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Hempel

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Submitted By Raftman
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Chapter six of Hempel deals with theories, and the role they play in scientific explanation. Here I will try to paraphrase his explanation of theories as I understand it. A theory is introduced after a study has revealed a pattern of similarity in something which can be explained in the form of law. A theory should explain this pattern clearly, and help understand the original study even more. The claim of a theory must be very specific and easily explained otherwise it does not serve its purpose as a theory. Hempel then contrasts the neovitalistic doctrine and the Newtonian theory. Hempel notes the neovitalistic doctrine fails as a theory because unlike the Newtonian theory, it does not provide specific laws which state what will happen under specific circumstances. A good theory will have bridge principals which link unmeasurable entities with measurable aspects. Or it can link unmeasurables to an already established theory. If theories did not hold any link to something feasible or explainable, it would hold no power as a theory. It would not be able to serve its purpose as a theory. A bridge principal ties a theory to reality. Testability and explainability are only a basic component of a theory, Hempel claims. A theory should deepen an understanding, not just broaden it. A theory that highlights previously established laws does not have to prove that law without exception, but can show that there is exception to a law, demonstrating when that law will not hold true. A good theory can refute previously established laws, not just highlight them according to Hempel. What also helps to show the strength of a theory is predictability. If a theory predicts phenomena that were not known when the theory was formed, then it is a good theory.

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