Two Problems for Holistic Approaches to Theory-Reduction

Alternatively, one might suggest that a reducing theory can be used to explain why the reduced theory worked as well as it did (this is Schaffner s interpretation of theory explanation (Schaffner 1993,429)). Thus, under an appropriate interpretation, (6) just states what (7) states. Assuming that no other interpretation is available, (6) either collapses into (7), into the model proposed here, or is misplaced in an explication of reduction. 

What about criterion (9), according to which the reduced theory s domain is explained by the reducing theory As it stands, it does not help if the reduced theory explains its domain, too, then this criterion does not make for directionality. The next section considers the idea that there is a possible case of reductions that is not covered by any of the candidates (l)-(9). 

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