Author(s)

Jaroslav Kubrycht

Department of Physiology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.

In accordance with current philosophical opinions, four classical and one more recently proposed types of methods frequently used in theoretical natural science are specified here together with the corresponding sources of inspiration. More precisely, abstract models, thought experiments, mathematical hypotheses and metaphors are dealt with here as classical types of methods, whereas hybrids of mathematical hypotheses and thought experiments represent more recent methodic group. In addition, this paper describes the relationships of the introduced types of methods to the (i) three-floor hierarchy of scientific theories, (ii) examples of ancient or recent discoveries and (iii) recent usage of computers.

Model (s), Hypothesis, Metaphor, Theoretical, Thought Experiment (s)

Kubrycht, J. (2024) Philosophically Specified Types of Methods Important for Theoretical Natural Science^*. Open Journal of Philosophy, 14, 448-480. doi: 10.4236/ojpp.2024.142029.