Philosophy of science Books

Book SynopsisScientists have always attempted to explain the world in terms of a few unifying principles. In the fifth century B.C. Democritus boldly claimed that reality is simply a collection of indivisible and eternal parts or atoms. Over the centuries his doctrine has remained a landmark, and much progress in physics is due to its distinction between subjective perception and objective reality. This book discusses theory reduction in physics, which states that the whole is nothing more than the sum of its parts: the properties of things are directly determined by their constituent parts. Reductionism deals with the relation between different theories that address different levels of reality, and uses extrapolations to apply that relation in different sciences. Reality shows a complex structure of connections, and the dream of a unified interpretation of all phenomena in several simple laws continues to attract anyone with genuine philosophical and scientific interests. If the most radical reductionist point of view is correct, the relationship between disciplines is strictly inclusive: chemistry becomes physics, biology becomes chemistry, and so on. Eventually, only one science, indeed just a single theory, would survive, with all others merging in the Theory of Everything. Is the current coexistence of different sciences a mere historical venture which will end when the Theory of Everything has been established? Can there be a unified description of nature? Rather than an analysis of full reductionism, this book focuses on aspects of theory reduction in physics and stimulates reflection on related questions: is there any evidence of actual reduction? Are the examples used in the philosophy of science too simplistic? What has been endangered by the search for (the) ultimate truth? Has the dream of reductionist reason created any monsters? Is big science one such monster? What is the point of embedding science Y within science X, if predictions cannot be made on that basis?Table of ContentsPreface.- A Galilean Dialogue.- A random journey.- History.- Reductionism: the philosophical point of view.- Reduction in physics and philosophy.- Emergence.- A first attempt to tame complexity.- A short history of statistical mechanics.- Towards a systematic theory.- The paradigmatic Brownian motion.- Critical Phenomena.- Discussion.- From microscopic to macroscopic realities.- The problem of irreversibility.- Irreversibility and emergence.- From microscopic to macroscopic equations.- From atoms to cold fronts.- Concluding remarks.- Determinism, chaos and reductionism.- General remarks on determinism.- An excursus on chaos.- Chaos and complexity.- Chaos and probability.- Quarrels on chaos and determinism.- Concluding remarks.- Quantum Mechanics.- Classical versus quantum mechanics.- Chemistry vs applied Quantum Mechanics.- Summary and conclusions.- Some conclusions.- Unity of science beyond reductionism.- It from bit?.- Concluding remarks.

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Book SynopsisThis 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 concepts 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.Trade Review“Target audience comprises ‘students of engineering, physics, biology, social science, medicine and nursing’ … this book allows readers from a global audience to grasp the ‘flavour’ of the long and rich Germanic and Scandinavian tradition.” (Agustín Adúriz-Bravo, Science and Education, Vol. 28, 2019)“The aim of Lars-Göran Johansson’s textbook Philosophy of Science for Scientists is … to provide an introduction to the philosophy of science for students in all fields of science. … the book is supposed to be suitable for an undergraduate level course in the philosophy of science for philosophy students.” (Amanda Thorell, Theoria, Vol. 83, 2017)“Lars-Göran Johansson’s recent book Philosophy of science for scientists is the only textbook in the philosophy of science that is addressed specifically to an audience consisting of scientists. … In its breadth of treated topics, the book can serve as a basic text to many different courses in the philosophy of science.” (Maarten Franssen, Metascience, Vol. 26, 2017)“Philosophy of Science for Scientists by Lars-Goran Johansson: a lovely textbook for undergraduates. It is a highly readable introduction to how one can view the practice of science. … this is an excellent introduction to understanding science in a general sense. Students and practitioners will find it worthwhile to read and discuss.” (David S. Mazel, MAA Reviews, maa.org, November, 2016)“This is an excellent book that can serve as a very appropriate textbook for the first course in Philosophy of Science. … it is a very well written book and is an enjoyable reading. … It is well written by a great authority in the field and I strongly recommend it to you if you are interested in to understand what science is and why science is important for knowledge and our understanding of reality.” (Philosophy, Religion and Science Book Reviews, Bookinspections.wordpress.com, July, 2016)Table of ContentsPreface and overview of the bookPart 1: What is science?.- 1. The Evolution of Science.- 2. Knowledge.- 3. Hypotheses and Hypothesis Testing.- 4. On Scientific Data.- 5. Qualitative Data and Methods.- 6. Theories about the Development of Science.- Part 2. Philosophical reflections on four core concepts in science: causes, explanations, laws and models.- 7. On Causes and Correlations.- 8. Explanations.- 9. Explanation in the Humanities and Social Sciences.- 10. Scientific Laws.- 11. Theories, Models and Reality.- Part 3. Some auxiliaries.- 12. The Mind-Body Problem.- 13. Science and Values.- 14. Some trends in science.- Appendix.- Logical Forms.- Index.

