Minimal Verificationism: On the Limits of Knowledge

Gordian Haas

Published by De Gruyter 2015

Minimal Verificationism

On the Limits of Knowledge

Gordian Haas

Volume 31 in the series Epistemische Studien / Epistemic Studies

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781501501982

Overview
Contents

About this book

Verificationism has been a hallmark of logical empiricism. According to this principle, a sentence is insignificant in a certain sense if its truth value cannot be determined. Although logical empiricists strove for decades to develop an adequate principle of verification, they failed to resolve its problems. This led to a general abandonment of the verificationist project in the early 1960s. In the last 50 years, this view has received tremendously bad press. Today it is mostly regarded as an outdated historical concept. Theories that have evolved since the abandonment of verificationism can, however, help overcome some of its key problems. More specifically, an adequate criterion of significance can be derived from a combination of modern theories of justification and belief revision, along with a formal semantics for counterfactuals. In view of these potential improvements, the abandonment of verificationism appears premature. Half a century following its decline, it might be about time to revisit this disreputable view. The author argues in favor of a weak form of verificationism. This approach could be referred to as minimal verificationism, as it involves a weakening of traditional verificationist principles in various respects while maintaining their core idea.

Author / Editor information

Gordian Haas, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	I
Acknowledgements Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	VII
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	IX
Figures and Tables Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	XIII
Introduction: Does This Make Nonsense to You? Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
1 Some Historic Formulations and Their Problems Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	7
2 More Problems Lie Ahead Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	33
3 Toward a Solution to the Problems Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	49
4 Minimal Verificationism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	63
5 Fallibilist Theories of Justification Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	91
6 The Standard Theory of Belief Revision: AGM Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	113
7 Combining Theories of Justification and Belief Revision: JuDAS Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	135
8 Lewis’ Semantics for Counterfactuals Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	153
9 Towards a Verifiability-Friendly Semantics for Counterfactuals Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	171
10 (Non) Concluding Remarks Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	187
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	195
Name Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	205
Subject Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	207

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: De Gruyter
Audience: All those interested in logical empiricism
Pages
- Front matter: 13
- Main content: 210
Illustrations
- Line drawings: 7
Keywords: Verificationism; Logical Empiricism; Criterion of Significance

eBook

Published: October 16, 2015
ISBN: 9781501501982

Hardcover

Published: October 16, 2015
ISBN: 9781501510571