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["Secret causes": causality and determinism in the classical age].
1Département de philosophie, Université de Haute-Normandie, rue Lavoisier, F-76821, Mont-Saint-Aignan cedex, France, jpclero@orange.fr.
Revue De Synthese
|May 30, 2014
Summary
This study explores the concept of "secret causes" in classical scientific methods. It explains how probability calculations help reveal and understand these hidden causes, eventually integrating them into established scientific laws.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Science
- History of Science
Context:
- Classical scientific methodology centered on "laws."
- Phenomena occasionally deviating from established laws.
- The historical use of "small equations" to reconcile discrepancies.
Purpose:
- To analyze the concept of "secret cause" in scientific inquiry.
- To examine the role of probability in uncovering hidden causal factors.
- To understand how initially secret causes become integrated into scientific laws.
Summary:
- Classical science often centers on universal laws, with deviations addressed by "small equations."
- The introduction of probability calculations aims to identify and elucidate "secret causes."
- This process gradually demystifies these causes, leading to their incorporation into broader scientific frameworks.
Impact:
- Provides insight into the evolution of scientific reasoning and methodology.
- Highlights the interplay between deterministic laws and probabilistic explanations.
- Contributes to understanding how scientific knowledge progresses by incorporating the unknown.
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