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    Eliminating entities from ontology solely because they pr... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→The point at the center of a Schwarzschild black hole arguably does not exist as part of space-time

    Eliminating entities from ontology solely because they produce divergences in a theory commits the instrumentalist fallacy of conflating theoretical breakdown with non-existence.

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    1 reason for
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    Reasons For

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    Reason for
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    • 1.Theoretical divergences often reflect measurement limits or model incompleteness, not evidence that posited entities lack real existence.
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    • 2.Eliminating entities based on instrumental utility conflates epistemology (what we can know) with ontology (what exists).
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    • 3.History shows theories revised their formalism while retaining entities (e.g., atoms, genes), suggesting divergences indicate model failure, not entity non-existence.
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    Reasons Against

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    Reason against
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    • 1.If an entity's only evidence is a theory that breaks down, we lack grounds to assert its existence independently of that theory.
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    • 2.Parsimony favors eliminating posits that don't contribute to successful prediction or explanation—a pragmatic reason, not instrumentalist fallacy.
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    • 3.The distinction between 'theory fails' and 'entity doesn't exist' collapses when entities have no characterization outside failed theoretical frameworks.
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    Related

    Eliminating entities based on instrumental utility conflates epistemology (what ...History shows theories revised their formalism while retaining entities (e.g., a...If an entity's only evidence is a theory that breaks down, we lack grounds to as...Parsimony favors eliminating posits that don't contribute to successful predicti...
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    The distinction between 'theory fails' and 'entity doesn't exist' collapses when...The point at the center of a Schwarzschild black hole arguably does not exist as...Theoretical divergences often reflect measurement limits or model incompleteness...

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