什么是“实验者的回归”论题——兼评柯林斯的科学观

What Is "The Experimenter’s Regress"——Collins’ View of Science

"实验者的回归"论题是柯林斯在追踪引力波案例时,发现在科学争论中存在的一种循环现象,构成其科学观的核心内容,也可看做是他对"归纳问题"的社会学解答。柯林斯在归纳出两种回归类型——是回归到实验结果,二是回归到基本信念的同时,指明了打破回归的两种路径——是实验"校准",二是社会磋商。该论题自提出以来,在学界产生了广泛的影响,也受到了褒贬不一的批评。该论题的提出,为更合理地理解科学提供了新的视角,促使我们回过头来对传统科学观进行重新反思,彰显了重建科学观的迫切性。

＂The Experimenter’s Regress＂ topic is a circle which was developed by Harry Collins when he traced the case of gravitational wave.It is the central concept of his view of science,and it can also be viewed as ＂sociological resolution＂ of the problem of induction.Collins analyzed two types of regress：regress to result and regress to belief,and then indicated two approaches to breaking the regress：calibration and social consultation.This topic produced a wide range of academic influence,but received criticisms at the same time.However,this topic provides us with a new perspective for understanding science,and makes us to reflect on the traditional view of science,and then highlights the urgency of reconstructing the view of science.