Standard and Set-theoretic Analysis Strategies of a Scientific Theory

Abstract

The so-called standard interpretation of a scientific theory, proposed in the framework of the program of logical positivism, suggested the possibility of formalizing of some scientific theory in the language of first-order predicate logic. This method of logical analysis of the structure of a scientific theory does not allow one to sufficiently and accurately describe the class of its proposed models, which to some extent discredits the use of formal methods in the philosophy of science. A natural alternative to the standard formalization of the theory is its set-theoretic formalization, which uses the semantic concept of the theory model in the sense of A. Tarsky as the main one and lacks the program of logical positivism. The set-theoretic strategy for analyzing scientific knowledge more closely matches the actual practice of scientific knowledge, allowing us to explicitly and unambiguously describe the class of the proposed models of the theory. The article includes the basic principles of data analysis strategies of scientific theories.