JOÃO VITOR FERRARI RABELO

The research aims to develop a way to save scientific structuralism from the risk of trivialization as pointed out by the so-called Newman objection. The investigation starts with an analysis of the early formulations of scientific structuralism (in particular, Russell's Analysis of Matter and Carnap's Aufbau); and then it explores paths that might point to solutions to the problem of trivialization. More specifically, this second part focuses on the contemporary debate on structuralism and the influence of the so-called semantic approach to theories. In light of this, the research's objective can be understood as an attempt to refine Carnap's solution to trivialization (i.e. the idea of founded relations) with the aid of the semantic approach. I consider that this effort can contribute to the development of a more adequate concept of scientific structure, and to a better assessment of the viability of structuralist programs in science.