Resumo

BORGE, Bruno. Truth and laws of nature in the methodology of scientific research programs. Sig. Fil [online]. 2017, vol.19, n.37, pp.146-169. ISSN 1665-1324.

There is a tension between fallibilism and epistemological optimism in Lakatos’s philosophy. This article proposes the reconstruction of two key elements to positively resolve such tension: a notion of empirical truth that could neutralize conventionalism, and a notion of partial truth, capable to account for the increasing verisimilitude of research programs. For the latter, I review one aspect of Lakatos’s work often ignored by the critics: his position on the debate regarding laws of nature.

Palavras-chave : Lakatos; scientific realism; nomological realism; empirical truth; partial truth.