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Book SynopsisThe publication of W. Pauli's Scientific Correspondence by Springer-Verlag has motivated a vast research activity on Pauli's role in modern science. This excellent treatise sheds light on the ongoing dialogue between physics and psychology.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "This revised translation of a Swedish Ph. D. thesis in philosophy offers far more than a discussion of Wolfgang Pauli’s encounters with the psychoanalyst Carl Gustav Jung … . Here the book explains very well how Pauli attempted to extend his understanding beyond superficial esotericism and spiritism … . To understand Pauli one needs books like this one, which … seems to open a path to a fuller understanding of Pauli, who was seeking to solve a quest even deeper than quantum physics." (Arne Schirrmacher, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2006 g) "This book is a revised and extended version of a doctoral thesis for the degree in philosophy at the University of Uppsala. It is an interesting compilation of basic material concerning Pauli and his contacts and thinking in the world of psychology. It gives moreover a good review of the man behind the physicist. The book contains very extensive bibliographic notes, and specific references. In brief, a must, for the interested reader. The hard cover book is nicely edited following Springer’s high-quality standards." (Roland Carchon, Physicalia, Vol. 28 (4-6), 2006) "Suzanne Gieser presents us with an exceptional work of scholarship, which should become a standard source of reference for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of Jung’s theories and their relationship to 20th century science. … the essential framework of her study derives its form and significance at least as much from the philosophy of science, particularly the implications for Jung’s analytical psychology of the epistemological conclusions of quantum mechanics. This is really where the value of this book lies … ." (George B. Hogenson, Journal of Analytical Psychology, Vol. 53, 2008)Table of Contentsto Wolfgang Pauli’s Dialogue with C.G. Jung.- Wolfgang Pauli, the Copenhagen School and Philosophy.- The Copenhagen School and Psychology.- Pauli and Jung.- Incarnation and Quantum Physics.- Summary and Concluding Remarks.

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Book SynopsisIn this brief, Mary Virginia Orna details the history of color from the chemical point of view. Beginning with the first recorded uses of color and ending in the development of our modern chemical industry, this rich, yet concise exposition shows us how color pervades every aspect of our lives. Our consciousness, our perceptions, our useful appliances and tools, our playthings, our entertainment, our health, and our diagnostic apparatus – all involve color and are based in no small part on chemistry.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews:“This work, part of the ‘SpringerBriefs’ series, emphasizes color chemistry and its history. … The short book includes chemical structures, reaction schemes, brief biographies of key individuals, and illustrations from the Chemical Heritage Foundation. Of interest to students and teachers of chemistry, as well as those in history, physics, psychology, and art. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; informed general readers.” (R. E. Buntrock, Choice, Vol. 50 (9), May, 2013)“This new book with such a unique take on the historical development of our understanding of the phenomenon that is color. … It is a delightful combination of historical accounts and anecdotes surrounding the subject of color, while at the same time dealing properly with the science. … I would recommend it as essential reading for anyone with an interest in color. … I have reviewed many books on color over the years … but I can honestly give this one my most enthusiastic recommendation.” (Robert Christie, Bulletin for the History of Chemistry, Vol. 38 (1), 2013)Table of ContentsIntroduction: Colors, Natural and Synthetic, in the Ancient World.- Discovery of the Physics of Color.- The Chemical Causes of Color.- Colorant Usage from Antiquity to the Perkin Era.- Beyond Perkin.- Major Analytical Techniques Based on Color: Volumetric Analysis; Chromatography; Spectroscopy; Color Measurement.- Color on the Biological and Biochemical Front.- Finale: Color in Foods, Photochemistry, Photoluminescence, Pharmaceuticals, Fireworks, Fun and the Future.

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Book SynopsisPhilosophen und Theologen haben über das Unendliche nachgedacht. Doch die wahre Wissenschaft vom Unendlichen ist die Mathematik.Rudolf Taschner gelingt es, diesen zentralen Begriff auch dem mathematischen Laien zu vermitteln. Auf anschauliche Weise beschreibt er, wie bereits Pythagoras, Archimedes und Euklid versucht haben, das Unendliche zu fassen. Er macht uns mit Newton und Leibniz bekannt, die entdeckten, dass das Phänomen von Bewegung und Wandel nur durch die Erforschung des Unendlichen verständlich wird. Mit Spannung kann der Leser den dramatischen Streit zwischen den unterschiedlichen Positionen von Cantor, Hilbert und Brouwer verfolgen - ein Streit, der nach den Erkenntnissen Gödels unentschiedener ist denn je. Table of ContentsPythagoras und das Unendliche im Pentagramm.- Euklid und die Unendlichkeit der Primzahlen.- Archimedes und die unendliche Erschöpfung.- Newton und die Unendlichkeit in der Bewegung.- Cantor und die unendlichen Dezimalzahlen.- Hilbert und die unendliche Gewissheit.- Brouwer und die unendliche Freiheit.

