Van Fraassen's Constructive Empiricism, Symmetry Requirements and Scientific Realism

Abstract

Within the framework of a semantic view of science, such as the constructive empiricism advocated by van Fraassen, it is shown that the empiricist position naturally leads to symmetry principles in the construction of models in physics. As a consequence of those symmetry constraints, it is argued that a selective form of realism for theoretical objects is more plausible than antirealism. Several examples drawn from space-time physics, static and mechanics are discussed, particularly the transition from Cartesian to Newtonian mechanics.

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