b. 1946
John Worrall is a British philosopher of science at the London School of Economics, best known for reviving structural realism as a middle position between scientific realism and anti-realism. A student of Imre Lakatos, he argues that science tracks the structural relations of the world rather than its intrinsic nature, offering a response to both the no-miracles argument and the pessimistic meta-induction. His work spans scientific change, theory succession, and the epistemology of evidence.
Revived structural realism in his seminal 1989 paper 'Structural Realism: The Best of Both Worlds?'
Developed the Fresnel/Maxwell case as a paradigm example of structural continuity through theory change
Argued that geometry and other mathematical frameworks are epistemically neutral—representational tools rather than truth-apt claims about nature
Contributed to methodology of evidence in science, including analysis of randomized controlled trials
Extended Lakatosian philosophy of science research programs