科學現象的觀察與建構

Observation and Construction of Scientific Phenomena

陳瑞麟(Ruey-Lin Chen)

《東吳哲學學報》 11期 (2005/02) Pp. 57-98

https://doi.org/10.29732/SJPS.200502.0002

摘要

哈金在1983年提出一幅觀察與實驗的新形象：(1)觀察是行為或技能；(2)實驗的主要目的和功能，不在於檢驗理論，而在於創造新現象。實驗自有其生命。哈金的新觀點被許多科學哲學家、史學家和心理學家所追隨。他們也不約而同地批判六十年代以來具有主導性的「觀察背負理論」的學說。 本文將論證，他們的批判並不能成功，「觀察是一行為、實踐、技能」的觀點與「觀察背負理論」的學說並非不相容，反而支持了它－但是我們有必要重新理解和詮釋「觀察背負理論」中的「觀察」和「理論」兩個概念。最後，本文接受「實驗建構科學現象」的論點，並試圖整合哈金的新觀點與觀察背負理論的學說。

關鍵字

科學哲學 ； 實驗 ； 觀察 ； 背負理論

並列摘要

Ian Hacking presented a new image of scientific observation and experiment in 1983. The new image consists of the two theses: 1. Observation is an act or a skill; 2. The major function of experiments lies in creating new phenomena but not testing theories. ”Experimentation has a life of its own”. Many philosophers, historians and psychologists of science accept Hacking's view. Most of them, Hacking himself included, criticize the doctrine of theory-ladenness of observation which has been dominant in philosophy of science since 1960s.
I'll argue that their criticism does not succeed. Furthermore, I'll contend that the thesis that observation is an act, a practice or a skill is not incompatible with the doctrine of theory-ladenness of observation. On the contrary, the former can support the latter, provided that we re-interpret the concepts of ”observation” and ”theory” and narrow down the scope of the laden ”theory”. Finally, I adopt the thesis that some scientific phenomena are constructed by experimentation and try to integrate Hacking's constructivist view and the doctrine of theory-ladenness.

並列關鍵字

philosophy of science ； observation ； experiment ； theory-ladenness

參考文獻

陳瑞麟(2003)。科學概念的指稱與投射。歐美研究。33(1)，125-192。

Chen, Ruey-Lin(2004).Testing through realizable models.NTU Philosophical Review.27,69-117.

Chalmers, Alan(1990).Science and its fabrication.Minneapolis:University of Minnesota press.

Feyerabend, Paul(1988).Against method, 3rd. ed..London:Verso Press.

Goldman, Alvin(1999).Knowledge and social world.Oxford:Clarendon Press.