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| introduction to the philosophy of science: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Kent W. Staley, 2014-11-06 This book explores central philosophical concepts, issues, and debates in the philosophy of science, both historical and contemporary. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Theory and Reality Peter Godfrey-Smith, 2021-07-16 How does science work? Does it tell us what the world is “really” like? What makes it different from other ways of understanding the universe? In Theory and Reality, Peter Godfrey-Smith addresses these questions by taking the reader on a grand tour of more than a hundred years of debate about science. The result is a completely accessible introduction to the main themes of the philosophy of science. Examples and asides engage the beginning student, a glossary of terms explains key concepts, and suggestions for further reading are included at the end of each chapter. Like no other text in this field, Theory and Reality combines a survey of recent history of the philosophy of science with current key debates that any beginning scholar or critical reader can follow. The second edition is thoroughly updated and expanded by the author with a new chapter on truth, simplicity, and models in science. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Anthony O'Hear, 1989 This book is a balanced and up-to-date introduction to the philosophy of science. It covers all the main topics in the area, as well as introducing the student to the moral and social reality of science. The author's style is free from jargon, and although he makes use of scientific examples, these should be intelligible to those without much scientific background. At the same time the questions he raises are not merely abstract, so the book will be of interest and concern to scientists as well as philosophers. The author discusses the growth of knowledge of science, the status of scientific theories and their relationship to observational data, the extent to which scientific theories rest on unprovable paradigms, and the nature of scientific explanations. In later chapters he considers probability, scientific reductionism, the relationship between science and technology, and the relationship between scientific and other values. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophy of Science Alex Rosenberg, 2013-05-13 This user-friendly text covers key issues in the philosophy of science in an accessible and philosophically serious way. It will prove valuable to students studying philosophy of science as well as science students. Prize-winning author Alex Rosenberg explores the philosophical problems that science raises by its very nature and method. He skilfully demonstrates that scientific explanation, laws, causation, theory, models, evidence, reductionism, probability, teleology, realism and instrumentalism actually pose the same questions that Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, Kant and their successors have grappled with for centuries. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: The Meaning of Science Tim Lewens, 2016-01-26 A philosopher of science examines the biggest ethical and moral issues in science today, and explains why they matter for all of us -- scientist and layman alike Science has produced explanations for everything from the mechanisms of insect navigation to the formation of black holes and the workings of black markets. But how much can we trust science, and can we actually know the world through it? How does science work and how does it fail? And how can the work of scientists help -- or hurt -- everyday people? These are not questions that science can answer on its own. This is where philosophy of science comes in. Studying science without philosophy is, to quote Einstein, to be like somebody who has seen thousands of trees but has never seen a forest. Cambridge philosopher Tim Lewens shows us the forest. He walks us through the theories of seminal philosophers of science Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn and considers what science is, how far it can and should reach, and how we can determine the nature of its truths and myths. These philosophical issues have consequences that stretch far beyond the laboratory. For instance: What role should scientists have in policy discussions on environmental issues such as fracking? What are the biases at play in the search for a biological function of the female orgasm? If brain scans can be used to demonstrate that a decision was made several seconds before a person actually makes a conscious choice, what does that tell us about the possibility of free will? By examining science through this philosophical lens, Lewens reveals what physics can teach us about reality, what biology teaches us about human nature, and what cognitive science teaches us about human freedom. A masterful analysis of the biggest scientific and ethical issues of our age, The Meaning of Science forces us to confront the practical, personal, and political purposes of science -- and why it matters to all of us. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Lisa Bortolotti, 2008-12-03 This book is an excellent introduction to philosophy for students and provides researchers of scientific disciplines with an opportunity to reflect upon the value and impact of their work. It is also a stimulating read for anybody who is interested in the philosophical issues raised by the status of scientific knowledge in contemporary society. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophy of Science Samir Okasha, 2016 What is science? -- Scientific inference -- Explanation in science -- Realism and anti-realism -- Scientific change and scientific revolutions -- Philosophical problems in physics, biology, and psychology -- Science and its critics. