Fundamentals of Concept Formation in Empirical Science

Carl Gustav Hempel: Fundamentals Of Concept Formation In Empirical Science
The growth of a scientific discipline always brings with it the development of a system of specialized, more or less abstract concepts and of a corresponding technical terminology. The central questions examined in this monograph are for what reasons and by what methods are these special concepts introduced and how do they function in scientific theory. The task is undertaken in 3 major sections. (1) The fundamental principles of the general theory of definition. (2) Analysis of methods, both definitional and non-definitional, by means of which scientific concepts are introduced. (3) Some basic types of concept formation in science. A study of qualitative and quantitive concepts and methods in empirical science. 6-page bibliography.