Philosophy Of Science For Scientists

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Philosophy of Science for Scientists

Author : Lars-Göran Johansson
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319265512
Total Pages : 257 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (192 download)

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Book Synopsis Philosophy of Science for Scientists by : Lars-Göran Johansson

Download or read book Philosophy of Science for Scientists written by Lars-Göran Johansson and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-12-17 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Scientific Models in Philosophy of Science

Author : Daniela M. Bailer-Jones
Publisher : University of Pittsburgh Pre
ISBN 13 : 0822971232
Total Pages : 252 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (229 download)

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Book Synopsis Scientific Models in Philosophy of Science by : Daniela M. Bailer-Jones

Download or read book Scientific Models in Philosophy of Science written by Daniela M. Bailer-Jones and published by University of Pittsburgh Pre. This book was released on 2009-09-13 with total page 252 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

General Philosophy of Science: Focal Issues

Author :
Publisher : Elsevier
ISBN 13 : 9780080548548
Total Pages : 708 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (485 download)

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Book Synopsis General Philosophy of Science: Focal Issues by :

Download or read book General Philosophy of Science: Focal Issues written by and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2007-07-18 with total page 708 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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

Scientific Understanding

Author : Henk W. de Regt
Publisher : University of Pittsburgh Pre
ISBN 13 : 0822971240
Total Pages : 368 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (229 download)

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Book Synopsis Scientific Understanding by : Henk W. de Regt

Download or read book Scientific Understanding written by Henk W. de Regt and published by University of Pittsburgh Pre. This book was released on 2009 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To most scientists, and to those interested in the sciences, understanding is the ultimate aim of scientific endeavor. In spite of this, understanding, and how it is achieved, has received little attention in recent philosophy of science. Scientific Understanding seeks to reverse this trend by providing original and in-depth accounts of the concept of understanding and its essential role in the scientific process. To this end, the chapters in this volume explore and develop three key topics: understanding and explanation, understanding and models, and understanding in scientific practice. Earlier philosophers, such as Carl Hempel, dismissed understanding as subjective and pragmatic. They believed that the essence of science was to be found in scientific theories and explanations. In Scientific Understanding, the contributors maintain that we must also consider the relation between explanations and the scientists who construct and use them. They focus on understanding as the cognitive state that is a goal of explanation and on the understanding of theories and models as a means to this end. The chapters in this book highlight the multifaceted nature of the process of scientific research. The contributors examine current uses of theory, models, simulations, and experiments to evaluate the degree to which these elements contribute to understanding. Their analyses pay due attention to the roles of intelligibility, tacit knowledge, and feelings of understanding. Furthermore, they investigate how understanding is obtained within diverse scientific disciplines and examine how the acquisition of understanding depends on specific contexts, the objects of study, and the stated aims of research.

Philosophy of Science

Author : Samir Okasha
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0198745583
Total Pages : 161 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (987 download)

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Book Synopsis Philosophy of Science by : Samir Okasha

Download or read book Philosophy of Science written by Samir Okasha and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016 with total page 161 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In this new edition Samir Ikasha reviews the main themes of contemporary philosophy of science. Beginning with a brief account of the history of modern science, he asks whether there is a discernible pattern to the way scientific ideas change over time. He examines scientific inference, scientific explanation, and the debate between realist and anti-realist views of science."--

Philosophy of Science for Biologists

Author : Kostas Kampourakis
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1108491839
Total Pages : 341 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (84 download)

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Book Synopsis Philosophy of Science for Biologists by : Kostas Kampourakis

Download or read book Philosophy of Science for Biologists written by Kostas Kampourakis and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-09-24 with total page 341 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A short and accessible introduction to philosophy of science for students and researchers across the life sciences.

Thing Knowledge

Author : Davis Baird
Publisher : Univ of California Press
ISBN 13 : 0520928202
Total Pages : 297 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (29 download)

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Book Synopsis Thing Knowledge by : Davis Baird

Download or read book Thing Knowledge written by Davis Baird and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2004-02-10 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Western philosophers have traditionally concentrated on theory as the means for expressing knowledge about a variety of phenomena. This absorbing book challenges this fundamental notion by showing how objects themselves, specifically scientific instruments, can express knowledge. As he considers numerous intriguing examples, Davis Baird gives us the tools to "read" the material products of science and technology and to understand their place in culture. Making a provocative and original challenge to our conception of knowledge itself, Thing Knowledge demands that we take a new look at theories of science and technology, knowledge, progress, and change. Baird considers a wide range of instruments, including Faraday's first electric motor, eighteenth-century mechanical models of the solar system, the cyclotron, various instruments developed by analytical chemists between 1930 and 1960, spectrometers, and more.

