•  190
    An impossibility theorem for verisimilitude
    with Maarten Franssen
    Synthese 158 (1): 75-92. 2007.
    In this paper, we show that Arrow’s well-known impossibility theorem is instrumental in bringing the ongoing discussion about verisimilitude to a more general level of abstraction. After some preparatory technical steps, we show that Arrow’s requirements for voting procedures in social choice are also natural desiderata for a general verisimilitude definition that places content and likeness considerations on the same footing. Our main result states that no qualitative unifying procedure of a fu…Read more
  •  161
    Editors’ Overview: Moral Responsibility in Technology and Engineering
    with Ibo van de Poel, Jessica Fahlquist, Neelke Doorn, and Lambèr Royakkers
    Science and Engineering Ethics 18 (1): 1-11. 2012.
    In some situations in which undesirable collective effects occur, it is very hard, if not impossible, to hold any individual reasonably responsible. Such a situation may be referred to as the problem of many hands. In this paper we investigate how the problem of many hands can best be understood and why, and when, it exactly constitutes a problem. After analyzing climate change as an example, we propose to define the problem of many hands as the occurrence of a gap in the distribution of respons…Read more
  •  134
    Belief Revision and Verisimilitude Based on Preference and Truth Orderings
    with Gerard Renardel de Lavalette
    Erkenntnis 75 (2): 237-254. 2011.
    In this rather technical paper we establish a useful combination of belief revision and verisimilitude according to which better theories provide better predictions, and revising with more verisimilar data results in theories that are closer to the truth. Moreover, this paper presents two alternative definitions of refined verisimilitude, which are more perspicuous than the algebraic version used in previous publications
  •  102
    A Semantics for Means-end Relations
    with Jesse Hughes and Peter Kroes
    Synthese 158 (2): 207-231. 2007.
    There has been considerable work on practical reasoning in artificial intelligence and also in philosophy. Typically, such reasoning includes premises regarding means–end relations. A clear semantics for such relations is needed in order to evaluate proposed syllogisms. In this paper, we provide a formal semantics for means–end relations, in particular for necessary and sufficient means–end relations. Our semantics includes a non-monotonic conditional operator, so that related practical reasonin…Read more
  •  66
    A network approach for distinguishing ethical issues in research and development
    with Ibo van de Poel, Harald van Mil, and Michiel Brumsen
    Science and Engineering Ethics 12 (4): 663-684. 2006.
    In this paper we report on our experiences with using network analysis to discern and analyse ethical issues in research into, and the development of, a new wastewater treatment technology. Using network analysis, we preliminarily interpreted some of our observations in a Group Decision Room session where we invited important stakeholders to think about the risks of this new technology. We show how a network approach is useful for understanding the observations, and suggests some relevant ethica…Read more
  •  61
    Belief Revision and Verisimilitude Based on Preference and Truth Orderings
    with Gerard R. Renardel de Lavalette
    Erkenntnis 75 (2): 237-254. 2011.
    In this rather technical paper we establish a useful combination of belief revision and verisimilitude according to which better theories provide better predictions, and revising with more verisimilar data results in theories that are closer to the truth. Moreover, this paper presents two alternative definitions of refined verisimilitude, which are more perspicuous than the algebraic version used in previous publications.
  •  53
    Editorial Introduction: Collins and Tacit Knowledge
    with Léna Soler
    Philosophia Scientiae 17 (3): 5-23. 2013.
    Introduction Harry Collins is internationally recognized as a distinguished sociologist of science who writes creatively on a substantial number of varied subjects. He is acknowledged as one of the prominent specialists on the topic of tacit knowledge and has played an important role in the introduction of this topic into science studies. He has investigated the topic extensively, most famously through several case studies of physics [Collins 1974, 1984, 1985, 1990, 2001a,b, 2004], [Collins &...Read more
  •  39
    Transfer and templates in scientific modelling
    with Wybo Houkes
    Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 77 93-100. 2019.
    The notion of template has recently been discussed in relation to cross-disciplinary transfer of modeling efforts and in relation to the representational content of models. We further develop and disambiguate the notion of template and find that, suitably developed, it is useful in distinguishing and analyzing different types of transfer, none of which supports a non-representationalist view of models. We illustrate our main findings with the modeling of technology substitution with Lotka-Volter…Read more
  •  36
    Introduction: Values and norms in modeling
    Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 46 1-2. 2014.
  •  25
    Collins’s Taxonomy of Tacit Knowledge: Critical Analyses and Possible Extensions
    with Léna Soler
    Philosophia Scientiae 17 (3): 107-134. 2013.
    In this paper, we discuss and extend the taxonomy of tacit knowledge proposed by Collins in his 2010 book, Tacit and Explicit Knowledge. First, we question the definition and the name of one of Collins’s three categories of TK, namely Relational Tacit Knowledge (RTK). After having explained the true fundamental principle that individuates RTK as one category distinct from the two others (Somatic Tacit Knowledge STK and Collective Tacit Knowledge CTK), we suggest an alternative name for RTK, whic…Read more
  •  24
    Science After the Practice Turn in the Philosophy, History, and Social Studies of Science (edited book)
    with Lena Soler, Michael Lynch, and Vincent Israel-Jost
    Routledge. 2014.
