Empirical novelty and concept creation

Authors

  • Roberto Torretti

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22370/rhv2016iss8pp269-299

Keywords:

Reason, scientific concept formation, gravity, electromagnetism, special relativity, atom, cosmology, general relativity, expansion of the universe, cosmic background radiation, Galileo, Newton, Faraday, Maxwell, Hertz, Lorentz, Poincaré, Einstein, Ruther

Abstract

Due to the historical origin and development of reason, an inventory of its main concepts at a particular moment is less interesting to us than the study of their formation and fixation. This process is studied here in the light of examples from the history of physics. The first one concerns the subsumption of the well-known phenomena of free fall and planetary motion to a new concept of gravity in the 17th century; the remaining examples, drawn from 19th century electrodynamics and 20th century microphysics and cosmology, display the interplay of such concepts with empirical novelties that prompt them in some case and realize them in others.

Author Biography

Roberto Torretti

Ph.D., Philosophy, University of Freiburg, Germany, 1954
(Thesis Director: Wilhelm Szilasi)

Areas of Specialization:
- Philosophy of physics, especially relativity theory
- Philosophy of mathematics, especially 19th century geometry

Professional Experience:
- Professor emeritus, University of Puerto Rico (since 2001)
- Professor of Philosophy, Universidad de Chile (1999–2001)
- Professor of Philosophy, University of Puerto Rico (1970–1995)
- Editor, Dialogos (1971–1995)
- Professor of Philosophy, Universidad de Chile (1964 – 1970)
- Director, Centro de Estudios Humanisticos, Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, Universidad de Chile (1964–1970)
- Professor of Philosophy, Universidad de Concepcion, Chile (1961– 1964)
- Chairman, Department of Philosophy, Universidad de Concepcion, Chile (1961–1964)
- Lecturer, Faculty of General Studies, University of Puerto Rico (1958–1961)
- Translator, Secretariat, United Nations, New York City(1955 – 1958)

Academic Awards:
- Premio Nacional de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales awarded by the Republic of Chile, 2011
- Doctor honoris causa, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, 2005
- Fellow, Pittsburgh Center for the Philosophy of Science, 1983-1984
- John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellow, 1980-1981
- John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellow, 1975-1976
- Alexander-von-Humboldt Dozentenstipendiat, Kant-Archiv, Bonn, 1964-1965

Learned Societies
- Institut International de Philosophie
- Académie Internationale de Philosophie des Sciences
- British Society for the Philosophy of Science
- Philosophy of Science Association

See all Publications: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/geometry-19th/vita.html

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Published

2016-12-13

How to Cite

Torretti, R. (2016). Empirical novelty and concept creation. Revista De Humanidades De Valparaíso, (8), 269–299. https://doi.org/10.22370/rhv2016iss8pp269-299

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