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Karel Lambert, Gordon G. Brittan, 1970-01-01 |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: This is Philosophy of Science Franz-Peter Griesmaier, Jeffrey A. Lockwood, 2022-03-29 A clear and engaging introduction to the philosophy of science, exploring the role of science within the broader framework of human knowledge and engagement with the world What are the central features and advantages of a scientific worldview? Why do even reasonable scientists sometimes disagree with each other? How are scientific methods different than those of other disciplines? Can science provide an objective account of reality? This is Philosophy of Science introduces the most important philosophical issues that arise within the empirical sciences. Requiring no previous background in philosophy, this reader-friendly volume covers topics ranging from traditional questions about the nature of explanation and the confirmation of theories to practical issues concerning the design of physical experiments and modeling. Incisive and accessible chapters with relevant case-studies and informative illustrations examine the function of thought experiments, discuss the realism/anti-realism debate, explore probability and theory testing, and address more challenging topics such as emergentism, measurement theory, and the manipulationist account of causation. Describes key philosophical concepts and their application in the empirical sciences Highlights past and present philosophical debates within the field Features numerous illustrations, real-world examples, and references to additional resources Includes a companion website with self-assessment exercises and instructor-only test banks Part of Wiley-Blackwell’s popular This Is Philosophy series, This is Philosophy of Science: An Introduction is an excellent textbook for STEM students with interest in the conceptual foundations of their disciplines, undergraduate philosophy majors, and general readers looking for an easy-to-read overview of the subject. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Theory and Reality Peter Godfrey-Smith, 2009-12-11 How does science work? Does it tell us what the world is really like? What makes it different from other ways of understanding the universe? In Theory and Reality, Peter Godfrey-Smith addresses these questions by taking the reader on a grand tour of one hundred years of debate about science. The result is a completely accessible introduction to the main themes of the philosophy of science. Intended for undergraduates and general readers with no prior background in philosophy, Theory and Reality covers logical positivism; the problems of induction and confirmation; Karl Popper's theory of science; Thomas Kuhn and scientific revolutions; the views of Imre Lakatos, Larry Laudan, and Paul Feyerabend; and challenges to the field from sociology of science, feminism, and science studies. The book then looks in more detail at some specific problems and theories, including scientific realism, the theory-ladeness of observation, scientific explanation, and Bayesianism. Finally, Godfrey-Smith defends a form of philosophical naturalism as the best way to solve the main problems in the field. Throughout the text he points out connections between philosophical debates and wider discussions about science in recent decades, such as the infamous science wars. Examples and asides engage the beginning student; a glossary of terms explains key concepts; and suggestions for further reading are included at the end of each chapter. However, this is a textbook that doesn't feel like a textbook because it captures the historical drama of changes in how science has been conceived over the last one hundred years. Like no other text in this field, Theory and Reality combines a survey of recent history of the philosophy of science with current key debates in language that any beginning scholar or critical reader can follow. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophy of Science Samir Okasha, 2016-07-20 How much faith should we place in what scientists tell us? Is it possible for scientific knowledge to be fully 'objective'? What, really, can be defined as science? In the second edition of this Very Short Introduction, Samir Okasha explores the main themes and theories of contemporary philosophy of science, and investigates fascinating, challenging questions such as these. Starting at the very beginning, with a concise overview of the history of science, Okasha examines the nature of fundamental practices such as reasoning, causation, and explanation. Looking at scientific revolutions and the issue of scientific change, he asks whether there is a discernible pattern to the way scientific ideas change over time, and discusses realist versus anti-realist attitudes towards science. He finishes by considering science today, and the social and ethical philosophical questions surrounding modern science. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Kent W. Staley, 2014-11-06 This book guides readers by gradual steps through the central concepts and debates in the philosophy of science. Using concrete examples from the history of science, Kent W. Staley shows how seemingly abstract philosophical issues are relevant to important aspects of scientific practice. Structured in two parts, the book first tackles the central concepts of the philosophy of science, such as the problem of induction, falsificationism, and underdetermination, and important figures and movements, such as the logical empiricists, Thomas Kuhn, and Paul Feyerabend. The second part turns to contemporary debates in the philosophy of science, such as scientific realism, explanation, the role of values in science, the different views of scientific inference, and probability. This broad yet detailed overview will give readers a strong grounding whilst also providing opportunities for further exploration. It will be of particular interest to students of philosophy, the philosophy of science, and science. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Merrilee H. Salmon, Clark Glymour, 1999-01-01 Originally published: Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, c1992. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Understanding Philosophy of Science James Ladyman, 2012-08-06 Few can imagine a world without telephones or televisions; many depend on computers and the Internet as part of daily life. Without scientific theory, these developments would not have been possible. In this exceptionally clear and engaging introduction to philosophy of science, James Ladyman explores the philosophical questions that arise when we reflect on the nature of the scientific method and the knowledge it produces. He discusses whether fundamental philosophical questions about knowledge and reality might be answered by science, and considers in detail the debate between realists and antirealists about the extent of scientific knowledge. Along the way, central topics in philosophy of science, such as the demarcation of science from non-science, induction, confirmation and falsification, the relationship between theory and observation and relativism are all addressed. Important and complex current debates over underdetermination, inference to the best explaination and the implications of radical theory change are clarified and clearly explained for those new to the subject. