Strengthening Cartwright’s Epistemological Positions through Aristotelian Arguments Otro título: Nancy Cartwright, millian and/or aristotelian

Abstract

There is renewed interest concerning the relevance of Aristotle’s thought for contemporary science. This is especially true regarding the political, moral and economic aspects of human life and society. Aristotelian insights have also influenced the natural sciences. Aristotle’s metaphysical and epistemological conceptions provide a rich frame of analysis for many different subjects. In the present day, the Aristotelian elements are often blended with other influences. Nancy Cartwright combines elements from Aristotle with others from John Stuart Mill and Elizabeth Anscombe, and others. In this paper I will address a number of tensions present in Cartwright’s thinking, and propose that they might be overcome by a greater reliance on Aristotle and Anscombe’s thought. These tensions, I will argue, are due in part to her reliance on Mill. Before enumerating these tensions, I will first outline Cartwright’s thinking.