n3-al-mukhatabat-journal

6.0 Handling the Discrepancy Between Belief and Practice
Given the close relationship between belief and practice, in relation to
models, what happens when there is a ‘mismatch’ between the two? What
happens for example. When a scientist accepts a model in terms of ‘practice’ but
not ‘belief’, ‘techne’ but not ‘episteme’, or ‘reference’ but not in terms of its
‘sense’? This can be most clearly seen in the case of the controversy over the
Copernican model in the history of astronomy. Although the Copernican model
can explain the astronomical data as well as the Ptolemaic model, if not better,
yet it was rejected by Catholics who were committed to a scriptural
understanding of physical reality. In this particular case, two options were open:
(i) the articulation of an alternative model in the form of the Tychonic model to
match the empirical scope of the Copernican model, and (ii) the formulation of
an instrumentalist philosophy of science to interpret the epistemological status of
the Copernican model. In fact this form of response became the prototype of
future responses to such crises involving belief and action in relation to models.
At the scientific level, the response is to create an alternative model or theory
with an agreeable ‘sense’ to account for the ‘reference’. At the philosophical
level, the strategy is to articulate a non-realist philosophy of science to enable
the adoption of the model in terms of practice, but withholding belief or an
ontological commitment to the model because of its disagreeable ‘sense’.
7.0 Conclusion
Models therefore, serve a dual role; a scientific role and a cultural role. In
its scientific role, it acts as a ‘paradigm’ that guides scientific research as well as
function as a focal point for group identity and allegiance. In its cultural role it
serves as a ‘symbol’ initially for the scientific community that first creates it, and
eventually diffusing to the rest of society. However, as ‘symbol’ it becomes
problematic for those who do not accept its symbolism- for example, the case of
the reception of the Copernican model by the Roman Catholic Church in the 17 th
AL-MUKHATABAT Numéro 03 Année 01/2012 لىولأا ةن سلا 30 ددعلا تابطانا
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ISSN: 1737-6432