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Discussion Note: Making Sense of Understanding

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2022

Henk W. de Regt
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Abstract

J.D. Trout (2002) presents a challenge to all theorists of scientific explanation who appeal to the notion of understanding. Trout denounces understanding as irrelevant, if not dangerous, from an epistemic perspective and he endorses a radically objectivist view of explanation instead. In this note I accept Trout's challenge. I criticize his argument and defend a non-objectivist, pragmatic conception of understanding that is epistemically relevant.

Type
Research Article
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 71 , Issue 1 , January 2004 , pp. 98 - 109
Copyright
Copyright © The Philosophy of Science Association

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Footnotes

‡

I wish to thank Peter Kirschenmann, Sabina Leonelli, Hans Radder, and two anonymous referees, for their comments on earlier versions. This research was supported by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).

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