Self-Fulfilling Science:

Charles Lowe

Published by De Gruyter 2021

Self-Fulfilling Science

Charles Lowe

Volume 48 in the series Epistemic Studies

https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110746402

Overview
Contents

About this book

Claims that science may becoming 'self-fulfilling' through its impact on objects of study have recently risen to prominence. Despite radical statements about the supposed consequences of such accounts, however, the central notion of scientific self-fulfillment has remained obscure, leading to skewed views of its actual prevalence and significance.

Self-Fulfilling Science illuminates this underexplored phenomenon, drawing on insights from philosophy of science to address questions of its conceptualization, prevalence, and significance. The book critically engages with the popular notion that economic theories of homo economicus exhibit self-fulfillment, and explores its relevance to various metaphysical, ethical, and epistemic issues. Extreme claims of fundamental incompatibility with our usual notions of scientific success are ill-founded. Instead, self-fulfillment’s true epistemic significance lies in more local, nuanced philosophical issues such as theory evaluation and the thesis of underdetermination.

In presenting a novel framework, this book facilitates deeper engagement with the developing field of self-fulfilling science, and is of interest to philosophers of science, social scientists, and social constructionists.

Author information

Charles Lowe, Osnabrück University, Osnabrück.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	I
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	V
Acknowledgements Publicly Available Download PDF	IX
1 Science: Camera or engine? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
2 The self-fulfillment of homo economicus Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	25
3 Conceptualizing self-fulfilling science Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	52
4 Assessing prevalence Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	96
5 Challenges of performativity Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	121
6 The epistemic significance of self-fulfillment Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	154
7 An engine, and a camera Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	175
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	179
Index of Names Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	188
Index of Subjects Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	191

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter
Audience: Philosophers of science, social scientists, economists, social constructionists, institutes, libraries
Pages
- Front matter: 9
- Main content: 192
Keywords: Self-fulfilling science; performativity; self-fulfilling prophecy; homo economicus

eBook

Published: August 23, 2021
ISBN: 9783110746402

Hardcover

Published: August 23, 2021
ISBN: 9783110746334

Paperback

Planned Publication: May 8, 2023
ISBN: 9783111274744