L. Laudan’s theory of Scientific aims

Resumen

Laudan’s proposed constraints on cognitive aims are criticized:

i)             Laudan’s proscription of ‘semantically utopian’ and ‘epistemically utopian’ aims is too restrictive.

ii)            Laudan does not distinguish impossible valuable goals from impossible but approachable valuable goals (i.e., ideal goals).

iii)           Laudan’s recommendation against impossible aims is counter-in-tuitive because it characterizes as irrational idealist conduct (such as that of saints, heroes, and martyrs.)

iv)           Laudan’s pre-philosophical’ canons of scientific success cannot bejustified empirically as valuable without some intuitions about what is a genuine example of successful science. This even though Laudan has told us that his meta-methodology does not require of intuitions.