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Book SynopsisDie Topic-informierte Diskursanalyse ist ein Mixed-Methods-Verfahren, das Methoden des Text-Mining mit der Wissenssoziologischen Diskursanalyse verbindet, um Diskurstransformationen im Zeitverlauf zu analysieren. Im ersten Teil wird das Verfahren entwickelt und der epistemologische, theoretische, methodologische und methodische Aufbau erläutert. Im zweiten Teil wird das Verfahren am Beispiel der Volkszählungs- und Zensusdebatte in Deutschland in den Jahren 1982-2020 angewendet und veranschaulicht. Das Buch richtet sich an Diskursforscher:innen und Forscher:innen der Digital Humanities, die Methoden aus beiden Fachbereichen kombiniert einsetzen und anwenden wollen.Table of ContentsAbbildungsverzeichnis 8Abkürzungsverzeichnis 9I Verfahrensentwicklung: Topic-informierte Diskursanalyse zur Analyse von Diskurstransformationen im Zeitverlauf1 Einleitung 112 Forschungsstand 202.1 Wissenschaftliche Dichotomien in der Krise 222.1.1 Big Data und das Aufbrechen etablierter Forschungsparadigmen 222.1.2 Von der Notwendigkeit eines Digitalen Forschungsparadigmas 242.2 Digital Humanities zwischen Transparadigmatischem Forschungsprogramm und paradigmatischer Positionierung 252.2.1 Digital Humanities als eigenständige Wissenschaftsdisziplin? 252.2.2 Digital Humanities zwischen digitalem Forschungsparadigma und methodischer Neutralität 272.3 Methodenstreit 2.0: Digital Humanities zwischen ‚End of Theory‘ und ‚Anything goes‘ 292.3.1 Datengeleitete versus theoriegeleitete Forschung 302.3.2 End of Theory in den Computational Sciences? 332.3.3 Anything goes – Methodenanarchismus als digitales Paradigma? 352.4 Digital Humanities zwischen ‚Digital‘ und ‚Humanities‘ 392.4.1 Der Qualitative Turn in den Digital Humanities 392.4.2 Cultural Turn in den Digital Humanities als mögliche Brückenbildung? 402.5 Bridging the Digital Gap – Dritte Wege für die Digital Humanities 423 Bridging the Paradigm Gap – Grundlegung eines integrativen Forschungsansatzes 433.1 Von inkommensurablen Paradigmen… 443.2 ...über eine Übersetzung des sozialwissenschaftlichen Forschungsprozesses in die Digital Humanities 463.2.1 Der sozialwissenschaftliche Forschungsprozess im Mixed-Methods Design 473.2.2 Vier Positionierungen im Forschungsprozess 473.3 …zur Konzeptionierung eines integrativen Forschungsansatzes im Mixed-Methods-Design 494 Epistemologische Ausrichtung und theoretische Perspektive 504.1 Sozialer Wandel als sozialer Konstruktionsprozess 524.1.1 Sozialkonstruktivistische Tradition – Wissenssoziologie nach Berger und Luckmann 534.1.2 Vom Sozialkonstruktivismus zum Diskurskonstruktivismus 554.2 Sozialer Wandel als diskursiver Konstruktionsprozess 574.2.1 Diskursbegriff 584.2.2 Eigenschaften von Diskursen 604.2.3 Regeln des Diskurses 634.3 Diskursforschung meets Digital Humanities 645 Methodologische Ausrichtung 665.1 Bridging the Methodological Gap – Text-Mining meets Diskursforschung 665.1.1 Text-Mining-Verfahren 685.1.2 Text-Mining meets Diskursforschung 705.2 Mixed-Methods meets Digital Humanities 715.2.1 Mixed-Methods-Forschung als Drittes Forschungsparadigma 715.2.2 Mixed-Methods-Forschung innerhalb einer pragmatistischen Ausrichtung 726 