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Introduction to the Philosophy of Science , 1999 |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: The Philosophy Of Science Stephen Toulmin, 2023-07-22 This classic work of philosophy offers a rigorous and accessible introduction to the philosophy of science. Toulmin provides a careful analysis of the logic and methodology of scientific inquiry, and explores key debates in the field, such as the nature of scientific discovery and the role of experimentation. With clarity and precision, this book offers a compelling argument for the essential role of philosophy in understanding the nature of scientific knowledge. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: The Philosophy of Social Science Martin Hollis, 1994-09 An introduction to the philosophy of social science from a well-known author. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Worldviews Richard DeWitt, 2018-04-16 Winner of the 2018 Choice Award for Outstanding Academic Title! PRAISE FOR PREVIOUS EDITIONS This is a brilliantly clear introduction (and indeed reframing) of the history and philosophy of science in terms of worldviews and their elements.... In addition, the book is incredibly well-informed from both a scientific and philosophical angle. Highly recommended. Scientific and Medical Network Unlike many other introductions to philosophy of science, DeWitt's book is at once historically informative and philosophically thorough and rigorous. Chapter notes, suggested readings, and references enhance its value. Choice Written in clear and comprehensible prose and supplemented by effective diagrams and examples, Worldviews is an ideal text for anyone new to the history and philosophy of science. As the reader will come to find out, DeWitt is a gifted writer with the unique ability to break down complex and technical concepts into digestible parts, making Worldviews a welcoming and not overwhelming book for the introductory reader. History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, vol. 28(2) Now in its third edition, Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science strengthens its reputation as the most accessible and teachable introduction to the history and philosophy of science on the market. Geared toward engaging undergraduates and those approaching the history and philosophy of science for the first time, this intellectually-provocative volume takes advantage of its author's extensive teaching experience, parsing complex ideas using straightforward and sensible examples drawn from the physical sciences. Building on the foundations which earned the book its critical acclaim, author Richard DeWitt considers fundamental issues in the philosophy of science through the historical worldviews that influenced them, charting the evolution of Western science through the rise and fall of dominant systems of thought. Chapters have been updated to include discussion of recent findings in quantum theory, general relativity, and evolutionary theory, and two new chapters exclusive to the third edition enrich its engagement with radical developments in contemporary science. At a time in modern history when the nature of truth, fact, and reality seem increasingly controversial, the third edition of Worldviews presents complex concepts with clarity and verve, and prepares inquisitive minds to engage critically with some of the most exciting questions in the philosophy of science. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophy of Science Andreas Beck Holm, 2013 A student's future as a knowledge worker (one who thinks for a living with the task of problem solving) is the starting point of this book. With this in mind, the book combines a review of philosophical positions and problems with practical examples and perspectives gained from everyday challenges faced by knowledge workers in their businesses and organizations. Through the use of summative chapters, highlighted key concepts, questions for reflection, and illustrative examples on how to work with the theories presented, the book provides a clear and accessible introduction to this challenging subject. Philosophy of Science primarily addresses students studying language, communication, marketing, economics, and management. However, the survey of the theoretical schools of thought - as well as the discussions on research ethics and the role of research in society - will be equally relevant for other students in the humanities and the natural and social sciences. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Robert Klee, 1997 This thorough, yet accessible text makes immunology the central illustrative domain of scientific inquiry, rather than physics. Every major issue central to contemporary philosophy of science, from reduction to incommensurability, has a clear illustrative case within immunology. Covers both the positivist model of science and the currently popular alternatives to the positivist model that flow from Thomas Kuhn's watershed work. Includes a glossary. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Karel Lambert, Gordon G. Brittan, 1992 |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophy of Science Gerhard Schurz, 2013-11-20 Philosophy of Science: A Unified Approach combines a general introduction to philosophy of science with an integrated survey of all its important subfields. As the book’s subtitle suggests, this excellent overview is guided methodologically by a unified approach to philosophy of science: behind the diversity of scientific fields one can recognize a methodological unity of the sciences. This unity is worked out in this book, revealing all the while important differences between subject areas. Structurally, this comprehensive book offers a two-part approach, which makes it an excellent introduction for students new to the field and a useful resource for more advanced students. Each chapter is divided into two sections. The first section assumes no foreknowledge of the subject introduced, and the second section builds upon the first by bringing into the conversation more advanced, complementary topics. Definitions, key propositions, examples and figures overview all of the core material. At the end of every chapter there are selected readings and exercises (with solutions at the end of the book). The book also includes a comprehensive bibliography and an index. