Abstract

GUERRERO PINO, Germán. THE PROBLEM OF HOW TO EVALUATE SCIENTIFIC THEORIES. discus.filos [online]. 2008, vol.9, n.12, pp.37-56. ISSN 0124-6127.

In this paper, I intend to defend the thesis that, in the process of evaluating scientific theories, there are logical and observational elements, but these are not unique: there are pragmatic elements too. The individual judgment of the scientists of a particular community and the state of development of a theory are pragmatic elements in the evaluation process. So, we can say that in this process a logical and a pragmatic rationality are involved.

Keywords : Rationality; method; theory; observation; induction.

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