Understanding Philosophy of Science

by Ladyman; James

• ISBN13: 9780415221566
• ISBN10: 0415221560
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-01-18
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Without scientific theory, the technology developments of recent years would not have been possible. In this exceptionally clear and engaging introduction to philosophy of science, James Ladyman explores the scope of natural science and its implications for human life. With the focus firmly upon realism, he discusses how fundamental philosophical questions can be answered by science and how scientific theory can confirm and inform our basic and intrinsic knowledge.

Author Biography

James Ladyman is lecturer in philosophy at the University of Bristol.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
Acknowledgements	xiii
Introduction	1	(4)
Philosophy of Science as Epistemology and metaphysics	5	(6)
PART I THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Induction and Inductivism	11	(20)
The sceptic's challenge	11	(3)
The scientific revolution	14	(4)
The `new tool' of induction	18	(9)
(Naive) inductivism	27	(4)
Further reading	30	(1)
The Problem of Induction and Other Problems with Inductivism	31	(31)
The problem of induction	32	(8)
Solutions and dissolutions of the problem of induction	40	(12)
Inductivism and the history of science	52	(4)
Theory and observation	56	(2)
Conclusions	58	(4)
Further reading	61	(1)
Falsificationism	62	(31)
Popper and the critique of Marxism and psychoanalysis	64	(5)
Popper's solution to the problem of induction	69	(5)
The context of discovery and the context of justification	74	(3)
The Duhem problem	77	(4)
Problems with falsificationism	81	(8)
Conclusions	89	(4)
Further reading	91	(2)
Revolutions and Rationality	93	(36)
The received view of science	94	(2)
Kuhn's revolutionary history of science	96	(2)
Paradigms and normal science	98	(7)
The copernican revolution	105	(4)
Theory and observation	109	(6)
Incommensurability	115	(3)
Relativism and the role of reason in science	118	(11)
Further reading	123	(6)
PART II REALISM AND ANTIREALISM ABOUT SCIENCE
Scientific Realism	129	(33)
Appearance and reality	131	(7)
The metaphysics of the external world	138	(8)
Semantics	146	(12)
Standard scientific realism	158	(1)
Antirealism	159	(3)
Further reading	160	(2)
Underdetermination	162	(34)
Underdetermination	162	(23)
Constructive empiricism	185	(11)
Further reading	194	(2)
Explanation and Inference	196	(34)
Explanation	198	(11)
Inference to the best explanation	209	(16)
Common sense, realism and constructive empiricism	225	(5)
Further reading	228	(2)
Realism About What?	230	(34)
Theory change	230	(22)
Multiple models	252	(5)
Idealisation	257	(3)
Structural realism	260	(4)
Further reading	262	(2)
Glossary	264	(6)
Bibliography	270	(6)
Index	276