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Theory of Science George Gale, 1979 |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophy of Science Alex Rosenberg, Lee McIntyre, 2019 Any serious student attempting to better understand the nature, methods, and justification of science will value Alex Rosenberg and Lee McIntyre's updated and substantially revised fourth edition of Philosophy of Science: A Contemporary Introduction. Weaving lucid explanations with clear analyses, the volume is a much- used, thematically oriented introduction to the field. The fourth edition has been thoroughly rewritten based on instructor and student feedback, to improve readability and accessibility, without sacrificing depth. It retains, however, all of the logically structured, extensive coverage of earlier editions, which a review in the journal Teaching Philosophy called the industry standard and essential reading. Key Features of the Fourth Edition: Revised and rewritten for readability based on feedback from student and instructor surveys. Updated text on the problem of underdetermination, social science, and the realism/antirealism debate. Improved continuity between chapters. Revised and updated Study Questions and annotated Suggested Readings at the end of each chapter. Updated Bibliography. For a list of relevant online primary sources, please visit: www.routledge.com/9781138331518. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophy Of Science Alexander Bird, 2006-05-09 An up-to-date, clear but rigorous introduction to the philosophy of science offering an indispensable grounding in the philosophical understanding of science and its problems. The book pays full heed to the neglected but vital conceptual issues such as the nature of scientific laws, while balancing and linking this with a full coverage of epistemological problems such as our knowledge of such laws. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Arthur Zucker, 1996 The book presents an anthology of readings on the philosophy of science covering traditional issues, such as explanation, confirmation, and progress against a backdrop of historical case studies. Discusses the feminist philosophy of science to present a different perspective on the subject and chapters on medicine and psychology (dreaming) present applications of philosophy and science. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophical Foundations of Physics Rudolf Carnap, 1996 |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophy of Science for Scientists Lars-Göran Johansson, 2015-12-17 This textbook offers an introduction to the philosophy of science. It helps undergraduate students from the natural, the human and social sciences to gain an understanding of what science is, how it has developed, what its core traits are, how to distinguish between science and pseudo-science and to discover what a scientific attitude is. It argues against the common assumption that there is fundamental difference between natural and human science, with natural science being concerned with testing hypotheses and discovering natural laws, and the aim of human and some social sciences being to understand the meanings of individual and social group actions. Instead examines the similarities between the sciences and shows how the testing of hypotheses and doing interpretation/hermeneutics are similar activities. The book makes clear that lessons from natural scientists are relevant to students and scholars within the social and human sciences, and vice versa. It teaches its readers how to effectively demarcate between science and pseudo-science and sets criteria for true scientific thinking. Divided into three parts, the book first examines the question What is Science? It describes the evolution of science, defines knowledge, and explains the use of and need for hypotheses and hypothesis testing. The second half of part I deals with scientific data and observation, qualitative data and methods, and ends with a discussion of theories on the development of science. Part II offers philosophical reflections on four of the most important con cepts in science: causes, explanations, laws and models. Part III presents discussions on philosophy of mind, the relation between mind and body, value-free and value-related science, and reflections on actual trends in science. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: General Philosophy of Science: Focal Issues , 2007-07-18 Scientists use concepts and principles that are partly specific for their subject matter, but they also share part of them with colleagues working in different fields. Compare the biological notion of a 'natural kind' with the general notion of 'confirmation' of a hypothesis by certain evidence. Or compare the physical principle of the 'conservation of energy' and the general principle of 'the unity of science'. Scientists agree that all such notions and principles aren't as crystal clear as one might wish. An important task of the philosophy of the special sciences, such as philosophy of physics, of biology and of economics, to mention only a few of the many flourishing examples, is the clarification of such subject specific concepts and principles. Similarly, an important task of 'general' philosophy of science is the clarification of concepts like 'confirmation' and principles like 'the unity of science'. It is evident that clarfication of concepts and principles only makes sense if one tries to do justice, as much as possible, to the actual use of these notions by scientists, without however following this use slavishly. That is, occasionally a philosopher may have good reasons for suggesting to scientists that they should deviate from a standard use. Frequently, this amounts to a plea for differentiation in order to stop debates at cross-purposes due to the conflation of different meanings. While the special volumes of the series of Handbooks of the Philosophy of Science address topics relative to a specific discipline, this general volume deals with focal issues of a general nature. After an editorial introduction about the dominant method of clarifying concepts and principles in philosophy of science, called explication, the first five chapters deal with the following subjects. Laws, theories, and research programs as units of