title: Scientific progress without increasing verisimilitude: In response to Niiniluoto.
abstract: First, I argue that scientific progress is possible in the absence of increasing verisimilitude in science's theories. Second, I argue that increasing theoretical verisimilitude is not the central, or primary, dimension of scientific progress. Third, I defend my previous argument that unjustified changes in scientific belief may be progressive. Fourth, I illustrate how false beliefs can promote scientific progress in ways that cannot be explicated by appeal to verisimilitude.
authors.affiliation: Lingnan University, Hong Kong. Electronic address: darrellrowbottom@ln.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Darrell P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Rowbottom
mesh_terms: D019359:Knowledge; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010684:Philosophy; D012586:Science
keywords: Instrumentalism; Niiniluoto; Scientific change; Scientific progress; Scientific realism; Verisimilitude