A note on verisimilitude and relativization to problems

Erkenntnis 33 (3):391-396 (1990)
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Abstract

This note aims at critically assessing a little-noticed proposal made by Popper in the second edition of "Objective Knowledge" to the effect that verisimilitude of scientific theories should be made relative to the problems they deal with. Using a simple propositional calculus formalism, it is shown that the "relativized" definition fails for the very same reason why Popper's original concept of verisimilitude collapsed -- only if one of two theories is true can they be compared in terms of the suggested definition of verisimilitude.

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Philippe Mongin
Last affiliation: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

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