What Is This Thing Called Science?A new edition of a classic text in the philosophy of science illuminating the major developments in the field. |
Contents
Science as knowledge derived from the facts | 1 |
Observable facts expressed as statements | 9 |
Further reading | 17 |
Observable facts objective but fallible | 23 |
historical | 29 |
Further reading | 37 |
Further problems with inductivism | 45 |
The appeal of inductivism | 49 |
The function of normal science and revolutions | 109 |
Objective knowledge | 115 |
research programs | 121 |
Problems with Lakatoss methodology | 134 |
Further reading | 147 |
Further reading | 160 |
Critique of subjective Bayesianism | 173 |
Learning from error and triggering revolutions | 187 |
Introducing falsificationism | 55 |
Falsificationism and progress | 64 |
Increasing falsifiability and ad hoc modifications | 70 |
Comparison of the inductivist and falsificationist view | 77 |
Falsificationism inadequate on historical grounds | 84 |
Inadequacies of the falsificationist demarcation criterion | 94 |
Introducing Thomas Kuhn | 100 |
Why should the world obey laws? | 197 |
language truth and reality | 210 |
Unrepresentative realism or structural realism | 224 |
Philosophical versus scientific knowledge of atoms | 239 |
Realism versus antirealism again | 257 |
| 278 | |
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Common terms and phrases
able account of science anti-realist appeal argued argument Aristotelian assumption astronomy atomic weight atoms attempt Bayesian Brownian motion Brownian particles century chapter characterisation claim confirmed conjectures Consequently constitute Copernican theory Copernicus degrees of belief derived detailed earth electromagnetic electron ether evidence example experiment experimental results explain extent fallible false falsifiable falsificationism falsificationist Feyerabend Fresnel’s Galileo gestalt switches Hertz historical history of science Howson and Urbach hypothesis idea induction inductivist insofar involved kind kinetic energy kinetic theory Kuhn Kuhn’s Lakatos light logical measure mechanical mechanical philosophy method molecules moon motion nature Newton’s theory Newtonian novel predictions objective observable facts observation statements orbit paradigm Perrin phenomena philosophers philosophy of science physics planet Popper position precise prior probabilities probability problem progress question realism rejected research programs revolution scientific knowledge scientific realism scientific theories scientists sense significant straightforward telescope theoretical theory-dependent tion true truth velocity Venus waves