Preparing for Wed 22 Feb - Readings + Response Papers

On Wed 22 Feb we will not only discuss the van Fraassen article, on which you are all commenting, but we will also discuss two other articles (see below).

If you have a response paper due this week (check the recently posted "Guidelines for Response Papers II"), you should write a response to Chpt. 32 by Kitcher, "Realism and Scientific Progress."

Here's how to prepare for Wednesday's class:

1. Be sure you have posted a comment or two on the forum concerning Chpt. 31 by van Fraassen NO LATER THAN the end of 21 Feb 2012.
2. Read the first paragraph of Chpt. 30 (p. 317) by Putnam and beginning with "Let us return to the topic of realism..." (p. 319) to the end of the article. The main things you want to understand are (a) How does Putnam characterize scientific realism and (b) According to Putnam, what is the most compelling argument in favor of scientific realism?
3. Read Chpt. 32 by Kitcher. Try to understand (a) What are the main arguments Kitcher presents against van Fraassen's view? (b) Is Kitcher a realist or an anti-realist? How do you know?

Please remember that response papers are due at the beginning of class on Wednesday.