Joseph D. Sneed

Joseph D. Sneed (September 23, 1938 – February 7, 2020) was an American physicist and philosopher affiliated with the Colorado School of Mines. Born in Durant, Oklahoma, Sneed pursued a rigorous academic path, earning a B.S. in physics from Rice University (1960), an M.S. in physics from the University of Illinois (1962), and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Stanford University (1964). At Stanford, he was mentored by Patrick Suppes and influenced by Donald Davidson and Richard C. Jeffrey. Sneed's major contribution to the field is the founding of the structural theory of the empirical sciences, primarily established through his 1971 book, "The Logical Structure of Mathematical Physics." His work in the philosophy of science also engaged with and influenced thinkers like Wolfgang Stegmuller and Thomas Kuhn. He passed away on February 7, 2020, at the age of 81.