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Description
In his book 'Scientific explanation', Professor Braithwaite gives his account of how a person acquires his knowledge of natural regularities and then distinguishes regularities with some element of... necessity, and regards them as laws of nature. Dr Hanfling introduces a discussion in which Kenneth Baublys challenges the idea that the necessity implicit in this description of laws of nature depends on the fact that such laws can be deduced from a high level scientific hypothesis.
In his book 'Scientific explanation', Professor Braithwaite gives his account of how a person acquires his knowledge of natural regularities and then distinguishes regularities with some element of... necessity, and regards them as laws of nature. Dr Hanfling introduces a discussion in which Kenneth Baublys challenges the idea that the necessity implicit in this description of laws of nature depends on the fact that such laws can be deduced from a high level scientific hypothesis.
| Module code and title: | A303, Problems of philosophy |
|---|---|
| Item code: | A303; 06 |
| First transmission date: | 23-05-1973 |
| Published: | 1973 |
| Rights Statement: | |
| Restrictions on use: | |
| Duration: | 00:24:15 |
| + Show more... | |
| Producer: | Patricia Hodgson |
| Contributors: | Kenneth Baublys; R.B Braithwaite; Oswald Hanfling |
| Publisher: | BBC Open University |
| Keyword(s): | Boyle's law |
| Footage description: | Oswald Hanfling describes and distinguishes the two kinds of universals, those of fact of law. He introduces the programme. Oswald Hanfling begins by giving a summary of Braithwaites' account of the difference between the two kinds of universal. To assist the explanation Hanfling uses a table and Boyle's Law as an example. Hanfling introduces Braithwaite and Baublys. They are to consider and raise possible objections to Braithwaite's account. The discussion centres round what may be called a law of nature and the criteria that exist for a natural event's being so called. Hanfling raises a related question concerning the conditions under which a person will describe or come to describe a sequence of evil as forming a natural law. Baublys raises historical objections to Braithwaite's conditions. The discussion centres on the higher level hypothesis from which the lower level hypothesis must be deduced for the latter to become a law of nature, and on the necessity for the higher level hypothesis to be present. Hanfling changes the course of the discussion from the consideration of the higher level to the lower level hypothesis. Hanfling tries to make more clear Baublys' objections to certain of Braithwaite's criteria The discussion continues on the subject of Braithwaite's declaration that a true scientific hypothesis is considered as a law of nature if has an explanatory function with regard to lower level hypothesis. |
| Master spool number: | 6HT/70861 |
| Production number: | 00525_3021 |
| Videofinder number: | 604 |
| Available to public: | yes |
