Philosophy of Science A Contemporary Introduction

By:

Rosenberg, Alex

Contributor(s):

Rosenberg, Alex

Material type: Text

TextPublication details: London Routledge 2012Edition: 3th edDescription: 308pISBN:

9780415891776

DDC classification:

N54 R723

Partial contents:

1 Philosophy and Science I Overview I What Is Philosophy? I Philosophy and the Emergence of the Sciences 3 Science and the Divisions of Philosophy 5 What if There Are No Questions Left Over when Science Is Finished? 6 A Short History of Philosophy as the Philosophy of Science 8 2 Why Is Philosophy of Science Important? 21 Overview 21 Scientific Questions and Questions about Science 21 Modern Science Has Implications for Philosophy 24 The Cultural Significance of Science 30 Why Is Science the Only Feature of Western Culture Universally Adopted? 33 3 Scientific Explanation 39 Overview 39 Defining Scientific Explanation 40 The Role of Laws in Scientific Explanation 42 The Covering Law Model 45 Problems for the Covering Law Model 48 A Competing Conception of Scientific Explanation 53 Why Do Laws Explain? Overview What Is a Law of Nature? Counterfactual Support as a Symptom of the Necessity of Laws Counterfactuals and Causation Coming to Grips with Nomic Necessity Denying the Obvious? Causation, Inexact Laws and Statistical Probabilities Overview Causes as Explainers Ceteris Par/bus Laws Statistical Laws and Probabilistic Causes Explanation as Unification Laws and Explanations in Biology and the "Special Sciences" Overview Dissatisfaction with Causal Explanations Proprietary Laws in the "Special Sciences" Functional Laws and Biological Explanations Explaining Purposes or Explaining Them Away? From Intelligibility to Necessity The Structure of Scientific Theories Overview How Do Theories Work? The Example of Newtonian Mechanics Theories as Explainers: The Hypothetico-Deductive Model The Philosophical Significance of Newtonian Mechanics and Theories Epistemic and Metaphysical Issues About Scientific Theories Overview Reduction, Replacement and the Progress of Science The Problem of Theoretical Terms Scientific Realism vs. Antirealism 9 Theory Construction vs. Model Building 161 Overview 161 Theories and Models 162 Semantic vs. Syntactic Approaches to Theories and Models 166 A Case Study: Darwin`s Theory of Natural Selection 169 Models and Theories in Evolutionary Biology 173 10 Induction and Probability Overview The Problem of Induction Statistics and Probability to the Rescue? How Much Can Bayes` Theorem Really Help? Confirmation, Falsification, Underdetermination Overview Epistemological Problems of Hypothesis Testing Induction as a Pseudo-Problem: Popper`s Gambit Underdetermination 2 Challenges from the History of Science Overview A Role for History in the Philosophy of Science? New Paradigms and Scientific Revolutions Are Scientific Research Programs Rational? 230 13 Naturalism in the Philosophy of Science 237 Overview 237 Quine and the Surrender of First Philosophy 237 Naturalism, Multiple Realizability and Supervenience 242 Naturalism`s Problem of Justification 248 14 The Contested Character of Science 253 Overview 253 Methodological Anarchism 254 The "Strong Program" in the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge 256 Postmodernism and the Science Wars 261 Does the Sokal Hoax Prove Anything? 263 Scientism, Sexism and Significant Truths 265 15 Science, Relativism and Objectivity 273 Overview 273 Relativism and Conceptual Schemes 273 Dealing with Incommensurability 277 Conclusion: The Very Idea of a Conceptual Scheme 281

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Item type	Current library	Call number	Status	Date due	Barcode
Books	DVK Library Stack -> Second Floor -> N	N54 R723 (Browse shelf(Opens below))	Available		22110070

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includes index and biblioraphy

1 Philosophy and Science I
Overview I
What Is Philosophy? I
Philosophy and the Emergence of the Sciences 3
Science and the Divisions of Philosophy 5
What if There Are No Questions Left Over when Science Is Finished? 6
A Short History of Philosophy as the Philosophy of Science 8
2 Why Is Philosophy of Science Important? 21
Overview 21
Scientific Questions and Questions about Science 21
Modern Science Has Implications for Philosophy 24
The Cultural Significance of Science 30
Why Is Science the Only Feature of Western Culture Universally Adopted? 33
3 Scientific Explanation 39
Overview 39
Defining Scientific Explanation 40
The Role of Laws in Scientific Explanation 42
The Covering Law Model 45
Problems for the Covering Law Model 48
A Competing Conception of Scientific Explanation 53
Why Do Laws Explain?
Overview
What Is a Law of Nature?
Counterfactual Support as a Symptom of the Necessity of Laws
Counterfactuals and Causation
Coming to Grips with Nomic Necessity
Denying the Obvious?
Causation, Inexact Laws and Statistical Probabilities
Overview
Causes as Explainers
Ceteris Par/bus Laws
Statistical Laws and Probabilistic Causes
Explanation as Unification
Laws and Explanations in Biology and the "Special Sciences"
Overview
Dissatisfaction with Causal Explanations
Proprietary Laws in the "Special Sciences"
Functional Laws and Biological Explanations
Explaining Purposes or Explaining Them Away?
From Intelligibility to Necessity
The Structure of Scientific Theories
Overview
How Do Theories Work? The Example of Newtonian Mechanics Theories as Explainers: The Hypothetico-Deductive Model The Philosophical Significance of Newtonian Mechanics and
Theories
Epistemic and Metaphysical Issues About Scientific Theories
Overview
Reduction, Replacement and the Progress of Science
The Problem of Theoretical Terms
Scientific Realism vs. Antirealism
9 Theory Construction vs. Model Building 161
Overview 161
Theories and Models 162
Semantic vs. Syntactic Approaches to Theories and Models 166
A Case Study: Darwin`s Theory of Natural Selection 169
Models and Theories in Evolutionary Biology 173
10 Induction and Probability
Overview
The Problem of Induction
Statistics and Probability to the Rescue?
How Much Can Bayes` Theorem Really Help?
Confirmation, Falsification, Underdetermination
Overview
Epistemological Problems of Hypothesis Testing
Induction as a Pseudo-Problem: Popper`s Gambit
Underdetermination
2 Challenges from the History of Science
Overview
A Role for History in the Philosophy of Science?
New Paradigms and Scientific Revolutions
Are Scientific Research Programs Rational? 230
13 Naturalism in the Philosophy of Science 237
Overview 237
Quine and the Surrender of First Philosophy 237
Naturalism, Multiple Realizability and Supervenience 242
Naturalism`s Problem of Justification 248
14 The Contested Character of Science 253
Overview 253
Methodological Anarchism 254
The "Strong Program" in the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge 256
Postmodernism and the Science Wars 261
Does the Sokal Hoax Prove Anything? 263
Scientism, Sexism and Significant Truths 265
15 Science, Relativism and Objectivity 273
Overview 273
Relativism and Conceptual Schemes 273
Dealing with Incommensurability 277
Conclusion: The Very Idea of a Conceptual Scheme 281

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