
CUREJ - College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal
The No No-Miracles-Argument Argument
Division: Humanities
Dept/Program: Philosophy
Document Type: Undergraduate Student Research
Mentor(s): Michael Weisberg
Date of this Version: 01 February 2007
This document has been peer reviewed.
Abstract
The No Miracles Argument is commonly used as a defense of scientific realism. I claim that the No Miracles Argument is begging the question because of the way it uses the notion of ``best explanation.'' I show this by giving a fundamental account of explanation, describing how these explanations can be compared, and showing that, in the case of the No Miracles Argument, the use of the notion of ``best explanation'' will entail a correspondence theory of truth. I also show that the first premise of the No Miracles Argument and a correspondence theory of truth entail realism. Hence, the No Miracles Argument is begging the question.
Discipline(s)
Philosophy
Suggested Citation
Singer, Daniel J., "The No No-Miracles-Argument Argument" 01 February 2007. CUREJ: College Undergraduate Research Electronic Journal, University of Pennsylvania, https://repository.upenn.edu/curej/62.
Date Posted: 06 June 2007
This document has been peer reviewed.