Philosophy of Science

by Balashov,Yuri; Balashov,Yuri

• ISBN13: 9780415257817
• ISBN10: 0415257816
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2001-12-07
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

This comprehensive anthology draws together writings by leading philosophers on the philosophy of science. Each section is prefaced by an introductory essay from the editors, guiding students gently into the topic. Accessible and wide-ranging, the text draws on both contemporary and twentieth century sources.The readings are designed to complement Alex Rosenberg's textbook, Philosophy of Science: A Contemporary Introduction (Routledge 2000), but can also serve as a stand-alone volume in any philosophy of science course.Includes readings from the following leading philosophers: Achinstein, Anderson, Bloor, Earman, Feyerabend, Gutting, Hanson, Hempel, Kitcher, Kuhn, Laudan, Leplin, Mackie, McMullin, Nagel, Popper, Quine, Rosenberg, Russell, Salmon, Schlick, Shapere, Van Fraassen.

Author Biography

Yuri Balashov teaches Philosophy at the University of Georgia Alex Rosenberg teaches Philosophy at Duke University

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Acknowledgements	x
PART I: SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY
Introduction	3	(5)
``The Future of Philosophy''	8	(14)
Moritz Schlick
``Biology and Its Philosophy''	22	(23)
Alex Rosenberg
Questions	34	(1)
Further Reading	35	(4)
PART II: EXPLANATION, CAUSATION, AND LAWS
Introduction	39	(6)
``Two Models of Scientific Explanation''	45	(11)
Carl Hempel
``The Pragmatics of Explanation''	56	(15)
Bas van Fraassen
``Explanatory Unification and the Causal Structure of the World''	71	(21)
Philip Kitcher
``Scientific Explanation: Causation and Unification''	92	(14)
Wesley C. Salmon
``The Logic of Conditionals''	106	(9)
J.L. Mackie
``Laws of Nature''	115	(17)
John Earman
Questions	125	(1)
Further Reading	126	(3)
PART III: SCIENTIFIC THEORIES AND CONCEPTUAL CHANGE
Introduction	129	(3)
``Experimental Laws and Theories''	132	(9)
Ernest Nagel
``Explanation, Reduction, and Empiricism''	141	(22)
Paul Feyerabend
``Theories, Theorists and Theoretical Change''	163	(34)
Philip Kitcher
Questions	188	(1)
Further Reading	189	(4)
PART IV: SCIENTIFIC REALISM
Introduction	193	(4)
``The Cognitive Status of Theories''	197	(14)
Ernest Nagel
``A Confutation of Convergent Realism''	211	(23)
Larry Laudan
``Scientific Realism versus Constructive Empiricism: A Dialogue''	234	(14)
Gary Gutting
``A Case for Scientific Realism''	248	(41)
Ernan McMullin
Questions	281	(1)
Further Reading	281	(4)
PART V: TESTING AND CONFIRMATION OF THEORIES
Introduction	285	(4)
``On Induction''	289	(5)
Bertrand Russell
``Science: Conjectures and Refutations''	294	(8)
Karl Popper
``Darwinism as a Metaphysical Research Programme''	302	(3)
Karl Popper
``Difficulties of the Theory''	305	(2)
Charles Darwin
``The Grue Paradox''	307	(14)
Peter Achinstein
``Seeing and Seeing As''	321	(19)
N. Russell Hanson
``Two Dogmas of Empiricism''	340	(22)
W. V. Quine
``Empirical Equivalence and Underdetermination''	362	(23)
Larry Laudan
Jarrett Leplin
``Bayes's Theorem and The History of Science''	385	(25)
Wesley Salmon
Questions	402	(1)
Further Reading	403	(4)
PART VI: SCIENCE IN CONTEXT: THE CHALLENGE OF HISTORY AND SOCIOLOGY
Introduction	407	(3)
``The Structure of Scientific Revolutions''	410	(11)
Dudley Shapere
``Objectivity, Value Judgment, and Theory Choice''	421	(17)
Thomas Kuhn
``The Strong Programme in the Sociology of Knowledge''	438	(21)
David Bloor
``Feminist Epistemology: An Interpretation and a Defense''	459	(30)
Elizabeth Anderson
``The Social Dimensions of Science''	489	(13)
Ernan McMullin
Questions	500	(1)
Further Reading	501	(1)
Bibliography	502	(5)
Index	507