On Laudan's Normative Naturalism

In this paper, the philosophy of science Laudan characters starts to explore the critical nature of their normative ideas. Since 1977 Laudan published "Progress and problems" with the "research tradition" having been the philosophy of science community. He becomes a very active person. He is becoming more sophisticated after changing his mind many times. In 1984 he published "Science and Value" with the"reticular pattern" concept. Since 1987 the book of "Progress or Rationality? Normative naturalist outlook," was published, he has not only do some small scale amendments to Kuhn, become using a more sophisticated idea of the extent to replace Kuhn. Subsequently published in several articles, whether negative or refuted on the noodle, and are designed to standardize and improve the natural. Normative naturalism is the idea of him a sign of maturity.The article uses four parts to research Laudan's normative naturalism idea.The first part of the main topics of the thesis is to introduce the research significance of the status, as well as the overall content of the dissertation and institutional arrangements.The second part is mainly made on Laudan's normative naturalism reason and purpose. Laudan's normative naturalism scientific methodology in the case of a crisis rose. On the one hand, Laudan think epistemology in the 20th century's two most influential program into one and has encountered Falsification's insurmountable technical difficulties. On the other hand, while the history of Marxism that scientists are not much before any scientific methodology in accordance with the norms of selection to make the theory, and methodology based on existing norms can not be completely on the behavior of scientists who make a reasonable explanation. The methodology appears to have been proved are wrong and useless. It is precisely because the face of such difficulties, Laudan hope epistemology (or Methodology) of the unnatural and relativism between the two embark on a "middle road", the result on a normative naturalism. Even though there are so many disappointing facts, Laudan continue to believe that now it is too early to the cause of the abolition of the methodology. In his view, to abandon all those so-called methodologies is based on the idea of what in fact has been proved wrong. As a history, and were strong opposition undoubtedly Laudan and Falsification's into such a strong program, however, where he drew on one of the "normative" to help achieve the purpose of its own philosophy. The philosophy aim is to break through the old framework of history to overcome the epistemological relativism.The third part focuses on Laudan's normative naturalism as well as the existence of the problem.First of all, in order to overcome the scientific theory of the relative change in tendency, Laudan start from the critical view of the world or by adhering to the paradigm on the overall approach and framework of Kuhn. About the rationality of science,"reticular pattern"is the concept Laudan using to break "paradigm". It seems at Laudan, Kuhn according to relativism Finally, a key reason for this is that "paradigm" and the characteristics of the overall, that is, to ontology, methodology and value of these three levels are tied together as whole, "paradigm" changes are only three levels to the overall change at the same time, rather than one after another change. The "paradigm" is divided into ontology, methodology and values of the three levels, but at him, where the ontology related to the changes in the overall changes in scientific theory and methodology related to the changes in the overall changes in the scientific method, and Change the value of the theory related to changes in the overall scientific goal. This is essentially another form of holism.Second, Laudan think that we do not need a special element of scientific methodology, because the methodologies of our competition to choose between the ways with our experience in the competition between the selections theories are exactly the same way. We do not have to set up a unique methodology of epistemology. Methodology "can be thoroughly naturalizing," and "will lead to the result of norms." But Laudan made another empirical or inductive methodology and metadata. This empirical or inductive runs counter to Laudan's position advocated by the spirit of history.Finally, he was able to make a central mode to solve the problem of scientific progress in the book of "progress and its questions". In this mode, scientific progress was attributed to scientific and rational. In other words, Laudan solve the problem from the basic goal to construct his model of scientific progress, which is scientific and rational mode.The fourth part, as a part of the main thesis of The End of Laudan's normative naturalism makes the overall evaluation.First, from the positive side, as in the philosophy of science, like all historical, Laudan also should emphasize the philosophy of science to the study of scientific practice itself and the philosophy of science should not be divorced from the actual history of scientific development. And he advocated further progress in science is the best practice in the scientific search of the evaluation criteria of scientific progress and rational description. He advocated the principle of the evaluation methodology should be based on the history of science and methodology of the testing experience should be. Laudan's thought also has a wealth of dialectics, he did not like as most of the history of fashion, which refused to methodology and epistemology.Secondly, from the normative nature of the problem and existence of view, Laudan's normative naturalism of epistemology and the value of the fundamental flaws exist.First, even though Laudan of Kuhn's "paradigm" made a serious analysis, but"reticular pattern " still retains a similar of Kuhn's "paradigm" and the overall characteristics, that is, to determine the value of theory and methodology changes certainly involves the basic aim of scientific method and fundamental changes. Laudan's reticular pattern make ontology, methodology and value, respectively, as a paradigm of the basic unit, respectively, as an integral whole, which is essentially another form of holism.Second, Laudan instrument of science to take the lack of knowledge and understanding based on the rules of the methodology as a tool of a false statement on the meaning of command ceremony and does not reflect the scientific objectives and the scientific method and the nature of the relationship between.Third, Laudan's normative naturalism, the "naturalist" factors too stronger but its "normative" aspects is weak.In short, Laudan's normative naturalism has its positive discipline and time, but Laudan still not finally come to realize through his own philosophy and purpose.