Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T03:54:32.322Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Confirmation and Explanation in Archaeology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Merrilee H. Salmon
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

In recent discussions by archaeologists who are committed to the scientific nature of archaeology, philosophic commitment to an excessively narrow view of “the scientific method” is common. These narrow conceptions can be broadened, clarified, and made more adequate without diminishing a commitment to scientific archaeology.

The hypothetico-deductive method of confirmation is an oversimplified account of scientific reasoning. There are severe limitations for its application, particularly in archaeology. The deductive-nomological model of scientific explanation likewise has serious drawbacks for explaining the sorts of phenomena which interest archaeologists. Understanding of the problems with this model is hampered by trying to force systems models of explanation into the deductive-nomological mold. Worse still, the separate issues of confirmation and explanation are not kept distinct.

Type
Comment
Information
American Antiquity , Volume 40 , Issue 4 , October 1975 , pp. 459 - 464
Copyright
Copyright © Society for American Archaeology 1975

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Davis, Martin, and Hersh, Reuben 1973 Hilbert's 10th problem. Scientific American 229(5):84–91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hempel, Carl 1962 Explanation in science and in history. In Frontiers of science and philosophy, edited by Colodny, R. C., pp. 7–33. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh.Google Scholar
LeBlanc, Steven A. 1974 Two points of logic. In Research and theory in current archaeology, edited by Redman, Charles L., pp. 199–214. John L. Wiley, New York.Google Scholar
Lewis, C. I. 1962 An analysis of knowledge and valuation. Open Court, La Salle.Google Scholar
Morgan, Charles G. 1973 Archaeology and explanation. World Archaeology 4:259–276.Google Scholar
Salmon, Wesley C. 1967 The foundations of scientific inference. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Salmon, Wesley C. 1971 Statistical explanation and statistical relevance. University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh.CrossRefGoogle Scholar