Is the Contingentist/Inevitabilist Debate a Matter of Degrees?

Martin, Joseph D.

Abstract

The contingentist/inevitabilist debate contests whether the results of successful science are contingent or inevitable. This article addresses lingering ambiguity in the way contingency is defined in this debate. I argue that contingency in science can be understood as a collection of distinct concepts, distinguished by how they hold science contingent, by what elements of science they hold contingent, and by what those elements are contingent upon. I present a preliminary taxonomy designed to characterize the full-range positions available and illustrate that these constitute a diverse array rather than a spectrum.

Citation

Martin, J. D. (2013). Is the Contingentist/Inevitabilist Debate a Matter of Degrees?. Philosophy of Science, 80(5), 919-930. https://doi.org/10.1086/674003

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2013
• Deposit Date: Sep 18, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 2, 2019
• Journal: Philosophy of Science
• Print ISSN: 0031-8248
• Electronic ISSN: 1539-767X
• Publisher: Philosophy of Science Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 80
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 919-930
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1086/674003