    In the 1980s, philosophical, historical and social studies of science underwent a change which later evolved into a turn to practice. Analysts of science were asked to pay attention to scientific practices in meticulous detail and along multiple dimensions, including the material, social and psychological. Following this turn, the interest in scientific practices continued to increase and had an indelible influence in the various fields of science studies. No doubt, the practice turn changed our…Read more
  •  21
    Modeling for fairness: A Rawlsian approach
    with Sven Diekmann
    Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A 46 (C): 46-53. 2014.
    In this paper we introduce the overlapping design consensus for the construction of models in design and the related value judgments. The overlapping design consensus is inspired by Rawls’ overlapping consensus. The overlapping design consensus is a well-informed, mutual agreement among all stakeholders based on fairness. Fairness is respected if all stakeholders’ interests are given due and equal attention. For reaching such fair agreement, we apply Rawls’ original position and reflective equil…Read more
  •  19
    Reflective Equilibrium in R & D Networks
    Science, Technology, and Human Values 35 (2): 174-199. 2010.
    In this article, we develop an approach for the moral assessment of research and development networks on the basis of the reflective equilibrium approach proposed by Rawls and Daniels. The reflective equilibrium approach aims at coherence between moral judgments, principles, and background theories. We use this approach because it takes seriously the moral judgments of the actors involved in R & D, whereas it also leaves room for critical reflection about these judgments. It is shown that two no…Read more
  •  17
    Refined Verisimilitude
    Kluwer Academic Publishers. 2001.
    The subject of the present inquiry is the approach-to-the-truth research, which started with the publication of Sir Karl Popper's Conjectures and Refutations. In the decade before this publication, Popper fiercely attacked the ideas of Rudolf Carnap about confirmation and induction; and ten years later, in the famous tenth chapter of Conjectures he introduced his own ideas about scientific progress and verisimilitude. Abhorring inductivism for its apprecia tion of logical weakness rather than st…Read more
  •  16
    Collins’s Taxonomy of Tacit Knowledge: Critical Analyses and Possible Extensions
    with Léna Soler
    Philosophia Scientiae 17 107-134. 2013.
    In this paper, we discuss and extend the taxonomy of tacit knowledge proposed by Collins in his 2010 book, Tacit and Explicit Knowledge. First, we question the definition and the name of one of Collins’s three categories of TK, namely Relational Tacit Knowledge (RTK). After having explained the true fundamental principle that individuates RTK as one category distinct from the two others (Somatic Tacit Knowledge STK and Collective Tacit Knowledge CTK), we suggest an alternative name for RTK, whic…Read more
  •  16
    Editorial Introduction: Collins and Tacit Knowledge
    with Léna Soler
    Philosophia Scientiae 17 5-23. 2013.
    Introduction Harry Collins is internationally recognized as a distinguished sociologist of science who writes creatively on a substantial number of varied subjects. He is acknowledged as one of the prominent specialists on the topic of tacit knowledge and has played an important role in the introduction of this topic into science studies. He has investigated the topic extensively, most famously through several case studies of physics [Collins 1974, 1984, 1985, 1990, 2001a,b, 2004], [Collins &...Read more
  •  6
    Updating theories
    Poznan Studies in the Philosophy of the Sciences and the Humanities 83 (1): 375-395. 2005.
    Kuipers' choice to let logical models of a theory represent the applications or evidence of that theory leads to various problems in ICR. In this paper I elaborate on four of them. 1. In contrast to applications of a theory, logical models are mutually incompatible. 2. An increase and a decrease of a set of models both represent an increase of logical strength; I call this the ICR paradox of logical strength. 3. The evidence logically implies the strongest empirical law. 4. A hypothesis and its …Read more
  •  3
    Moral Responsibility and the Problem of Many Hands
    with Ibo van de Poel and Lambèr Royakkers
    Routledge. 2015.
    When many people are involved in an activity, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to pinpoint who is morally responsible for what, a phenomenon known as the ‘problem of many hands.’ This term is increasingly used to describe problems with attributing individual responsibility in collective settings in such diverse areas as public administration, corporate management, law and regulation, technological development and innovation, healthcare, and finance. This volume provides an in-depth phil…Read more
  • Methodological Classification of Innovative Engineering Projects
    with Marc Vries
    In Anthonie W. M. Meijers, Peter Kroes, Pieter E. Vermaas & Maarten Franssen (eds.), Philosophy of Technology After the Empirical Turn, Springer Verlag. 2016.
  • Routledge Studies in the Philosophy of Science (edited book)
    with Léna Soler, Mitchael Lynch, and Vincent Israel-Jost
  • Substantive and Procedural Contexts of Engineering Design
    with Peter Kroes
    In Byron Newberry, Carl Mitcham, Martin Meganck, Andrew Jamison, Christelle Didier & Steen Hyldgaard Christensen (eds.), Engineering Identities, Epistemologies and Values: Engineering Education and Practice in Context, Springer Verlag. 2015.
  • Van comparatieve ABV tot comparatief realisme?
    Algemeen Nederlands Tijdschrift voor Wijsbegeerte 100 (3): 215-218. 2008.