 The laws \(A(\TC)\) are thus simply adopted as axioms in the calculus without assuming any prior interpretation or reference to the world for theoretical terms. (A sentence \(\phi\) being an axiom of a calculus C means that \(\phi\) can be used in any formal derivation in C without being a member of the premises.) This account amounts to a formalist understanding of the theoretical language in science. It has two particular merits. First, it circumvents Sneed’s problem of theoretical terms since the axioms are not required to be true in the interpretation of the respective language that represents the facts of the theory-independent world. The need for assuming such an interpretation is simply denied. Second, the account is in line with the contextual theory meaning for theoretical terms as our understanding of such terms is explained in terms of the axioms of the respective scientific theories (cf.  Section 1.2).