Forschungsdesign 766.1 Designs in der Mixed-Methods-Forschung 766.2 Das Exploratory Design 796.3 Erweiterung des Exploratory Design 816.4 Forschungsdesign für eine Topic-informierte Diskursanalyse 826.4.1 Variation 1: Sichtung des Forschungsstandes als qualitative Exploration 826.4.2 Variation 2: Erweiterung um eine quantitative Exploration 836.4.3 Variation 3: Erweiterung um eine dritte, qualitative Phase 836.5 Übersetzung des Forschungsdesigns in die Digital Humanities 846.5.1 Distant Reading 856.5.2 Das Interpretationsproblem im Distant Reading-Verfahren 866.5.3 Blended Reading als Überbrückungsmöglichkeit 866.5.4 Close Reading 876.6 Überblick Forschungsdesign 886.7 Verfahrensablauf 887 Methodik 957.1 Sozialwissenschaftliche Diskursanalyse 967.2 Die Kombination aus Diskursanalyse und Text-Mining-Verfahren 987.3 Topic-Modeling-Verfahren 997.4 Methodisches Verfahren 1038 Methodisches Vorgehen 1048.1 Close Reading I – Qualitative Exploration des Forschungsgegenstandes 1068.1.1 Qualitative Erschließung des Forschungsgegenstandes 1068.1.2 Erste Kategorien- und Hypothesenbildung 1068.1.3 Auswahl des Untersuchungsgegenstandes und Erstellung des Datenkorpus 1068.1.4 Bildung von Untersuchungsleitfragen für die Qualitative Analyse 1078.2 Distant Reading – Quantitative Analyse und Exploration des Datenkorpus 1078.2.1 Hypothesenprüfung mittels Frequenzanalysen und Topic-Modeling 1078.2.2 Identifikation der Topics mittels Topic-Modeling 1088.3 Blended Reading: Deskriptive Topic-Analyse und Diskursstrukturanalyse 1088.3.1 Deskriptive Topic-Analyse und Diskursstrukturanalyse 1098.3.2 Identifikation der Gegenstände und Begriffe 1098.3.3 KWIC-Analyse zur Identifikation der Strategien und Äußerungsmodaltäten 1108.3.4 Stichprobenziehung für das Close Reading-II-Verfahren 1128.4 Close Reading II: Qualitative Tiefenanalyse mittels Wissenssoziologischer Diskursanalyse 1128.4.1 Wissenssoziologische Diskursanalyse nach Reiner Keller 1138.4.2 Analyse des Diskursinhalts 114II Anwendungsbeispiel: Die Untersuchung von Transformationen im Privatheitsdiskurs mit der Topic-informierten Diskursanalyse 9 Close Reading I: Forschungsgegenstand Privatheitsdiskurse im Wandel 1179.1 Genese einer komplexen Dichotomie im Wandel 1189.2 Wandlungsprozesse des Privaten 1209.2.1 Die Oikos-Polis-Unterscheidung 1219.2.2 Repräsentative Öffentlichkeit und Privatleute 1229.2.3 Bürgerliche Öffentlichkeit und Privatwirtschaft 1239.2.4 Liberalismus und der Aufstieg des Primats der Privatheit 1259.2.5 Privatheit als Grundvoraussetzung autonomer, demokratischer Subjekte 1269.3 Liberale Privatheitstheorien 1279.3.1 Das Private als Schutzsphäre 1289.3.2 Das Private als weiblicher Aufgabenbereich 1309.3.3 Das Private als patriarchales Herrschaftsinstrument 1329.4 Privatheit im öffentlichen Wandel – die Entlokalisierung des Privaten 1349.5 Die Digitalisierung und ihr Einfluss auf die Bedeutung des Privatheitsbegriffs 1389.5.1 Merkmale der Digitalisierung und Datafizierung 1399.5.2 Kritik am digitalen Medienwandel 1449.6 Die digitale Veröffentlichung der Privatheit 1489.6.1 Das Privacy Paradox 1499.6.2 Selbstveröffentlichung als neue Normalität – Gewöhnungseffekte im Web 2.0 1519.6.3 Diskurstheoretische Sichtweisen – Das