Practical Applications of the Philosophy of Science

Author : Peter Truran
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3319004522
Total Pages : 102 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis Practical Applications of the Philosophy of Science by : Peter Truran

Download or read book Practical Applications of the Philosophy of Science written by Peter Truran and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-07-13 with total page 102 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explores the practical applicability of the philosophy of science to scientific research, but also considers its relevance to practice within the realms of technology, design, crafts, and even within the world of arts and the humanities. The attempt to engage working scientists with the issues raised by the philosophy of science may profitably be extended to examine its applicability to any other fields of knowledge that encompass a problem-solving dimension. Drawing on his experience as a research and development scientist in the biomedical device industry, the author shows how the principles of the philosophy of science illuminate the research process. The book is structured on the concept of the inspirational text; it consists of short chapters, each of which provides an accessible discussion of an aspect of the philosophy of science. Each chapter concludes with a list of practical pointers towards the development of attitudes and skills which will benefit the student researcher.

Science, Policy, and the Value-Free Ideal

Author : Heather Douglas
Publisher : University of Pittsburgh Pre
ISBN 13 : 082297357X
Total Pages : 227 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (229 download)

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Book Synopsis Science, Policy, and the Value-Free Ideal by : Heather Douglas

Download or read book Science, Policy, and the Value-Free Ideal written by Heather Douglas and published by University of Pittsburgh Pre. This book was released on 2009-07-15 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The role of science in policymaking has gained unprecedented stature in the United States, raising questions about the place of science and scientific expertise in the democratic process. Some scientists have been given considerable epistemic authority in shaping policy on issues of great moral and cultural significance, and the politicizing of these issues has become highly contentious. Since World War II, most philosophers of science have purported the concept that science should be “value-free.” In Science, Policy and the Value-Free Ideal, Heather E. Douglas argues that such an ideal is neither adequate nor desirable for science. She contends that the moral responsibilities of scientists require the consideration of values even at the heart of science. She lobbies for a new ideal in which values serve an essential function throughout scientific inquiry, but where the role values play is constrained at key points, thus protecting the integrity and objectivity of science. In this vein, Douglas outlines a system for the application of values to guide scientists through points of uncertainty fraught with moral valence. Following a philosophical analysis of the historical background of science advising and the value-free ideal, Douglas defines how values should-and should not-function in science. She discusses the distinctive direct and indirect roles for values in reasoning, and outlines seven senses of objectivity, showing how each can be employed to determine the reliability of scientific claims. Douglas then uses these philosophical insights to clarify the distinction between junk science and sound science to be used in policymaking. In conclusion, she calls for greater openness on the values utilized in policymaking, and more public participation in the policymaking process, by suggesting various models for effective use of both the public and experts in key risk assessments.

The Scientist as Philosopher

Author : Friedel Weinert
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3540270310
Total Pages : 346 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (42 download)

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Book Synopsis The Scientist as Philosopher by : Friedel Weinert

Download or read book The Scientist as Philosopher written by Friedel Weinert and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2005-10-18 with total page 346 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Clearly written and well illustrated, the book first places the scientist-philosophers in the limelight as we learn how their great scientific discoveries forced them to reconsider the time-honored notions with which science had described the natural world. Then, the book explains that what we understand by nature and science have undergone fundamental conceptual changes as a result of the discoveries of electromagnetism, thermodynamics and atomic structure. The author concludes that the dance between science and philosophy is an evolutionary process, which will keep them forever entwined.

A Tale of Seven Scientists and a New Philosophy of Science

Author : Eric Scerri
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0190233001
Total Pages : 256 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (92 download)

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Book Synopsis A Tale of Seven Scientists and a New Philosophy of Science by : Eric Scerri

Download or read book A Tale of Seven Scientists and a New Philosophy of Science written by Eric Scerri and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016-10-10 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In his latest book, Eric Scerri presents a completely original account of the nature of scientific progress. It consists of a holistic and unified approach in which science is seen as a living and evolving single organism. Instead of scientific revolutions featuring exceptionally gifted individuals, Scerri argues that the "little people" contribute as much as the "heroes" of science. To do this he examines seven case studies of virtually unknown chemists and physicists in the early 20th century quest to discover the structure of the atom. They include the amateur scientist Anton van den Broek who pioneered the notion of atomic number as well as Edmund Stoner a then physics graduate student who provided the seed for Pauli's Exclusion Principle. Another case is the physicist John Nicholson who is virtually unknown and yet was the first to propose the notion of quantization of angular momentum that was soon put to good use by Niels Bohr. Instead of focusing on the logic and rationality of science, Scerri elevates the role of trial and error and multiple discovery and moves beyond the notion of scientific developments being right or wrong. While criticizing Thomas Kuhn's notion of scientific revolutions he agrees with Kuhn that science is not drawn towards an external truth but is rather driven from within. The book will enliven the long-standing debate on the nature of science, which has increasingly shied away from the big question of "what is science?"

