Summary The main argument for scientific realism is that our present theories in science are so successful empirically they can’t have got way by chance - instead must somehow latched onto the blueprint of universe. against there been enormously which were once accepted but now regarded as false. central question addressed this paper whether some reasonable to best both worlds: give from revolutions its full weight and yet still adopt sort realist attitude towards presently physics...

Journal Article Book Reviews Get access Proofs and Refutations: the Logic of Mathematical Discovery. By Imre Lakatos. Edited by John Worrall Elie Zahar. ( Cambridge University Press. 1976. Pp. xii + 174. Price £7.50, paper £1.95) Daniel Isaacson Search for other works this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar The Philosophical Quarterly, Volume 28, Issue 111, April 1978, Pages 169–171, https://doi.org/10.2307/2219364 Published: 01 1978

The evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is widely regarded as supplying the ‘gold standard’ in medicine—we may sometimes have to settle for other forms of evidence, but this always epistemically second-best. But how well justified epistemic claim about superiority RCTs? This paper adds my earlier (predominantly negative) analyses claims produced favour idea that randomization plays a uniquely privileged role, by closely inspecting three related arguments leading contributors...

Evidence-Based Medicine is a relatively new movement that seeks to put clinical medicine on firmer scientific footing. I take it as uncontroversial medical practice should be based best evidence—the interesting questions concern the details. This paper tries move towards coherent and unified account of evidence in medicine, by exploring particular EBM position RCTs (randomized controlled trials).

Abstract It is surely obvious that medicine, like any other rational activity, must be based on evidence. The interest in the details: how exactly are general principles of logic evidence to applied medicine? Focussing development, and current claims ‘Evidence‐Based Medicine’ movement, this article raises a number difficulties with rationales have been supplied particular for ‘evidence hierarchy’ very special role within hierarchy randomized controlled trials (and meta‐analyses results...

Obviously medicine should be evidence-based. The issues lie in the details: what exactly counts as evidence? Do certain kinds of evidence carry more weight than others? (And if so why?) And how based on When it comes to these details, evidence-based (EBM) movement has got itself into a mess - or will argued. In order start resolve this mess, we need go 'back basics'; and that means turning philosophy science. theory evidence, rather logic interrelations between always been central science...

As a means for measuring scholarly influence, citation analysis has several limitations and shortcomings. We first review the main sources of data (Web Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, information collected directly from reference lists) discuss shortcomings each source. Next, we five significant as methodology (academic over popular interest, various motivations citing, manipulation potential, failure to account author ordering, citations only appearing in “indexed” journals). The issues...

Researchers have not yet devoted sufficient attention to the effect of prison architecture on inmate misconduct. Using data from population male prisoners in Texas, authors explored association between two architectural design types (as determined by satellite imagery) and The results multilevel statistical analyses suggest that is associated with nonviolent misconduct but violent Policy implications directions for future research are discussed.

Researchers have recently combined individual-level data with institutional measures to detect prison-level correlates of inmate misconduct. Although this body literature has yielded insights into how the prison environment contributes misconduct, we argue that it ignored an important level analysis, namely custody level. As some inmates are placed in more restrictive confinement than others, levels may absorb variation and/or Accordingly, analyzed from over 70,000 who were housed Texas...

The controversy surrounding recent high-profile police shootings (e.g., Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; Laquan McDonald Chicago) has prompted inquiry into the possible existence of bias officers’ use-of-force decisions. Using a balanced mix shoot/don’t shoot cases from large municipal department Southwestern United States, this study analyzed effect suspect race on decisions to shoot—while accounting for other theoretically relevant factors. Findings suggest that Black suspects were not...

Proponents of cannabis policy reform argue that decriminalization enhances productivity and resource allocation for police departments. This study explores the effect 2018 Farm Bill, a form decriminalization, on one measure productivity: case processing times. Using monthly data from Dallas Police Department's Record Management System, spanning years 2014–2021, we estimated single group interrupted time series models designed to gauge whether Bill's enactment altered times in both short run...