empirical knowledge (Theo Kuipers), various past and contemporary perspectives on explanation (Stathis Psillos), the evaluation of theories in terms of their virtues (Ilkka Niiniluto), and the role of experiments in the natural sciences, notably physics and biology (Allan Franklin), and their role in the social sciences, notably economics (Wenceslao Gonzalez). In the subsequent three chapters there is even more attention to various positions and methods that philosophers of science and scientists may favor: ontological, epistemological, and methodological positions (James Ladyman), reduction, integration, and the unity of science as aims in the sciences and the humanities (William Bechtel and Andrew Hamilton), and logical, historical and computational approaches to the philosophy of science (Atocha Aliseda and Donald Gillies).The volume concludes with the much debated question of demarcating science from nonscience (Martin Mahner) and the rich European-American history of the philosophy of science in the 20th century (Friedrich Stadler). - Comprehensive coverage of the philosophy of science written by leading philosophers in this field - Clear style of writing for an interdisciplinary audience - No specific pre-knowledge required |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophy of Physics David Wallace, 2021 Philosophy of physics is concerned with the deepest theories of modern physics - quantum theory, our theories of space, time and symmetry, and thermal physics - and their strange, even bizarre conceptual implications. This book explores the core topics in philosophy of physics, and discusses their relevance for both scientists and philosophers. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science , |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: This Is Philosophy Steven D. Hales, 2021-04-20 THIS IS PHILOSOPHY “The second edition of This is Philosophy improves upon an excellent first edition. This clear, succinct book is quite possibly the best introduction to Western philosophy on the market.” —Gregory Morgan, Stevens Institute of Technology “This is a terrific book. The writing is not only extremely clear, it is downright gripping—with relevant and detailed examples at every turn. Steven Hales has produced not just a great little introduction to philosophy—he has produced a great little book in philosophy, period.” —Michael Lynch, University of Connecticut “Hales clearly explains important philosophical ideas with a minimum of jargon and without sacrificing depth of content and he consistently gives a fair and accurate presentation of both sides of central philosophical disputes.” —Matthew Van Cleave, Teaching Philosophy As the oldest discipline in the academy, philosophy began by asking questions of the world and of human nature. Philosophers are responsible for the Enlightenment and laid the foundations for constitutional governments. Yet, while it may have given birth to the natural sciences, philosophy has earned a contemporary reputation as an esoteric and impractical field out of touch with everyday life—but it doesn’t have to be that way. This is Philosophy: An Introduction expertly guides students through the fundamentals of philosophy by illuminating difficult, abstract ideas with straightforward language. Assuming no prior background in the subject, this volume brings philosophical concepts into sharp focus through relatable examples and clear explanations of philosophy’s big questions and arguments. The second edition of this accessible textbook is organized around seven central philosophical problems, including ethics, the existence of God, free will, personal identity, philosophy of mind, and epistemology. New to this edition is a chapter on political philosophy that explores the state of nature, anarchy, contractarianism, libertarianism, and the liberal state. These self-contained chapters have been reordered and recalibrated to best suit the needs of introductory philosophy courses, and can be taught independently or in sequence. Enhanced by updated examples, new hyperlinks and references, and detailed bibliographies, the book is complemented by extensively-revised online resources available to instructors, including a 200-question test bank and over 450 PowerPoint slides designed to strengthen student comprehension of key concepts. Strengthening the popular first edition which launched the series, This is Philosophy: An Introduction, Second Edition is the perfect primary textbook for beginning philosophy students as well as general readers with an interest in philosophy. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Philosophy of Information , 2008-11-10 Information is a recognized fundamental notion across the sciences and humanities, which is crucial to understanding physical computation, communication, and human cognition. The Philosophy of Information brings together the most important perspectives on information. It includes major technical approaches, while also setting out the historical backgrounds of information as well as its contemporary role in many academic fields. Also, special unifying topics are high-lighted that play across many fields, while we also aim at identifying relevant themes for philosophical reflection. There is no established area yet of Philosophy of Information, and this Handbook can help shape one, making sure it is well grounded in scientific expertise. As a side benefit, a book like this can facilitate contacts and collaboration among diverse academic milieus sharing a common interest in information.• First overview of the formal and technical issues involved in the philosophy of information• Integrated presentation of major mathematical approaches to information, form computer science, information theory, and logic• Interdisciplinary themes across the traditional boundaries of natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: The Philosophies of Science Rom Harré, 1972 Harré shows how various views about the nature of science are related to the great historical schools of philosophy. He sets out his argument in terms of concrete episodes in the history of science. Harré also examines the theory that science is a form of art, and looks at the way scientific knowledge affects out religious beliefs. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: The Philosophy of Science Stephen Edelston Toulmin, 1962 |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Metaphysics of Science Markus Schrenk, 2016-08-12 Metaphysics and science have a long but troubled relationship. In the twentieth century the Logical Positivists argued metaphysics was irrelevant and that philosophy should be guided by science. However, metaphysics and science attempt to answer many of the same, fundamental questions: What are laws of nature? What is causation? What are natural kinds? In this book, Markus Schrenk examines and explains the central questions and problems in the metaphysics of science. He reviews the development of the field from the early modern period through to the latest research, systematically assessing key topics including: dispositions counterfactual conditionals laws of nature causation properties natural kinds essence necessity. With the addition of chapter summaries and annotated further reading, Metaphysics of Science is a much-needed, clear and informative survey of this exciting area of philosophical research. It is essential reading for students and scholars of philosophy of science and metaphysics. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: The Philosophy of Science and Technology Studies Steve Fuller, 2013-10-18 As the field of Science and Technology Studies (STS) has become more established, it has increasingly hidden its philosophical roots. While the trend is typical of disciplines striving for maturity, Steve Fuller, a leading figure in the field, argues that STS has much to lose if it abandons philosophy. In his characteristically provocative style, he offers the first sustained treatment of the philosophical foundations of STS and suggests fruitful avenues for further research. With stimulating discussions of the Science Wars, the Intelligent Design Theory controversy, and theorists such as Donna Haraway and Bruno Latour, Philosophy of Science and Technology Studies is required reading for students and scholars in STS and the philosophy of science. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Scientific Models in Philosophy of Science Daniela M. Bailer-Jones, 2009-09-13 Scientists have used models for hundreds of years as a means of describing phenomena and as a basis for further analogy. In Scientific Models in Philosophy of Science, Daniela Bailer-Jones assembles an original and comprehensive philosophical analysis of how models have been used and interpreted in both historical and contemporary contexts. Bailer-Jones delineates the many forms models can take (ranging from equations to animals; from physical objects to theoretical constructs), and how they are put to use. She examines early mechanical models employed by nineteenth-century physicists such as Kelvin and Maxwell, describes their roots in the mathematical principles of Newton and others, and compares them to contemporary mechanistic approaches. Bailer-Jones then views the use of analogy in the late nineteenth century as a means of understanding models and to link different branches of science. She reveals how analogies can also be models themselves, or can help to create them. The first half of the twentieth century saw little mention of models in the literature of logical empiricism. Focusing primarily on theory, logical empiricists believed that models were of temporary importance, flawed, and awaiting correction. The later contesting of logical empiricism, particularly the hypothetico-deductive account of theories, by philosophers such as Mary Hesse, sparked a renewed interest in the importance of models during the 1950s that continues to this day. Bailer-Jones analyzes subsequent propositions of: models as metaphors; Kuhn's concept of a paradigm; the Semantic View of theories; and the case study approaches of Cartwright and Morrison, among others. She then engages current debates on topics such as phenomena versus data, the distinctions between models and theories, the concepts of representation and realism, and the discerning of falsities in models. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: Representing and Intervening Ian Hacking, 1983-10-20 This 1983 book is a lively and clearly written introduction to the philosophy of natural science, organized around the central theme of scientific realism. It has two parts. 'Representing' deals with the different philosophical accounts of scientific objectivity and the reality of scientific entities. The views of Kuhn, Feyerabend, Lakatos, Putnam, van Fraassen, and others, are all considered. 'Intervening' presents the first sustained treatment of experimental science for many years and uses it to give a new direction to debates about realism. Hacking illustrates how experimentation often has a life independent of theory. He argues that although the philosophical problems of scientific realism can not be resolved when put in terms of theory alone, a sound philosophy of experiment provides compelling grounds for a realistic attitude. A great many scientific examples are described in both parts of the book, which also includes lucid expositions of recent high energy physics and a remarkable chapter on the microscope in cell biology. |
| introduction to the philosophy of science: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science Kent Wade Staley, 2014 This book guides readers by gradual steps through the central concepts and debates in the philosophy of science. Using concrete examples from the history of science, Kent Staley shows how seemingly abstract philosophical issues are relevant to important aspects of scientific practice. Structured in two parts, the book first tackles the central concepts of the philosophy of science, such as the problem of induction, falsificationism, and underdetermination, and important figures and movements, such as the logical empiricists, Thomas Kuhn, and Paul Feyerabend. The second part turns to contemporary debates in the philosophy of science, such as scientific realism, explanation, the role of values in science, the different views of scientific inference, and probability. This broad yet detailed overview will give readers a strong grounding whilst also providing opportunities for further exploration. It will be of particular interest to students of philosophy, the philosophy of science, and science-- |
INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE - SAGE Publications Inc
INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE. Miran Epstein. Chapter Contents. The metaphysical basis of science. The object of scientific inquiry. The epistemic possibility of objects. The nature of a scientific object. The objectives of science. Explanations in general.
