Abstract
Our historical analysis shows that the construction of the present concept of electromagnetic field took place in three periods, or phases, which I will call: (1) ‘heuristic guide’, (2) ‘elaborational’, and (3) ‘philosophical’. The contributions of Faraday and of Maxwell, until his third paper, come under phase (1); those of Maxwell, beginning with the third paper, and of Lorentz, under phase (2); and those of Einstein fall under phase (3). The reasons for these groupings and for the choice of name for each phase will become apparent as we discuss the relevant details that have emerged from the historical analysis.
The erratum of this chapter is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6187-6_16
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
See Gooding (1980a).
See note 21 of Part II.
There is an extensive philosophical literature on analogies in science. The most useful are Harré (1970), Hesse (1963), and North (1980). Only North addresses the role of analogies as “instruments of cognitive meaning” (his expression).
See, e.g., Osherson and Smith (1981), Rosch (1975), Rosch and Mervis (1975), and Smith and Median (1981).
For an interesting analysis of the problem of defining concepts, see Fodor et al. (1980). However, I disagree with Fodor’s own conclusion (Fodor, 1981) that, since we cannot ‘define’ concepts, all lexical concepts are unstructured and innate. See also, Smith and Median (1981).
Marovcsik (1981) has made a similar suggestion for concepts in general. Although I reject the essentialism of his view, his notion of an ‘Aitiational frame’ has influenced my notion of a ‘meaning schema’.
Shapere (1966) and (1982a).
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1984 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Nersessian, N.J. (1984). Meaning in scientific practice. In: Faraday to Einstein: Constructing Meaning in Scientific Theories. Science and Philosophy, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6187-6_10
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-6187-6_10
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-0950-5
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-6187-6
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive