The Philosophy Department presents: Dr. Erich Reck (UCR)

Title:  “On the Philosophical Significance of Articulation”

Abstract:  

In this talk I will discuss two notions that, while central to Thomas Kuhn’s classic The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, have not found much philosophical attention yet.  These are the notions of “exemplar” and “articulation”.  After extracting them from Kuhn’s text, I will highlight their importance in three ways: (i) by arguing for their centrality to Kuhn's approach, thus for interpreting him adequately; (ii) by pointing out how taking these notions serious leads to important reorientations in the philosophy of science and in epistemology; and (iii) by indicating how they apply beyond science, including to philosophical practice.  Especially significant in this context, also for my current work on other topics, is Kuhn's notion of “articulation”.  I will conclude the talk by relating it to some further, themselves under-appreciated philosophical notions.