Is the Contingentist/Inevitabilist Debate a Matter of Degrees?

Martin, Joseph D.

doi:10.1086/674003

Is the Contingentist/Inevitabilist Debate a Matter of Degrees?

Martin, Joseph D.

Authors

Dr Joseph Martin joseph.d.martin@durham.ac.uk
Associate Professor

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