Veröffentlichungsdispositiv 1529.6.4 Subjekttheoretische Sichtweisen – Die Selbstkonstitution des Subjekts durch Veröffentlichung: Die Subjektivierungsthese nach Bublitz 1569.7 Zusammenfassung 1599.8 Vorbereitung der Untersuchung 1639.8.1 Diskursstränge und diskursive Verdichtungen des Privaten 1639.8.2 Die Volkszählungs- und Zensusdebatte als ein Diskursstrang im Privatheitsdiskurs 16510 Analyseraster 16510.1 Das Problem umfangreicher Datengrundlagen 16510.2 Untersuchungsgegenstand: Der Diskurs zu Volkszählung und Zensus im Zeitverlauf 16710.2.1 Die Volkszählungsdebatte als Untersuchungsgegenstand 16710.2.2 Volkszählung und Zensus – ein kurzer historischer Aufriss 16810.2.3 Das Volkszählungsurteil vom 15.12.1983 17110.2.4 Zentrale Kritikpunkte an der Volkszählung 17810.2.5 Gründe für die Protestbewegungen 18010.3 Medienauswahl – Tageszeitungen als diskursive Austragungsorte der Volkszählungs- und Zensusdebatte 18610.3.1 Auswahl der Zeitungen 18710.3.2 Auswahl der Artikel 18810.4 Auswahl der Untersuchungszeiträume: Diskursive Ereignisse als strukturierende Komponente zur Korpuseingrenzung 18810.4.1 Diskursive Ereignisse 18910.4.2 Auswahl der Untersuchungszeiträume 19111 Hypothesenbildung und Forschungsfragen 19412 Korpuserstellung und Datenaufbereitung 19912.1 Korpuserstellung 19912.2 Datenvoraufbereitung 20012.2.1 Vereinheitlichung 20012.2.2 Tokenisierung und Textbereinigung 20012.2.3 Lemmatisierung 20112.2.4 Datentransformation: DTM und Topic-Modelle 20213 Analyse 20313.1 Distant Reading 20313.1.1 Überblick und deskriptive Analyse 20413.1.2 Hypothesenprüfung 20613.1.3 Quantitative Topic-Exploration 20913.2 Blended Reading 21413.2.1 Deskriptive Topic-Analyse 21413.2.2 KWIC zur Stichprobenziehung 22113.2.3 Diskursstrukturanalyse 22213.3 Close Reading-II 23713.3.1 Oberflächenanalyse 23713.3.2 Feinanalyse 24514 Zusammenfassung der Ergebnisse 25714.1 Überblick der Ergebnisse 25814.1.1 Zusammenfassung Close Reading-I 25814.1.2 Zusammenfassung Distant Reading 25814.1.3 Zusammenfassung Blended Reading 26014.1.4 Zusammenfassung Close Reading-II 26314.2 Privatheit im digitalen Wandel 26614.2.1 Die Denormalisierung der Privatheit und die Normalisierung der Veröffentlichung 26614.2.2 Ausblick: Die Rekonstruktion des Privaten 2.0 26715 Diskussion und Reflexion 26915.1 Forschungsprozess 27015.2 Forschungsdesign 27115.2.1 Die Verbindung von Mixed-Methods und Digital Humanities 27115.2.2 Forschungsgegenstand 27215.2.3 Forschungsablauf 27215.3 Analyseraster 27315.3.1 Eingrenzung des Untersuchungsgegenstands 27415.3.2 Eingrenzung der untersuchten Medien 27415.3.3 Eingrenzung der Untersuchungszeiträume 27515.4 Daten 27615.4.1 Datenauswahl 27615.4.2 Datenstruktur 27715.5 Methodik und Methodeneinsatz 27815.5.1 Mehrwert des entwickelten Verfahrens 27815.5.2 Topic-Modeling-Verfahren 27915.5.3 Text-Mining in Kombination mit qualitativen Interpretationsverfahren 28316 Ausblick 28516.1 Auf dem Weg zur Wissenschaft 2.0? 28516.2 Postdisziplinäres Forschungsparadigma für zukünftige Forschungsvorhaben 28716.3 Digital Humanities als Brückenbildner:innen zur Wissenschaft 2.0 28816.4 Wissenschaft zwischen Digitalisierungsoptimismus und Digitalisierungspessimismus 28917 Literaturverzeichnis

