Why Debates about Preregistration are Debates about Philosophy of Science

The discussion about costs and benefits of preregistration has been hindered by a lack of a conceptual analysis of what preregistration aims to accomplish. Any conceptual definition about a tool that scientists use must examine the goal it has. Scientists differ in the goals they have, which depend in turn on their philosophy of science. It is therefore important to justify the value of preregistration based on a philosophy of science. This presentation distinguishes the goal of preregistration from positive externalities and highlights the importance of evaluating the usefulness of a tool such as preregistration from one specific philosophy of science.