Lexicon of Arguments

 

I 94
Epistemic Possibility/Peacocke: the naturally species term 'tomato' has not the same pattern of epistemic possibility as the observation term 'tomato-like'.
>Concepts, >Predicates, >Observation, >Observation terms,
>Observation language, >Natural kinds.
It is epistemically possible that something that is tomato-like, is not a tomato.
>Epistemic possibility.
I 88
PeacockVsInstrumentalism.
Peacocke per separation observation terms/theoretical terms.
>Instrumentalism, >Observation terms, >Theoretical terms.
If X-ray tubes and Geiger counters are distinguished, then in the representational content - then we have observation terms instead of theoretical terms.
>Content, >Representational Content, >Empirical Content.
I 94
Observation Terms/Instruments/Peacocke: E.g. Square: if presented at different angles, it is epistemically impossible that it is not a square.
E.g. a pair of particles: here it is still epistemically possible that it is not the result of a collision.
That always requires faith in observability, therefore circular if the belief exists and ineffective if the belief does not exist.
>Circularity, >Belief, >Observability, >Unobservables.
In contrast, none of both if it comes to understanding instead of truth.
>Understanding, >Truth.
I 104
Theoretical Terms/TT/Observation term/concept/theory/instrument/experiment/Peacocke: improved tools give us no new concepts.
>Concepts.
Peacocke Thesis: theoretical terms are always connected to observation terms - e.g. a blind, to whom a device writes information about spatial environment on the back: how should the blind test the device?
>Knowledge, >World/Thinking, >Perception, >Certainty,
>Confirmation, >Verification.
Square: if presented at different angles, it is epistemically impossible that it is not a square. - E.g. Pair of particles: here it is epistemically still possible that it is not the result of a collision because the terms are differently linkable in the theory. - observation terms do not need a complex of epistemic possibilities.
I 141
Weak Epistemic Possibility: that the man in front of someone is not the manager - but not that he is not the man who stands before someone.
>Referential/attributive.