Seminar on History and Philosophy of Science

Applying the explicative methodology Carnap championed to formal epistemology and experimental philosophy (henceforth, x-phi) bears salutary philosophical fruit. First, explication clarifies the philosophical import of x-phi. Second, explication does the same for formal epistemology while supplying a cogent rationale for favoring formal approaches to epistemological issues over traditional ones. Third, explication shows how x-phi can make important contributions to formal epistemology. Fourth, applying explication to formal epistemology reveals a problem with Carnap s account of the former, and how it can be fixed.