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Book SynopsisIntroduction.- Reduction to relativistic theories.- Reduction to general relativity.- Micro-reductions.- Classical mechanics and quantum mechanics.

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Book Synopsis1 Augenlicht: Griechische Antike und Helenismus.- 2 Göttliches Licht: Finsteres Mittelalter.- 3 Ex oriente lux: Islamisches Mittelalter. - 4 Sternenlicht: Neuzeit. - 5 Ratio: Zeitgeist vor Newton. - 6 Lichtteilchen: Isaac Newtons Experimente und Theorie. - 7 Lichtwellen: als Alternative zu Lichtteilchen. - 8 Interferenz: Vorläufiges Ende der Lichtteilchen. - 9 Elektrodynamik: Licht als elektromagnetische Welle. - 10 Lichtquanten: Das Photon. - 11 Symmetrie: Übertragung auf andere Naturkräfte. -12 Kosmisches Licht: Licht in Kosmologie und Astrophysik. -13 Lichtwerkzeuge: Vom Mikroskop zum Synchrotronlicht. - 14 Verschränkung: Rätselhafte Konsequenzen der Quantenmechanik.

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Book SynopsisThe Philosophical Inquiry concerning Human Liberty of Anthony Collins' was considered by Joseph Priestley and Voltaire to be the best book written on freewill up to their own time. Priestley admitted that it convert­ ed him to determinism and it had a powerful effect on Voltaire in the same direction. It seems important to place in its wider historical context a book which so influenced such men and which greatly impressed the philosophes in general. Therefore - and because such an account has value in itself - the Introduction contains a survey of the freewill controversy from the time of Hobbes to that of Leibniz, giving in some detail the opinions of Hobbes, Locke, Pierre Bayle, William King, Archbishop of Dublin, and Leibniz and an account of the Scholastic doctrine of liberty of indifference - opinions which either influenced Collins or against which he reacted. The value and originality of Collins' works need assessing. He was also at times liable to misinterpret or misunderstand the authorities he quoted. I have, therefore, subjected the Inquiry to a detailed critique. This also gives cross-references to parallel passages in Collins' works and those of the authors who influenced him, and, by discussing the philosophical and theological questions to which his writings give rise, obviates the need for a good many footnotes in the notes that follow the text.Table of ContentsDeism.- Anthony Collins.- Writings.- The Controversy on Freewill.- The Philosophical Inquiry.- Thomas Hobbes.- John Locke.- Pierre Bayle and William King.- Liberty of Indifference.- De Origine Mali.- Bayle and King.- Leibniz.- The Inquiry.- Conclusion.- Text of the Philosophical Inquiry concerning Human Liberty.- Notes to the Text of the Inquiry.- Collation of the Text of the Inquiry.

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Book SynopsisAccording to a view assumed by many scientists and philosophers of science and standardly found in science textbooks, it is controlled ex­ perience which provides the basis for distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable theories in science: acceptable theories are those which can pass empirical tests. It has often been thought that a certain sort of test is particularly significant: 'crucial experiments' provide supporting empiri­ cal evidence for one theory while providing conclusive evidence against another. However, in 1906 Pierre Duhem argued that the falsification of a theory is necessarily ambiguous and therefore that there are no crucial experiments; one can never be sure that it is a given theory rather than auxiliary or background hypotheses which experiment has falsified. w. V. Quine has concurred in this judgment, arguing that "our statements about the external world face the tribunal of sense experience not indi­ vidually but only as a corporate body". Some philosophers have thought that the Duhem-Quine thesis gra­ tuitously raises perplexities. Others see it as doubly significant; these philosophers think that it provides a base for criticism of the foundational view of knowledge which has dominated much of western thought since Descartes, and they think that it opens the door to a new and fruitful way to conceive of scientific progress in particular and of the nature and growth of knowledge in general.Table of ContentsPhysical Theory and Experiment.- Two Dogmas of Empiricism.- Empiricist Criteria of Cognitive Significance: Problems and Changes.- Some Fundamental Problems in the Logic of Scientific Discovery.- Background Knowledge and Scientific Growth.- The Duhemian Argument.- A Comment on Grünbaum’s Claim.- Scientific Revolutions as Changes of World View.- Grünbaum on ‘The Duhemian Argument’.- Quine, Grünbaum, and the Duhemian Thesis.- Duhem, Quine and Grünbaum on Falsification.- Duhem, Quine and a New Empiricism.- Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programmes.- Is it never Possible to Falsify a Hypothesis Irrevocably?.- The Rationality of Science (From‘Against Method’).- Index of Names.

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Table of Contents(Volume Three).- B. The Phenomenology of Spirit. Consciousness § 413.- a. Consciousness as such § 418.- ?) Sensuous consciousness § 418.- ?) Perception § 420.- 1) Observation.- 2) Connection.- 3) Demonstration.- ?) Understanding § 422.- b. Self-consciousness § 424.- ?) Desire §426.- 1) Drive.- 2) Activity.- 3) Satisfaction § 428.- ?) Recognitive self-consciousness § 430.- 1) Struggle §431.- 2) Mastery and Servitude § 433.- 3) Community of need § 434.- ?) Universal self-consciousness § 436.- c. Reason § 438.- C. Psychology. Spirit § 440.- a. Theoretical spirit (Intelligence) § 445.- ?) Intuition § 446.- 1) Feeling §446.- 2) Attention § 448.- 3) Intuition proper § 449.- ?) Presentation § 451.- 1) Recollection § 452.- i) Image.- ii) The unconsciously preserved image § 453.- iii) Recollection proper § 454.- 2) Imagination § 455.- i) Reproductive.- ii) Associative § 456.- iii) Phantasy § 457.- (1) Symbolic.- (2) The sign § 458.- (3) Language § 459.- 3) Memory § 461.- i) Verbal.- ii) Reproductive § 462.- iii) Mechanical § 463.- ?) Thought § 465.- 1) Understanding § 467.- 2) Judgement.- 3) Formal reason.- b. Practical spirit § 469.- ?) Practical feeling § 471.- 1) Subjective § 472.- 2) Intuitive.- 3) Thought.- ?) Impulses and wilfulness § 473.- 1) Passion § 474.- 2) Interest § 475.- 3) Wilfulness § 477.- ?) Happiness § 479.- c. Free spirit § 481.- The Phenomenology of Spirit (Summer Term, 1825).- B. Consciousness § 329.- a. Consciousness as such.- 1) Sensuous consciousness § 335.- 2) Perceptive consciousness § 337.- 3) Understanding § 340.- b. Self-consciousness § 344.- 1) Immediate self-consciousness § 348.- i) Drive.- ii) Desire.- iii) Satisfaction § 350.- 2) The relatedness of one self-consciousness to another § 352.- i) Struggle § 353.- ii) Mastery and Servitude § 356.- iii) Communal provision.- 3) Universal self-consciousness § 358.- c. Reason § 360.- 1) Certainty § 361.- 2) Substantial truth § 362.- 3) Knowing and spirit.- Notes.- Index to the Text.- Index to the Notes.

