The Geometric View of Theories - PhilSci-Archive
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Philosophy of science is rethinking its own foundations — and the new "geometric view" of theories may finally fix what the semantic conception got wrong for decades.
Semantic Conception of TheoriesGeometric View of TheoriesPhilosophy of ScienceStructural Realism
Theory Briefing
- The semantic conception defines theories as collections of models, but recent critiques argue this formulation is fundamentally inadequate.
- The geometric view proposes that theories are better understood as structured spaces of possibilities, not mere sets of models.
- This shift has deep implications for how scientists and philosophers evaluate theoretical equivalence, unification, and explanatory power.