Eliminativist induction cannot be a solution to psychology's crisis

Area of Science:

• Experimental Design
• Scientific Methodology
• Research Philosophy

Background:

• Integrative experiment design aims to control contextual variation by designing factor spaces.
• Objective design of these factor spaces is challenging, leading to reliance on surrogate models.
• This reliance can exacerbate the problem of incommensurability in scientific observations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate the assumptions and limitations of integrative experiment design.
• To compare integrative approaches with one-at-a-time methods regarding objectivity and incommensurability.
• To determine the most suitable experimental design strategy for managing complex contextual factors.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of experimental design principles.
• Comparative evaluation of integrative versus one-at-a-time experimental strategies.
• Examination of the role of surrogate models in scientific observation.

Main Results:

• Integrative experiment design faces inherent objectivity challenges in defining factor spaces.
• Observations from integrative designs are often influenced by surrogate models.
• One-at-a-time approaches make fewer assumptions about excluded factors, mitigating incommensurability.

Conclusions:

• Integrative experiment design may inadvertently increase incommensurability due to reliance on surrogate models.
• One-at-a-time experimental design appears better suited for handling incommensurability.
• Careful consideration of experimental design is crucial for objective and comparable scientific results.