Cheyne C., Worrall J. (eds.) Rationality and Reality: Conversations with Alan Musgrave

Springer, 2006. — 337 pp.Alan Musgrave has consistently defended two positions that he regards as commonsensical – critical realism and critical rationalism. In defence of critcal realism he argues for the objective existence of the external world as opposed to idealism, as well as arguing for scientific realism against all anti-realist accounts of science. His critical rationalism is drawn from the work of Karl Popper and stands opposed to inductivist and irrationalist methodologies. In defence of these positions, Musgrave’s writings have covered a wide range of topics in epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of science, philosophy of mathematics, history of science, theories of truth, and economic theory. In this volume a group of internationally-renowned authors discuss themes that are relevant in one way or another to Musgrave’s work. This is not intended as a standard celebratory festschrift but rather as a new examination of topics of current interest in philosophy. The contributory essays are followed by responses from Alan Musgrave himself.Introduction (by Colin Cheyne).
Where Does the Burden of Theory Lie? (by Gregory Currie).
Testimony, Induction and Reasonable Belief (by Colin Cheyne).
Theory-Confirmation and History (by John Worrall).
Critical Rationalism and its Failure to Withstand Critical Scrutiny (by Deborah G. Mayo).
Methodological Rules, Rationality, and Truth (by Volker Gadenne).
Why is it Rational to Believe Scientific Theories are True? (by Howard Sankey).
Thinking About the Ultimate Argument for Realism (by Stathis Psillos).
The Unseen World (by Michael Redhead).
Why Alan Musgrave Should Become an Essentialist (by Alan Chalmers).
The Metaphysics of Realism and Structural Realism (by Robert Nola).
Scientific Realism and Mathematical Nominalism: A Marriage Made in Hell (by Mark Colyvan).
A Methodological Critique of the Semantic Conception of Theories (by Noretta Koertge).
A Refutation of Peircean Idealism (by Graham Oddie).
Historiography as a Hypothetico-Deductive Science: A Criticism of Methodological Historism (by Hans Albert).
Ptolemy’s Musical Models for Mind-Maps and Star-Maps (by Andrew Barker).
Responses (by Alan Musgrave).