This is Philosophy of Science

Author : Franz-Peter Griesmaier
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119757991
Total Pages : 308 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (197 download)

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Book Synopsis This is Philosophy of Science by : Franz-Peter Griesmaier

Download or read book This is Philosophy of Science written by Franz-Peter Griesmaier and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2022-03-29 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.

Philosophy of Science

Author : Timothy McGrew
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1405175435
Total Pages : 681 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (51 download)

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Book Synopsis Philosophy of Science by : Timothy McGrew

Download or read book Philosophy of Science written by Timothy McGrew and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-05-04 with total page 681 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By combining excerpts from key historical writings with commentary by experts, Philosophy of Science: An Historical Anthology provides a comprehensive history of the philosophy of science from ancient to modern times. Provides a comprehensive history of the philosophy of science, from antiquity up to the 20th century Includes extensive commentary by scholars putting the selected writings in historical context and pointing out their interconnections Covers areas rarely seen in philosophy of science texts, including the philosophical dimensions of biology, chemistry, and geology Designed to be accessible to both undergraduates and graduate students

Philosophy of Science in Practice

Author : Hsiang-Ke Chao
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 331945532X
Total Pages : 204 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (194 download)

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Book Synopsis Philosophy of Science in Practice by : Hsiang-Ke Chao

Download or read book Philosophy of Science in Practice written by Hsiang-Ke Chao and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-12-27 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume reflects the ‘philosophy of science in practice’ approach and takes a fresh look at traditional philosophical problems in the context of natural, social, and health research. Inspired by the work of Nancy Cartwright that shows how the practices and apparatuses of science help us to understand science and to build theories in the philosophy of science, this volume critically examines the philosophical concepts of evidence, laws, causation, and models and their roles in the process of scientific reasoning. Each chapter is an important one in the philosophy of science, while the volume as a whole deals with these philosophical concepts in a unified way in the context of actual scientific practice. This volume thus aims to contribute to this new direction in the philosophy of science.

Empirical Philosophy of Science

Author : Susann Wagenknecht
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319186000
Total Pages : 171 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (191 download)

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Book Synopsis Empirical Philosophy of Science by : Susann Wagenknecht

Download or read book Empirical Philosophy of Science written by Susann Wagenknecht and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-06-12 with total page 171 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book examines the emerging approach of using qualitative methods, such as interviews and field observations, in the philosophy of science. Qualitative methods are gaining popularity among philosophers of science as more and more scholars are resorting to empirical work in their study of scientific practices. At the same time, the results produced through empirical work are quite different from those gained through the kind of introspective conceptual analysis more typical of philosophy. This volume explores the benefits and challenges of an empirical philosophy of science and addresses questions such as: What do philosophers gain from empirical work? How can empirical research help to develop philosophical concepts? How do we integrate philosophical frameworks and empirical research? What constraints do we accept when choosing an empirical approach? What constraints does a pronounced theoretical focus impose on empirical work? Nine experts discuss their thoughts and empirical results in the chapters of this book with the aim of providing readers with an answer to these questions.

The Concept of Scientific Law in the Philosophy of Science and Epistemology

Author : Igor Hanzel
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 9780792358527
Total Pages : 250 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (585 download)

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Book Synopsis The Concept of Scientific Law in the Philosophy of Science and Epistemology by : Igor Hanzel

Download or read book The Concept of Scientific Law in the Philosophy of Science and Epistemology written by Igor Hanzel and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 1999-11-30 with total page 250 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In this book Igor Hanzel reconstructs the developmental stages of scientific law, working both with the history of different conceptions of scientific explanation and also within the limitations of each, which then demand further sophistication. As one basic argument of this work, which is deeply analytic as well as dialectical, the author shows that the natural and the social sciences do not operate exclusively with one type of scientific law, nor do they explain phenomena by means of one exclusive method. Thus science is not mono-paradigmatic, but poly-paradigmatic."--Jacket.

Reconstructing Scientific Revolutions

Author : Paul Hoyningen-Huene
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 0226355519
Total Pages : 330 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (263 download)

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Book Synopsis Reconstructing Scientific Revolutions by : Paul Hoyningen-Huene

Download or read book Reconstructing Scientific Revolutions written by Paul Hoyningen-Huene and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1993-05-15 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scholars from disciplines as diverse as political science and art history have offered widely differing interpretations of Kuhn's ideas, appropriating his notions of paradigm shifts and revolutions to fit their own theories, however imperfectly. Destined to become the authoritative philosophical study of Kuhn's work. Bibliography.