Abstract - Philosophy of science and the replicability crisis
Replicability is widely taken to ground the epistemic authority of science. However, in recent years, important published findings in the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences have failed to replicate, suggesting that these fields are facing a “replicability crisis.” For philosophers, the crisis should not be taken as bad news but as an opportunity to do work on several fronts, including conceptual analysis, history and philosophy of science, research ethics, and social epistemology. This article introduces philosophers to these discussions. First, I discuss precedents and evidence for the crisis. Second, I discuss methodological, statistical, and social-structural factors that have contributed to the crisis. Third, I focus on the philosophical issues raised by the crisis. Finally, I discuss several proposals for solutions and highlight the gaps that philosophers could focus on
I personally believe we should be taking the replication crisis much more seriously than we are. Trust is the foundation of our societies and science. Trust is how you know that the laws of physics will apply as expected as you cross a bridge, and that the medicine your doctor prescribed you will work as intended. It is this trust that allows us to build upon the knowledge of those who came before us.
Unfortunately, I have no guaranteed solutions however I know I will continue to experiment myself and test the theories I can to determine their viability in the real world.