Intertheoretic Reduction
(Churchland IP3 290a)

Intertheoretic reduction of theory A to theory B: Theory B entails a set of propositions and principles that mirror perfectly (or almost perfectly) the propositions and principles of theory A.

Example:

There is an intertheoretic reduction of the theory of musical harmonics to wave theory if wave theory entails a set of claims which mirrors the claims of the theory of musical harmonics.


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Richard Lee, rlee@uark.edu, last modified: 29 November 2004