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Book SynopsisThis is a bold, brilliant, provocative and puzzling work. It demands a radical shift in standpoint, an almost paradoxical posture in which living systems are described in terms of what lies outside the domain of descriptions. Professor Humberto Maturana, with his colleague Francisco Varela, have undertaken the construction of a systematic theoretical biology which attempts to define living systems not as they are objects of observation and description, nor even as in­ teracting systems, but as self-contained unities whose only reference is to them­ selves. Thus, the standpoint of description of such unities from the 'outside', i. e. , by an observer, already seems to violate the fundamental requirement which Maturana and Varela posit for the characterization of such system- namely, that they are autonomous, self-referring and self-constructing closed systems - in short, autopoietic systems in their terms. Yet, on the basis of such a conceptual method, and such a theory of living systems, Maturana goes on to define cognition as a biological phenomenon; as, in effect, the very nature of all living systems. And on this basis, to generate the very domains of interac­ tion among such systems which constitute language, description and thinking.Table of ContentsEditorial Preface General Table Of Contents Foreword Introduction (by Professor Maturana) Biology Of Cognition Dedication Table of Contents I. Introduction II. The Problem III. Cognitive Function in General A. The Observer B. The Living System C. Evolution D. The Cognitive Process IV. Cognitive Function in Particular A. Nerve Cells B. Architecture C. Function D. Representation E. Description F. Thinking G. Natural Language H. Memory and Learning I. The Observer V. Problems in the Neurophysiology of Cognition VI. Conclusions VII. Post Scriptum Autopoiesis: The Organization Of The Living Preface (by Sir Stafford Beer) Introduction I. On Machines, living and Otherwise 1. Machines 2. Living Machines II. Dispensability of Teleonomy 1. Purposelessness 2. Individuality III. Embodiments of Autopoiesis 1. Descriptive and Causal Notions 2. Molecular Embodiments 3. Origin IV. Diversity of Autopoiesis 1. Subordination to the Condition of Unity 2. Plasticity of Ontogeny 3. Reproduction, a Complication of the Unity 4. Evolution, a Historical Network 5. Second and Third Order Autopoietic Systems V. Presence of Autopoiesis 1. Biological Implications 2. Epistemological Implications 3. Cognitive Implications Appendix: The Nervous System Glossary Bibliography Index Of Names

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Book Synopsisand less as the emanation unden\'ent radioactive decay, and it became motion­ less after about 30 seconds. Since this process was occurring very rapidly, Hahn and Sackur marked the position of the pointer on a scale with pencil marks. As a timing device they used a metronome that beat out intervals of approximately 1. 3 seconds. This simple method enabled them to determine that the half-life of the emanations of actinium and emanium were the same. Although Giesel's measurements had been more precise than Debierne's, the name of actinium was retained since Debierne had made the discovery first. Hahn now returned to his sample of barium chloride. He soon conjectured that the radium-enriched preparations must harbor another radioactive sub­ stance. The liquids resulting from fractional crystallization, which were sup­ posed to contain radium only, produced two kinds of emanation. One was the long-lived emanation of radium, the other had a short life similar to the emanation produced by thorium. Hahn tried to separate this substance by adding some iron to the solutions that should have been free of radium, but to no avail. Later the reason for his failure became apparent. The element that emitted the thorium emanation was constantly replenished by the ele­ ment believed to be radium. Hahn succeeded in enriching a preparation until it was more than 100,000 times as intensive in its radiation as the same quantity of thorium.Trade Review`...articles which provide much interesting material on a period of the development of physics which has been relatively neglected by historians of science.' Centaurus, 28:1 Table of ContentsIntroduction: from Rutherford to Hahn.- The Nuclear Electron Hypothesis.- The Evolution of Matter: Nuclear Physics, Cosmic Rays, and Robert Millikan’s Research Program.- The Discovery of Fission and a Nuclear Physics Paradigm.- Internal and External Conditions for the Discovery of Fission by the Berlin Team.- Otto Hahn, Science, and Social Responsibility.- The Politics of British Science in the Munich Era.- Why Hahn’s Radiothorium Surprised Rutherford in Montreal.- The Discovery of Uranium Z by Otto Hahn: The First Example of Nuclear Isomerism.- Nuclear Physics in Candada in the 1930s.

