Judgments of Beauty in Theory Evaluation

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In Judgments of Beauty in Theory Evaluation, Devon Brickhouse-Bryson argues that judgments of beauty are a justified part of theory evaluation of all sorts, including both scientific theory evaluation and philosophical theory evaluation. He supports this argument with an account of beautyinherited from Kant and Mothersillon which the distinctive nature of judgments of beauty is that they are unprincipled, yet possible. Brickhouse-Bryson analyzes two important methods of theory evaluationreflective equilibrium and simplicityand argues that these methods require making judgments of beauty understood. He further argues that these methods of theory evaluation are not anomalies, but that they point to a deeper lesson about the nature of theorizing and the necessity of using judgments of beauty to evaluate systems, like theories. This book has implications for the debate in philosophy of science over judgments of beauty and also prompts a reckoning in philosophy itself over the use of judgments of beauty in philosophical theory evaluation.

Reviews

Brickhouse-Bryson (philosophy, Univ. of Lynchburg) presents a nimble and conceptually agile account of the role of aesthetic criteria in theory evaluation. In five succinct chapters, each confined to the careful articulation of a major premise in a concisely unfolding argument, the author presents the fullest defense given, at least since Kant's masterwork the Critique of Judgment (1790), that judgments of aesthetic value, like beauty and simplicity, feature in the intersubjective appraisal of "systems of thought," such as how true or useful one takes explanatory theories to be. On Brickhouse-Bryson's reading, such threadbare notions as simplicity and systematicity unavoidably feature in every theory-evaluation, whether these relate to how well theories fit the data or how elegant or simple one construes their scope. Judgments of beauty help one identify "systems as systems," since they feature not only in the selection-level, between competing systematicity theories (regarding their respective aptitudes for simplicity), but also in their construction phase (regarding their exhibition of systematicity) and are even apparent in their Kuhnian phase (regarding their capacity for paradigm shift). A well-written, stimulating read, this book would make a perfect resource for seminars in a variety of disciplines. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty.

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"Brickhouse-Bryson makes a compelling case for the importance of aesthetic judgments. Clearly written and well-researched, Judgments of Beauty in Theory Evaluation takes a bold and much-needed step toward consociating sometimes disparate literatures in aesthetics, philosophy of science, and metaphilosophy, showing surprising similarities among inquiries in art, science, and philosophy." -- Ian O'Loughlin, Pacific University

Author Bio

Devon Brickhouse-Bryson is assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Lynchburg.