PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE - HELP OR HINDRANCE

Scientists routinely employ metatheoretic principles, explicit discuss ion of which typically occurs in times of intense controversy, theoret ical crisis, scientific revolution, and entry into a new domain. The w ritings of philosophers, including their disagreements, are often help ful in such circumstances. Whether knowledge of formal metatheory help s us in doing ''normal science'' is researchable. Much scientific thin king is of poor quality, and it could be improved by explicit metatheo retical education. Clinical practice and training programs should emph asize rational skepticism, respect for evidence, objectivity, and quan titative thinking. Because the relation between principles and success is probabilistic, metatheoretical research should implement the case study method by formal actuarial procedures.