Belief Revision in Science: Informational Economy and Paraconsistency

In the present paper, our objective is to examine the application of belief revision models to scientific rationality. We begin by considering the standard model AGM, and along the way a number of problems surface that make it seem inadequate for this specific application. After considering three different heuristics of informational economy that seem fit for science, we consider some possible adaptations for it and argue informally that, overall, some paraconsistent models seem to better satisfy these principles, following Testa (2015). These models have been worked out in formal detail by Testa, Cogniglio, & Ribeiro (2015, 2017)

Metaphysical Explanation and the Inference to the Best Explanation (BA thesis)

Inference to the Best Explanation, roughly put, appeals to the explanatory power of a theory or hypothesis (relative to some data set) as constituting epistemic justification for it. Inference to the Best Explanation (henceforth IBE) is a tool widely employed among all reasoners alike, from the empirical sciences to ordinary life. Philosophical discussions do not differ in the usualness of explanatory appeals of this kind during serious argument. Often enough, the appeal is dialectically blocked, as many of our epistemic peers in philosophy offer reasons to be skeptical of IBE. Our aim with this monograph is to assess one worry that have been raised about this mode of inference: That explanatory power is not truth-conducive. We begin by discussing general features of inferences and then formulating IBE in detail. Afterward, we explicate and apply a canonical understanding of what an explanation is. This will lead to a certain understanding of explanatory power. We undergo a case study to defend the thesis that this kind of explanatory power is indeed epistemically irrelevant – unless, perhaps, when combined with other theoretical virtues. Our conclusion is that the measure what explanations are best requires taking other theoretical virtues into account, such as simplicity and unification. In this case, a complete assessment of IBE requires examining if, when, and how these alleged theoretical virtues are indeed truth-conducive

Heavy Quarkonia from Classical SU(3) Yang-Mills Configurations

A generalized Cho-Faddeev-Niemi ansatz for SU(3) Yang-Mills is investigated. The corresponding classical field equations are solved for its simplest parametrization. From these solutions it is possible to define a confining central non-relativistic potential used to study heavy quarkonia. The associated spectra reproduces the experimental spectra with an error of less than 3% for charmonium and 1% for bottomonium. Moreover, the recently discovered new charmonium states can be accomodate in the spectra, keeping the same level of precision. The leptonic width show good agreement with the recent measurements. The charmonium and bottomonium E1 electromagnetic transitions widths are computed and compared with the experimental values.Comment: 3 pages. Talk at QNP06, 5th-10th June, Madrid, Spai

Charmonium and Bottomonium from Classical SU(3) Gauge Configurations

The charmonium and bottomonium spectra computed from a potential defined from a single gauge configuration, obtained from solving the classical field equations, is discussed. The theoretical spectra shows good agreement with the measured states. A discussion of possible interpretations, within the same non-relativistic potential model, for the new charmonia states X(3872), $\chi_{c1} (2P)$ and Y(4260) is performed. In particular, we give predictions for electromagnetic E1 transitions for various scenarios.Comment: Talk given at "Quark Confinement and the Hadron Spectrum VII", Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal, Sept. 2-7, 200