Confirming Theories in the presence of abundant evidence

• Applicant: Dr. Ludwig Fahrbach
• Subject Area: Theoretical Philosophy
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 554397568

Our best scientific theories like modern atomism, plate tectonics and the theory of evolution are regarded as established scientific knowledge, because they are supported by an abundance of empirical evidence. While the justification for endorsing these theories may seem straightforward and is rarely debated among scientists, the nature of the justification is a significant and intricate issue that requires careful consideration. My project consists of two parts. The first part aims to compare and assess three principles of theory confirmation that purport to justify the belief in theories that are supported by abundant evidence. This task is a central concern in the debate over scientific realism. The aim of the second part is to construct a model of how science developed over time from a realist viewpoint. This model will provide a framework for organizing the concepts, observations, and claims from the first part, and will improve our understanding of some problems of theory confirmation from the first part. According to the model, the history of science shows a steady accumulation of scientific knowledge, where knowledge is acquired through theory confirmation. The model can be extended in different ways. I will construct two extensions: one to describe past theory changes, and one to explain how background knowledge affects theory confirmation.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants