TY - JOUR
T1 - What is Really Wrong with Ontic Structural Realism? On the Possibility of Reading off Ontology from Current Fundamental Science
AU - AKCIN, Haktan
PY - 2019/9
Y1 - 2019/9
N2 - I argue that the central conflict between epistemic and ontic versions of structural realism concerns whether it is possible to read off ontology from current fundamental science. Even if we assume that structures are metaphysically superior to objects, the possibility of reading off ontology from current fundamental science remains unjustified. I show that the conclusion as regards the reading off ontology in the ontic version is already assumed in one of the premises; hence the argument begs the question. As a result, the problem of ontological discontinuity implied in the pessimistic meta-induction argument remains intact in ontic structural realism.
AB - I argue that the central conflict between epistemic and ontic versions of structural realism concerns whether it is possible to read off ontology from current fundamental science. Even if we assume that structures are metaphysically superior to objects, the possibility of reading off ontology from current fundamental science remains unjustified. I show that the conclusion as regards the reading off ontology in the ontic version is already assumed in one of the premises; hence the argument begs the question. As a result, the problem of ontological discontinuity implied in the pessimistic meta-induction argument remains intact in ontic structural realism.
KW - Structural realism
KW - theory change in science
KW - reading off ontology from science
U2 - 10.18491/beytulhikme.1500
DO - 10.18491/beytulhikme.1500
M3 - Journal Article (refereed)
SN - 1303-8303
VL - 9
SP - 597
EP - 608
JO - Beytulhikme An International Journal of Philosophy
JF - Beytulhikme An International Journal of Philosophy
IS - 3
ER -