Economics Dictionary of ArgumentsHome
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| Theoretical terms: expressions for unobservable objects which are indirectly inferred by a theory from the application of its methods and which are in accordance with the rules of application of the vocabulary of the theory. See also unobservables, observation, observation language, observation theorems, Carnap conditional, Ramsey theorem, existence. _____________Annotation: The above characterizations of concepts are neither definitions nor exhausting presentations of problems related to them. Instead, they are intended to give a short introduction to the contributions below. – Lexicon of Arguments. | |||
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Wilfrid Sellars on Theoretical Terms - Dictionary of Arguments
I 39 Def theoretical entities/Sellars: entities that are postulated along with certain them affecting, essential principles to explain regularities within the sensory perception, e.g. like molecules postulated together with the principles of molecular motion. >Regularity, >Perception. I 91 Theoretical terms/Behaviorism: theoretical termsare not defined in behaviorist psychology not only in terms of open behavior, but also not in terms of nerves, synapses, neuron irritation, etc. A behaviorist theory of behavior is not already a physiological explanation of behavior. In order that a structure of theoretical terms is suitable to provide explanations for behavior, the theoretical terms do not have to be identified with the terms of neurophysiology. >Behaviorism, >Behavior, cf. >Neuroscience. I 91/92 Theoretical terms: their logic has two aspects: a) their role in explaining selected phenomena b) their role as candidates for integration into an overall image. Both roles are equal. E.g. It would be imaginable that the chemistry, before people became aware of electrical or magnetic phenomena, has reached a mature and successful theory of explanation of chemical phenomena. And that some terms that were later connected to the electromagnetic theory, were first introduced by chemists as purely theoretical terms. >Phenomena, >Explanation. I 91ff Thinking: the terms belonging to thinking are theoretical terms. >Thinking/Sellars. I 100 Theoretical entities: it is wrong to assume that they are also individual objects. The role of the comment is ignored. >Objects/Sellars._____________Explanation of symbols: Roman numerals indicate the source, arabic numerals indicate the page number. The corresponding books are indicated on the right hand side. ((s)…): Comment by the sender of the contribution. Translations: Dictionary of Arguments The note [Concept/Author], [Author1]Vs[Author2] or [Author]Vs[term] resp. "problem:"/"solution:", "old:"/"new:" and "thesis:" is an addition from the Dictionary of Arguments. If a German edition is specified, the page numbers refer to this edition. |
Sellars I Wilfrid Sellars The Myth of the Given: Three Lectures on the Philosophy of Mind, University of London 1956 in: H. Feigl/M. Scriven (eds.) Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science 1956 German Edition: Der Empirismus und die Philosophie des Geistes Paderborn 1999 Sellars II Wilfred Sellars Science, Perception, and Reality, London 1963 In Wahrheitstheorien, Gunnar Skirbekk, Frankfurt/M. 1977 |
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