Normal conditions

This article is about the philosophical argument; for normal conditions in the sense of standards see the corresponding articles, e.g. Standard conditions for temperature and pressure.

Normal conditions are a restriction on philosophical arguments, especially in epistemology, in order to avoid objections perceived as digressive. As a reply to objections to an explanation of a phenomenon, e.g. a hypothesis or a theory, it is said, argument X holds [only] under normal conditions. In some cases, the concept of normal conditions tends to be rather blurred and the reply under normal conditions can tend to extend to everything that contradicts an argument. In cases, when the argument of normal conditions comes too often, according to the principle of Occam's Razor another explanation X' has to be found.

References

• Abstract of a conference talk

See also

• scientific revolution