DOI: 10.1017/psa.2026.10292 ISSN: 0031-8248
Closer to the Target: A Meta-theory of Scientific Progress
Gustavo Cevolani, Matteo De BenedettoAbstract
The contemporary debate over scientific progress is fragmented into four competing, independent approaches, making systematic comparison difficult. To resolve this, we propose a formal meta-theory of progress, within which the different approaches can be represented and compared. Generalizing the formal core of truthlikeness theory, we develop a neutral meta-theory of “target-likeness.” We demonstrate how to represent the competing approaches as alternative measures of target-likeness. We conclude by discussing the implications and applications of our theory both inside and outside the current debate on scientific progress.