School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Theses
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ItemWorking wood: the state, wood science and industry: Australia, 1918–1949( 2021)This study identified the role of three national forest products laboratories and their relationship with other government agencies and specifically, to the Australian timber industry. The laboratories were established with several objectives, including to reduce the importation of timber, develop industry strategies for the use of Australian timbers, identify the properties of Australian woods and minimise problems for the timber industry. A further aim was to implement ‘national efficiency’ (discussed below). The work of the laboratories was based on a common theme: to encourage industries to understand that by using Australian timber, they would help both the nation and their businesses. A major objective of this thesis is to address the ‘doing’ of science in laboratories in conjunction with industry and government Archives from Australia and the United Kingdom were used. Not all of the archives had been opened which suggested that the thesis filled a gap in the history of the Australian wood science. Libraries were also used in Australia and the United Kingdom. A further methodology identified a ‘Triple helix’ between research, industry and government, which focused on collaboration between three organisations whose goals were to conduct research, to develop research outcomes and increase National efficiency. Archival material exposed the frequency of communications between the laboratories and the secondary timber industry. Six stories provided a broad perspective of the research conducted by the laboratories. Time frames of each chapters partially overlapped. The subjects connected across time, and provided depth to the thesis. Using the helix as the framework, the relationship between the laboratories, industry and the national science organisations was identified as collaboration, conflict, innovation, knowledge transfer and networking.
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ItemThe Epistemological and axiological tenets of scientific realism( 2001)In Part I, I criticise theory-based epistemic realism. In its most basic form, this is the view that we can be justified in believing that our successful theories are true. The basic explanationist argument put forward to justify that belief it would be a miracle were our theories successful but not true. In recent literature, realists have advanced a number of sophistications on this basic view: truth is replaced by approximate truth; success is defined to be novel success; a commitment to theories is refined to a commitment to certain theoretical constituents, etc. Carefully tracing such realist advances, I invoke and further a series of non-realist arguments. For instance, I clarify an important historical argument, spelling out a number of significant implications, and I show that these implications bear on each sophistication of realism. To justify an epistemic commitment to one theory among a large set of equally successful rival theories, realists invoke supraempirical virtues (e.g., simplicity). I argue that recent appeals to such virtues fail either to eliminate the competitors or to connect the virtues to truth (thus belief). I contend that, as a result, even what is usually written off as a "trivial" form of underdetermination seriously threatens realism. Against the claim that realism provides the only or best explanation for the success of scientific theories, I sort through and develop a number of non-realist alternative explanations. . Adjudicating between competing explanations, I appeal to a set of essentially noncontentious criteria, e.g., the ability to explain specific historical successes, the degree to which an explanation implies what it is purported to explain, etc. Employing such criteria, I argue that, among the explanations for success considered, one of the non-realist explanations I advance is preferable. After tracing the various realist sophistications, I conclude that despite the contemporary confidence in theory-based realism, its case has yet to be made. In light of this, and still wanting to retain the view that science pursues the truth, we have reason to develop an axiological realism that is independent of epistemic realism. This is the concern of Part II. I begin by postulating that science seeks a certain type of truth. I explicate this notion of truth and show that the achievement of such an end requires the achievement of a set of key theoretical virtues. Drawing on this point, I illustrate that, even if truth is an epistemically inaccessible goal, its pursuit is not rendered irrational. And I argue that -- in contrast with non-realism and other axiological realisms relying on epistemic realism -- my axiological realism both explains and justifies science's pursuit of these key virtues. I conclude that science pursues the truth and is justified in doing so, irrespective of whether we can justifiably believe we have achieved truth. In the final chapter, I discuss the relationship between epistemic and axiological realism, and I offer a proposal of how my axiological realism can be invoked to ground a foundational epistemic realism.
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ItemLaws of nature( 1994)
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ItemLogical principles of scientific inference( 1972)In this essay my aim is to explicate and vindicate the method of ampliative inference which constitutes the basis of scientific and, indeed, of all critical and disciplined reasoning.
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ItemSome theories of verisimilitude( 1991)In this thesis it was decided to concentrate on the work of Sir Karl Popper and, in particular, his concept of verisimilitude. In this connection, a result in Harris' 1974 paper was considered in error. In chapter 1 Tich?'s demonstration that Popper's probabilistic definitions of verisimilitude are inadequate is discussed. The same is discussed with respect to Popper's logical definitions of verisimilitude in chapter 2. Such criticisms of Tich? cast doubt on the idea of verisimilitude or at least as it had been formulated by Popper. Chapter 3 considers the relationship between verisimilitude and language. Chapter 4 considers, in particular, the role weak theories can play, and the promise offered by a distance-from-the-truth function of Tich?. The results are summarised in the conclusion (chapter 5).
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ItemSome foundations of science in Victoria in the decade after separation( 1990)The decade following separation from New South Wales must surely be considered one of the most dramatic in Victoria's history. In that short space of time Victoria was transformed from a small dependent colony into a bustling cosmopolitan self-governing community of enormous wealth, completely outstripping its neighbours in the process. There had been an influx of migrants of such magnitude that the civil authorities found it very difficult to keep up with the population explosion. It must at times have seemed to them to be an impossible task to provide food, housing, water, power, roads and transport, sewerage and other amenities adequate to cope with the increasing number of people pouring into the colony. Added to this were problems of civil insurrection, severe economic depression, major constitutional reforms, and great political instability. During this period, despite all the trials and difficulties they had to face, Victorians developed a real sense that they were the premier colony, that they could achieve. whatever they set out to accomplish. There was a great feeling of optimism and self-confidence.
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