An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. This book guides readers by gradual steps through the central concepts and debates in the philosophy of science. Using concrete examples from the history of science, Kent W. Staley shows how seemingly abstract philosophical issues are relevant to important aspects of scientific practice. Structured ...
INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE - California State …
The aim of philosophy of science is to understand what scientists did and how they did it, where history of science shows that they performed basic research very well.
Philosophy of Science - Archive.org
Philosophy of Science: A Contemporary Introductionintroduces all the main themes in the philosophy of science, including the nature of causation, explanation, laws, theory, models, evidence, reductionism, probability, teleology, realism and instrumentalism.
Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction - Archive.org
What is science? 1 Scientific reasoning 18 Explanation in science 40 Realism and anti-realism 58 Scientific change and scientific revolutions 77 Philosophical problems in physics, biology, and psychology 95 Science and its critics 120 Further reading 135 Index 141
Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Peter Godfrey-Smith Stanford University. Chapter 1: Introduction. 1.0 Setting out. 1.1 The scope of the theory. 1.2 What kind of theory? 1.3 Three answers, or pieces of an answer. 1.4 Historical interlude: A sketch of the Scientific Revolution. 1.5 Further reading.
Introduction: What is the Philosophy of Science? - London …
What is the philosophy of science? It is the application of philosophical methods to philosophical problems as they arise in the context of the sciences. That’s not a par-ticularly helpful answer as it stands, but at least it allows us to break our original question into parts: What are the methods of philosophy? What are philosophical problems?
PHIL 2301 Introduction to the Philosophy of Science - Carleton …
This course is an introduction to the philosophy of science. We’ll look into some central philosophical questions about science, its aims, and its methods, such as ‘How are theories evaluated?’, ‘Does science aim at truth?’, What role do values play in science?’. III. Prerequisites
INTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE - Jeroen de …
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984. PART I. GENERAL TOPICS IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE.
Chapter 1: An Introduction to Philosophy of Science - ICDST
According to one definition, a general philosophy of science seeks to describe and understand how science works within a wide range of sciences. This does not have to include every kind of science.
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Philosophy of Science: A Contemporary Introduction. Weaving together lucid explanations and clear analyses, the volume is a much used, thematically ori-ented introduction to the field.
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An Introduction to Philosophy of Science. While in the English-speaking world, Carnap is known primarily as a philosopher of science who defined the major problems, concepts, and method of the field, he published only one work in English about this subject.
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Philosophy of Science: A New Introduction* Gillian Barker and Philip Kitcher. Excerpts from Philosophy of Science: A New Introduction, (2014), Oxford: Oxford University Press. Preface. This book is about the philosophy of science. We know from experience that this expression sounds, to many people, almost like a contradiction in terms.
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science is, how it works, and what makes science different from other ways of investigating the world. Most of the ideas we will examine fall into the field called “philosophy of science,” but we will also spend a good deal of time looking at ideas developed by historians, sociologists, psychologists, and others.
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Winter 2020 Course Outline . I. Admin . ap. ointment E- II. Description . tempt to understand the world scientifically. Topics may include: scientific methodology, revolution, observation, explanation, causation, induction, reduction, the difference between natural and social scientific unde. stan. ing, realism, . es .
A Brief Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Science*
Chapter 1. A Brief Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Science* Peter Machamer. Philosophy of science is an old and practiced discipline. Both Plato and Aristotle wrote on the subject, and, arguably, some of the pre-Socratics did also.
