The Epistemic Structural Realist Program. Some interference

Abstract

In this paper, I present the Epistemic Structural Realist Program, illustrate the main arguments on its behalf and discuss its implications for a realist understanding of scientific change. Then I present and discuss the historical case study and its implications for ESR; Section 4 will draw a general moral from the previous discussion. In particular, I show that: a) Emphasis on the predictive power of purely formal aspects of electrodynamics and their partial/empirical interpretation would lead us completely astray in the interpretation of the Zeeman Effect and of its role in driving research in the fine structure of the atom through spectroscopic investigation. b) Arguments based on the history of science are ineffective in this case. Any attempt to explain the past success through the role of structural aspects of old theory involved in the account is unsuccessful. Both the points will allow to seeing the need for an alternative historical methodology to support the realist cause on the face of theoretical change.