism (Amanda Guillán)....Pages 3-36 Analysis of Scientific Prediction from Language (Amanda Guillán)....Pages 37-65 Logical Features of Scientific Prediction (Amanda Guillán)....Pages 67-97 Front Matter ....Pages 99-99 Epistemological Factors of Scientific Prediction (Amanda Guillán)....Pages 101-141 Conceptual Framework of the Methodology of Prediction and Preconditions for Rational Prediction (Amanda Guillán)....Pages 143-183 Methods of Prediction and Their Scientific Relevance (Amanda Guillán)....Pages 185-215 Front Matter ....Pages 217-217 Ontology of Scientific Prediction (Amanda Guillán)....Pages 219-250 Axiological Elements of Scientific Prediction (Amanda Guillán)....Pages 251-284 Analysis of Prediction from Ethics of Scientific Research (Amanda Guillán)....Pages 285-323 Back Matter ....Pages 325-336