What we (should) talk about when we talk about fruitfulness.

Area of Science:

• Philosophy of Science
• Evolutionary Psychology
• Research Program Assessment

Background:

• The appraisal of research programs involves identifying relevant values, with fruitfulness being frequently cited but poorly understood.
• Existing philosophical discussions lack a clear explication of fruitfulness and its role in scientific evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explicate fruitfulness as the developmental capacity of research programs.
• To propose a novel strategy for assessing and comparing program fruitfulness.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis to define fruitfulness.
• Development of a new assessment strategy focusing on research questions and heuristics.
• Case study analysis of the adaptationist program in evolutionary psychology.

Main Results:

• Fruitfulness is explicated as a program's inherent capacity to generate further research.
• A strategy is presented for evaluating fruitfulness by examining a program's research questions and heuristics.
• The adaptationist program in evolutionary psychology serves as an illustrative example.

Conclusions:

• Fruitfulness is a crucial, yet under-examined, value in scientific appraisal.
• The proposed strategy offers a concrete method for assessing and comparing the fruitfulness of research programs.
• This framework can enhance the evaluation of scientific progress and research direction.