Are physicists' philosophies irrelevant idiosyncrasies?

Abstract

This article argues that individual philosophical commitments of scientists can decisively influence scientific practice. To support this claim, two historical examples are presented, concerning controversies between physicists about central problems in their field. Confrontation of the theories of Kuhn, Lakatos, and Laudan with these examples reveals their inadequacy to explain the role- of individual commitments. It is concluded that an adequate model of scientific change should exhibit a three-level structure.