The Logic of Reliable Inquiry

Kevin T. Kelly
New York: Oxford, 1996.

Contents

  1. Reliable Inquiry
    1. Background Assumptions
    2. Methods and Data Streams
    3. Data Protocols
    4. Truth and Global Underdetermination
    5. The Philosophy of Global Underdetermination
    6. The Philosophy of Local Underdetermination
    7. Scientific Realism, Probability, and Subjunctives
    8. The Logic of Reliable Inquiry
  2. The Demons of Passive Observation
    1. Introduction
    2. Decidability with a Deadline
    3. Decidability, Verifiability, and Refutability with Certainty
    4. Verification, Refutation, and Decision in the Limit
    5. Decision with n Mind Changes
    6. Gradual Verification, Refutation, and Decision
    7. Optimal Background Assumptions
  3. Topology and Ideal Hypotheis Assessment
    1. Introduction
    2. Basic Topological Concepts
    3. The Baire Space
    4. Restricted Topological Spaces
    5. A Characterization of Bounded Sample Decidability
    6. Characterization of Certain Assessment
    7. Characterizations of Limiting Assessment
    8. Efficient Data Use
    9. A Characterization of n-Mind-Change Decidability
    10. A Demon-Oriented Characterization of n-Mind-Change Decidability
    11. Characterizations of Gradual Assessment
    12. The Levels of Underdetermination
  4. Reducibility and the Game of Science
    1. Introduction
    2. Ideal Inductive Methods as continuous Operators on the Baire Space
    3. Assessment as Reduction
    4. Ideal Transcendental Deductions as Completeness Theorems
    5. Inductive Demons as Continuous Counterreductions
    6. Science as a Limiting Game
  5. The Demons of Computability
    1. Introduction
    2. Church Meets Hume
    3. Programs as Reliable Methods
    4. The Arithmetical Hierarchy
    5. Uncomputability and Diagonalization
    6. The Demons of Uncomputability
    7. Some Disanalogies
  6. Computers in Search of the Truth
    1. Ideal Epistemology and Computability
    2. Computation as Internalized Inductive Inquiry
    3. The ARithmetical Hierarchy over the Baire Space
    4. Universal Relations and Hierarchy Theorems
    5. Characterization Theorems
    6. Data-Minimal Computable Methods
    7. The Empirical Irony of Cognitive Science
    8. The Computable Assessment of Uncomputable Theories
    9. Ideal Norms and Computational Disasters
    10. Computable Inquiry
  7. So Much Time, Such Little Brains
    1. Introduction
    2. Finite State Automata
    3. Regular Sets
    4. Scientific Automata
    5. Scientific Automata and Certainty
    6. Scientific Automata in the Limit
    7. Limiting Regular Expressions
    8. w-Expressions
    9. The Inductive Power of Indeterminism
    10. Primitive Recursion
    11. The Empirical Irony of Cognitive Science Revisited
  8. The Logic of Ideal Discovery
    1. Introduction
    2. Basic Definitions
    3. Assessment as Discovery
    4. Conjecturs and Refutations
    5. A Complete Architecture for Discovery
    6. Data-Minimal Limiting Discovery
    7. Discovery with Bounded Mind Changes
    8. A Characterization of Almost Stable Identification in the Limit
    9. Unstable Idnetification in the Limit
    10. Gradual Identification
  9. Computerized Discovery
    1. Introduction
    2. Computable Hypothesis Enumeations
    3. Characterization
    4. Function Identification
    5. Cognitive Science Revisitied
  10. Prediction
    1. Introduction
    2. Ideal Extrapolation
    3. Computable Extrapolation
  11. Inquiry Concerning First-Order Theories
    1. Introduction
    2. Logical Hypothsis Assessment from Complete, True Data
    3. Truth and Underdetermination
    4. Quantifier PRefix Complexity
    5. An Example
    6. Data Complexity
    7. Theories and Axiomatizations
    8. Theory Discovery
    9. Discovery and Vocabulary
  12. Probability and Reliability
    1. Introduction
    2. Conditionalization
    3. Probabilistic Reliability
    4. Countable Additivity
    5. Probabilistic Reliability without Countable Additivity
    6. Probabilistic Mathematics and Nonprobabilistic Science
    7. Probabilistic Theories
    8. Conclusion
    9. Proofs
  13. Experiment and Causal Inference
    1. Introduction
    2. Systems
    3. Causation and Manipulation
    4. Variable Causation
    5. Experimental Methods
    6. The Course of Experimental Inquiry
    7. Hypothesis Correctness and Backgrond Knowledge
    8. Experimental Reliability
    9. Dreaming and the Principle of Plenitude
    10. Weakened Assumptions and Global Underdetermination
  14. Relativism and Reliability
    1. Introduction
    2. Relativism, Truth and Interpersonal Agreement
    3. Relativisitc Reliabilism
    4. Functional vs. Metaphysical Relativism
    5. Causal vs. Semantic Relativism
    6. Acts, Scientists, and Worlds-in-themselves
    7. Transcendental Backgrond Knowledge
    8. The Course of Relativistic Inquiry
    9. Relativistic Hypothesis Assessment
    10. Relativistic Hypothesis Assessment as Nonrelativistic Discovery
    11. Relativistic Theory Discovery
    12. Whiggish Relativism
  15. Closing Conversation