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This undergraduate course provides a basic introduction to the main philosophical questions concerning scientific knowledge and methodology. It surveys a variety of positions on stan-dard philosophy of science topics, centered around four basic themes. First, we explore to what extent science resembles or differs from other ways of knowing.
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We will be considering a few of the classic questions in the philosophy of science: What makes something a science? How does scientific reasoning work? What (if anything) justifies this reasoning? How do scientific theories change over time? Are scientific theories true? How 'objective' is science?
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In this course, students will explore philosophical questions concerning science and various criticisms of it. How, exactly, do scientific theories get confirmed? What distinguishes science from pseudo-science? Is science objective? What justifies inductive reasoning as it is used in science? What makes something a law of nature?
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Philosophy of Science is a mid-level text for students with some grounding in philosophy. It introduces the questions that drive enquiry in the philosophy of science, and aims to educate readers in the main positions, problems and arguments in the field today.
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Theory and reality : an introduction to the philosophy of science / Peter Godfrey-Smith. p. cm. — (Science and its conceptual foundations) Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 0 …
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The readings marked [C&C] can be found in M. Curd and J.A. Cover (eds.) Philosophy of Science: The Central Issues , Norton, 1998. The readings marked [K] are from T. Kuhn, The Copernican …
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porary analytic philosophy of social science in general, and to the theory of social explanation in particular. At times it goes beyond the introductory, but not in a manner or to an extent which …
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Philosophy of Social Science: A New Introduction Nancy Cartwright and Eleonora Montuschi Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014; paperback, 320 pp., $35.00; ISBN 978-0-
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Introduction Philosophy, science, and axiology are necessary conditions for a well balanced human life, but none of them is a sufficient condition by itself. A well balanced human life is that which …
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Philosophy of Computer Science William J. Rapaport Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Department of Philosophy, Department of Linguistics,
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for scholars and students Descartes: A Very Short Introduction Tom Sorell,2000-10-12 Ren Descartes 1596 1650 had a remarkably short working life and his output was small yet his …
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porary analytic philosophy of social science in general, and to the theory of social explanation in particular. At times it goes beyond the introductory, but not in a manner or to an extent which …
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PHIL 100: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY Welcome to the Centre for Philosophy. This booklet contains all the information you need to know about the course, so please keep in a safe place …
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3 Jan 2023 · philosophy of science and philosophy of mind, areas where philosophy has shown dramatic recent progress. This text concludes with four chapters on ethics, broadly construed. I …
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3.Hans Halvorson, “What Scientific Theories Could Not Be”, Philosophy of Science 79, pp. 183-206, 2012. 4.Bas van Fraassen, “One or Two Gentle Remarks about Hans Halvorson’s Critique of the …
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The Philosophy of Science Alexander Rosenberg. EPISTEMOLOGY A contemporary introduction to the theory of knowledge Robert Audi London and New York. To Malou. First published in 1998 ...
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science, philosophy, intelligent design, paranormal phenomena, pseudoscience abstract Science and philosophy have a very long history, dating back at least to the 16th and 17th centuries, …
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General Introduction PHL 433: Philosophy of Science; is a two-credit unit course for 400 level undergraduates of philosophy in the National Open University of Nigeria. The material is …
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6 PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE FALL 2017 11/30 Evolution and Confirmation Reading: Introduction to the Philosophy of Science (1992), Chapter 7: Philosophy of Biology, Lennox, pg. 269-287, 302 …
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as this can serve as an introduction to philosophy for computer science students, an introduction to issues in computer science for philosophy students, a capstone course for senior undergraduate …
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fred adamsis professor of linguistics & cognitive science and professor of philosophy at the University of Delaware. He has published more than 100 articles and chapters in philosophy of …
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Philosophy Of Science A Very Short Introduction (PDF)
Philosophy of Biology: A Very Short Introduction Samir Okasha,2019-11-28 Over the last forty years the philosophy of biology has emerged as an important sub discipline of the philosophy of …
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problems of philosophy, it will be well to consider, in conclusion, what is the value of philosophy and why it ought to be studied. It is the more necessary to consider this question, in view of the fact …
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philosophy of science and philosophy of mind, areas where philosophy has shown dramatic recent progress. This text concludes with four chapters on ethics, broadly construed. I cover traditional …
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The basic features of Indian and western philosophy 1.1 INTRODUCTION : Philosophy is the root of all knowledge. It is considered as mother of all sciences. Philosophy has interpreted man and his …
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