Clarifying Thoughts About the Clarification of Liquids – Filtration and the Philosophy of Science

Basic topics in the philosophy of science are introduced by means of applying them to filtration research. This article thereby aims at improving the understanding of the history and character of technological research. The concept of scientific paradigms is introduced and it is applied to the history of filtration. Eliminative induction is presented as a way to determine cause-and-effect relations. Also, the testing of filtration theories and their falsification is discussed. Finally, it is shown how filtration is linked to natural science and society, with consequences for the epistemology of the discipline.