Ground Truth and Virtual Reality
Hacking vs. Van Fraassen
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10708145 |
|---|---|
| Authors | William Seager (University of Toronto, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1995 |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 459-478 |
| Publication date | 1995-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Philosophy of Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0031-8248 • E-ISSN: 1539-767X |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1086/289878 |
| OpenAlex | W1963482945 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 9 |
Hacking argues against van Fraassen's constructive empiricism by appeal to features of microscopic imaging. Hacking relies on both our practices involving imaging instruments and the structure of the images produced by these micropractices. Van Fraassen's reply is formally correct yet fundamentally unsatisfying. I aim to strengthen van Fraassen's reply, but must then extend constructive empiricism, specifically the central notion of “theoretical immersion.” I argue that immersion is more analogous to entering a virtual reality than to learning a language. This metaphor assimilates instrument-based practice as well as theoretical debate and explanation, and can provide an anti-realist view of our micro-practices consonant with constructive empiricism
Appeal · Constructive · Empiricism · Epistemology · Hacker · Linguistics · Metaphor · Computer Science · Embodied and Extended Cognition · Music Technology and Sound Studies · Philosophy · Philosophy and History of Science
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0.17 |
| Citation span | 2002 - 2019 (18) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |