Professor Nancy Cartwright nancy.cartwright@durham.ac.uk
Professor
Evidence, External Validity and Explanatory Relevance
Cartwright, N.
Authors
Contributors
Gregory J. Morgan
Editor
Abstract
When does one fact speak for another? That is the problem of evidential relevance. Peter Achinstein’s answer, in brief: Evidential relevance = explanatory relevance.2 My own recent work investigates evidence for effectiveness predictions, which are at the core of the currently heavily mandated evidencebased policy and practice (EBPP): predictions of the form ‘Policy treatment T implemented as, when and how it would be implemented by us will result in targeted outcome O.’ RCTs, or randomized controlled trials, for T and O are taken to be the gold standard for evidence for effectiveness predictions. I question this: Not just whether they are gold-standard evidence, but more, How can they be evidence at all? What makes them relevant to the truth of the prediction that T will work for us?
Citation
Cartwright, N. (2011). Evidence, External Validity and Explanatory Relevance. In G. J. Morgan (Ed.), Philosophy of science matters : the philosophy of Peter Achinstein (15-28). Oxford University Press
Publication Date | Jun 1, 2011 |
---|---|
Deposit Date | Sep 17, 2015 |
Publicly Available Date | Apr 13, 2016 |
Publisher | Oxford University Press |
Pages | 15-28 |
Book Title | Philosophy of science matters : the philosophy of Peter Achinstein. |
Chapter Number | 2 |
Public URL | https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1645276 |
Publisher URL | http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199738625.do |
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Accepted Book Chapter
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Copyright Statement
This is a draft of a chapter that was accepted for publication by Oxford University Press in the book 'Philosophy of Science Matters' edited by Gregory J. Morgan and published in 2011.
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