Peter Lipton

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Peter Lipton

Peter Lipton (born October 9, 1954 in New York City , † November 25, 2007 in Cambridge ) was an American theorist of science. In addition to various contributions to the philosophy of science , epistemology and other philosophical disciplines, Lipton was particularly known for his elaborations on conclusions on the best explanation .

biography

Lipton studied physics and philosophy at Wesleyan University and Oxford . His Ph.D. graduated from Oxford in 1985 with a thesis on scientific evidence and explanations. From 1985 to 1990 he was an assistant professor at Williams College in Williamstown . In 1991 he joined the Faculty of History and Philosophy of Science in Cambridge , where he became a lecturer in 1994 and dean in 1996; he was also a fellow at King's College .

Lipton organized a reading group at Cambridge on epistemological issues, modeled on the Alfred Jules Ayer discussion group in Oxford, which he had attended. Both within and outside of his faculty, Lipton brought philosophical discussions to a wider audience. For example, he is also known for his contributions to the AskPhilosophers.org website. His lectures and seminars were characterized by a high level of clarity and extraordinary humor.

Lipton lived with his wife Diana and two sons, Jonah and Jacob. He saw himself as a “religious atheist” who followed Jewish ways of life and who found recourse to Jewish teachings helpful in moral questions of life, although he did not believe in metaphysical religious teachings, especially not in the existence of a god.

His main work Inference to the Best Explanation (first edition 1991) is a comprehensive attempt to explain our rational conclusions. In doing so, Lipton understands the “best explanation” to convey what furthers our understanding. Correct predictions give a theory a higher level of inductive confirmation than integrating new data. Lipton's other important contributions discuss the nature of causal explanations, hearsay justification, and scientific testing and changing scientific theory. Lipton developed a novel form of scientific realism . He also devoted himself to topics from the fields of the philosophy of religion, the philosophy of the mind (including mental contents and the mind-soul problem) as well as bioethics (in 2003 he published the report Pharmacogenetics: Ethical Issues ) and the history of the induction problem . On the latter, he worked on a monograph entitled The Humean Predicament , which has remained unfinished.

Lipton died unexpectedly in November 2007 after playing squash.

Publications (selection)

  • Inference to the Best Explanation . 2nd ed. Routledge, Chapman & Hall, London 2004, ISBN 0-415-24202-9 .

proof

  1. ↑ Cambridge University obituary

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Lipton, Peter
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American theorist of science
DATE OF BIRTH October 9, 1954
PLACE OF BIRTH New York City
DATE OF DEATH November 25, 2007
Place of death Cambridge