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The Scientific Image
With his introduction of the concept of constructive empiricism, Van Fraassen's work allowed for the revival of scientific anti-realism, and a break from logical positivism. -
Laws and Symmetry
Van Fraassen upholds that metaphysics can not be successful in accounting for laws of nature, arguing that there are no laws of nature. Instead, empiricism should serve as a construct for models which represent these phenomena. Fraassen effectively denounces laws and symmetry as necessary for observation. -
Scientific Representation: Paradoxes of Perspective
Van Fraassen seeks to discover and explain the "complex relationship between appearance and reality in the scientific world-picture" through the defense of the empirical "picture-theory" of science. His work not only addresses how people use different methods to represent the world, but also how science uses different methods to represent natural phenomena. -
The Empirical Stance
Bas van Fraassen introduces a new angle at which to study and interpret the empiricist tradition. He addresses the need to bridge the gap and build a relationship within philosophy between secularism and science.
