The Devil in the Details: Asymptotic Reasoning in Explanation, Reduction, and Emergence

Jul 6, 2026

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The Devil in the Details examines how asymptotic reasoning informs philosophical debates about scientific explanation, inter-theoretic reduction, and emergence. It develops the role of asymptotic methods through themes such as universality, intertheoretic relations, and emergence, then connects these ideas to explanation frameworks and stability. The book analyzes renormalization-group approaches, intermediate asymptotics, and the prospects and limits of reduction models including Nagelian reduction and multiple realizability, culminating in a structured conclusion about what stability contributes to these explanatory practices.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages155

Reading Time6 h 31 min

Contents

Introduction

Asymptotic Reasoning

Philosophical Theories of Explanation

Asymptotic Explanation

Philosophical Models of Reduction

The Devil in the Details Asymptotic Reasoning in Explanation,Reduction,and Emergence Robert W.Batterman THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS http://avaxhome.ws/blogs/ChrisRedfield OXFORD STUDIES IN PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCEGeneral Editor:Paul Humphreys,University of Virginia The Book of EvidencePeter Achinstein Science,Truth,and DemocracyPhilip Kitcher The Devil in the Details:Asymptotic Reasoningin Explanation,Reduction,and EmergenceRobert W.Batterman # THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS Asymptotic Reasoning in Explanation,Reduction,and Emergence Robert W.Batterman OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS Oxford New York Athens Auckland Bangkok Bogotá Buenos Aires Cape TownChennai Dar es Salaam Delhi Florence Hong Kong Istanbul KarachiKolkata Kuala Lumpur Madrid Melbourne Mexico City Mumbai NairobiParis Sāo Paulo Shanghai Singapore Taipei Tokyo Toronto Warsaw and associated companies inBerlin Ibadan Copyright ◎2002 by Oxford University Press,Inc Published by Oxford University Press,Inc.198 Madison Avenue,New York,New York 10016 Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced.stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted,in any form or by any means,electronic,mechanical,photocopying.recording,or otherwise,without the prior permission of Oxford University Press. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Batterman,Robert W. The devil in the details :asymptotic reasoning in explanation,reduction,and emergence /Robert W.Batterman p.cm.ISBN 0-19-514647-6 1.Reasoning.2.Science—Philosophy 3.Science—Methodology.1.TitleQ175.32.R45 B372002153.4'3-dc21 2001047453 For Carolyn This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgments This book is the result of many years of trying to understand certain aspectsof the relations that obtain between distinct physical theories.Much of myresearch has been guided by the clear and fascinating work of Professor SirMichael Berry.As is clear to anyone who reads this book,my intellectual debtto Professor Berry is very great indeed. I also owe much to my teacher Lawrence Sklar,who taught me,among manyother things,how to approach philosophical issues in the foundations of physicaltheory.My aim,unfortunately only asymptotically realized,has been to applythis knowledge to gain insight into some of these philosophical debates. Mark Wilson,too,has been a great help and a source of encouragement.Iwant to especially thank him for many discussions that have helped me sharpenmy presentation of the issues considered in the book Many people have aided me in my research.I wish to thank William Wimsattfor many discussions about intertheoretic reduction.Roger Jones has helpedme get clear about many of the issues discussed in this book.William Taschekand Diana Raffman listened to my ramblings about multiple realizability anduniversality for so long that it is difficult to express sufficiently my gratitudefor their tremendous help and patience.Justin D'Arms was of great help ingetting clear about many aspects of the arguments that appear in this book.Sylvia Berryman has been a superb colleague.She read and provided valuablecomments on virtually every chapter of the book.I would also like to thankDaniel Farrell,Dion Scott-Kakures,Joseph Mendola,George Pappas,and AlexRueger for helpful comments and discussions,both substantive and strategic,about the writing of this book. Several anonymous referees provided valuable criticism and commentary.Ihope that I have been able to address at least some of their worries. I would also like to acknowledge the generous support of the National ScienceFoundation for several grants that allowed me to pursue the research for thisbook. Some of the material in this book has been taken from previously pub-lished papers.I wish to acknowledge Blackwell Publishers for permission touse material from“Explanatory Instability,”Nous,36,pp.325-348,(1992).Similar thanks to Kluwer Academic Publi

FAQs

What does the book focus on regarding scientific explanation?

It studies how asymptotic reasoning shapes accounts of explanation, including philosophical theories of why-questions and the success of certain explanatory approaches.

How are universality and intertheoretic relations treated in the argument?

They are developed as key components of asymptotic reasoning, clarifying how relations between distinct physical theories can support explanatory and reductive claims.

Which reduction frameworks are discussed?

The book examines philosophical models of reduction such as Nagelian reduction and multiple realizability, and it considers additional reduction proposals and related metaphysical issues.

Jul 6, 2026

Upload by Rowan