4.9 Philosophy of Science

Twelve scatterplots showing which percentage of the articles in each journal in each year are in the category philosophy of science. A brief summary of the data follows. In an average year in Mind, 8.5% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in Mind in 2002 when it accounts for 19.5% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 1923 when it accounts for 3.5% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 7.7% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society in 1921 when it accounts for 19.2% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 1909 when it accounts for 2.3% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in Ethics, 6.1% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in Ethics in 1982 when it accounts for 14.8% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 1994 when it accounts for 2.4% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in Philosophical Review, 8.9% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in Philosophical Review in 1935 when it accounts for 20.8% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 1998 when it accounts for 3.2% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in Analysis, 8.8% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in Analysis in 1947 when it accounts for 19.7% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 1965 when it accounts for 2.7% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in Philosophy and Public Affairs, 4.9% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in Philosophy and Public Affairs in 1993 when it accounts for 18.5% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 1971 when it accounts for 1.0% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in Journal of Philosophy, 15.5% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in Journal of Philosophy in 1978 when it accounts for 25.1% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 1964 when it accounts for 8.3% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 8.9% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in Philosophy and Phenomenological Research in 1945 when it accounts for 21.5% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 2001 when it accounts for 4.5% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in Philosophy of Science, 48.8% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in Philosophy of Science in 2008 when it accounts for 72.2% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 1936 when it accounts for 26.4% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in Noûs, 12.8% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in Noûs in 1977 when it accounts for 27.4% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 2006 when it accounts for 6.1% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in The Philosophical Quarterly, 7.4% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in The Philosophical Quarterly in 1993 when it accounts for 15.5% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 1950 when it accounts for 2.8% of the articles in the journal. In an average year in British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 49.8% of the articles are in the category philosophy of science. Philosophy of science is most prevalent in British Journal for the Philosophy of Science in 1996 when it accounts for 66.3% of the articles in the journal. And it is least prevalent in 1950 when it accounts for 21.5% of the articles in the journal.

Figure 4.22: Proportion of each journal’s yearly publications in Philosophy of Science

The trend here is fairly simple, and it resembles what I said about the ethics category. The specialist journals have become more specialized, and the other journals haven’t changed a lot. Now in this case, that’s in part because most of the journals were doing very little of (what we’d now call) philosophy of science. I think they would have disagreed with that description; some of what I’ve called metaphysics, and some of what I’ve called logic and mathematics, they would have called philosophy of science. But by modern lights they weren’t doing very much of it, and they still aren’t. The big, and important, exception is Journal of Philosophy, and it hasn’t cut back its philosophy of science coverage.

18 scatterplots showing which percentage of the articles in all journals in each year from 1900 onwards are in the each of the topics category philosophy of science. A brief summary of the data follows. In an average year, 0.2% of the articles are in the DNAtopic. DNA is most prevalent in 2000 when it accounts for 1.6% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 1.0% of the articles are in the chancetopic. Chance is most prevalent in 1945 when it accounts for 2.5% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 1.1% of the articles are in the chemistrytopic. Chemistry is most prevalent in 1941 when it accounts for 3.7% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.8% of the articles are in the evolutionary biologytopic. Evolutionary biology is most prevalent in 2006 when it accounts for 3.0% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.7% of the articles are in the explanationtopic. Explanation is most prevalent in 2011 when it accounts for 2.0% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.4% of the articles are in the functionstopic. Functions is most prevalent in 1998 when it accounts for 1.1% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.4% of the articles are in the game theorytopic. Game theory is most prevalent in 2013 when it accounts for 1.5% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.6% of the articles are in the gruetopic. Grue is most prevalent in 1976 when it accounts for 2.0% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.8% of the articles are in the lawstopic. Laws is most prevalent in 1957 when it accounts for 1.4% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 1.2% of the articles are in the mechanismstopic. Mechanisms is most prevalent in 1922 when it accounts for 3.9% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 2.2% of the articles are in the methodology of sciencetopic. Methodology of science is most prevalent in 1946 when it accounts for 5.2% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.5% of the articles are in the modelstopic. Models is most prevalent in 2007 when it accounts for 2.4% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.8% of the articles are in the quantum physicstopic. Quantum physics is most prevalent in 1996 when it accounts for 3.5% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.9% of the articles are in the space and timetopic. Space and time is most prevalent in 1930 when it accounts for 3.4% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.3% of the articles are in the teleologytopic. Teleology is most prevalent in 1924 when it accounts for 1.0% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 1.2% of the articles are in the theories and realismtopic. Theories and realism is most prevalent in 1993 when it accounts for 2.8% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 1.1% of the articles are in the theory testingtopic. Theory testing is most prevalent in 2002 when it accounts for 2.5% of the articles in all journals. In an average year, 0.6% of the articles are in the thermodynamicstopic. Thermodynamics is most prevalent in 2011 when it accounts for 1.8% of the articles in all journals.

Figure 4.23: Topics in Philosophy of Science

The model carves up the philosophy of science topics very finely, and so it’s hard to eyeball a lot of trends. Quantum goes up rapidly to a peak in the 1990s. (I did not realise it wasn’t still growing.) Evolutionary biology starts later, and maybe is still growing. The realism wars of the 1980s didn’t quite end, but maybe they are fading away. On the other hand, there is more attention being paid to models, and some of that is related to the realism wars.