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Book SynopsisGalileo is revered as one of the founders of modern science primarily because of such discoveries as the law of falling bodies and the moons of Jupiter. In addition to his scientific achievements, Professor Pitt argues that Galileo deserves increased attention for his contributions to the methodology of the new science and that his method retains its value even today. In a detailed analysis of Galileo's mature works, Pitt reconstructs crucial features of Galileo's epistemology. He shows how Galileo's methodological insights grow out of an appreciation of the limits of human knowledge and he brings fresh insight to our concept of Galileo's methodology and its implications for contemporary debates. Working from Galileo's insistence on the contrast between the number of things that can be known and the limited abilities of human knowers, Pitt shows how Galileo's common sense approach to rationality permits the development of a robust scientific method. At the same time, Pitt argues that we should correct our picture of Galileo, the culture hero. Instead of seeing him as a martyr to the cause of truth, Galileo is best understood as a man of his times who was responding to a variety of social pressures during a period of intellectual and political turmoil. This book will be of interest to philosophers and to historians and sociologists of science as well as to a general readership interested in the scientific revolution. Table of ContentsPreface. I. Galileo as Scientist and as Philosopher and the Emergence of Mathematical Physics in the 17th Century. II. Galileo on God, Mathematics, Certainty, and the Nature and Possibility of Human Knowledge. III. The Limits of Knowledge; Mathematics and Methodological Principles. IV. The Content of Knowledge. V. Evidence; the Basis of Knowledge. VI. Galileo's Epistemology as the Basis for a Theory of the Growth of Knowledge. Works Consulted.

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Book SynopsisTran Duc Thao, a brilliant student of philosophy at the Ecole Normale Super- ieure within the post-1935 decade of political disaster, born in Vietnam shortly after the F ir st World War, recipient of a scholarship in Paris in 1935 37, was early noted for his independent and originaI mind_ While the 1930s twisted down to the defeat of the Spanish Republic, the compromise with German Fascism at Munich, and the start of the Second World War, and while the 1940s began with hypocritical stability at the Western Front fol- lowed by the defeat of France, and the occupation of Paris by the German power together with French collaborators, and the n ended with liberation and a search for a new understanding of human situations, the young Thao was deeply immersed in the classical works of European philosophy. He was al so the attentive but critical student of a quite special generation of French metaphysicians and social philosophers: Gaston Berger, Maurice Merleau- Ponty, Emile Brehier, Henri Lefebvre, Rene le Senne, Jean-Paul Sartre, perhaps the young Louis Althusser. They, in their several modes of response, had been meditating for more than a decade on the philosophy of Edmund Husserl, which came to France in the thirties as a new metaphysical enlighten- ment - phenomenology.Trade Review`This work of Thao, in an elegant, laconic, and remarkably lucid prose, elaborates the rationale that motivated Husserl's philosophizing... Thao's knowledge of Husserl, as well as of the entire history of philosophy, is most impressive, and he has the ability to elucidate and bring to life some of the most abstruse epistemological writings of Kant, Husserl, and others. ...consider this one of the clearest introductions to phenomenology and would consider it a superb text to use in introducing my students to phenomenology.' Paul Ricoeur Table of ContentsOne: The Phenomenological Method and Its Actual Real Content.- One: The Intuition of Essences.- 1. The Technique of Variation.- 2. Pure Idealities and Empirical Idealities.- 3. The True Significance of the Notion of Essence.- 4. Difficulties with the Objectivism of Essences. The Return to the Subject.- Two: The Thematization of Concrete Consciousness.- 5. The Return to Lived Experience in the Logische Untersuchungen.- 6. The Discovery of the Reduction.- 7. The Exposition of the Ideen.- 8. The Critique of the Kantians.- 9. Fink’s Reply. The Necessity of a More Radical Explanation.- 10. The Notion of Constitution. The Signification of Transcendental Idealism.- 11. The Constitution of the World of the Spirit.- 12. The Notion of Object. Perception and Judgment.- Three: The Problems of Reason.- 13. Self-Evidence (Évidence) and Truth.- 14. The problem of Error.- 15. [Self-] Evidence as Intentional Performance (Intentionale Leistung).- 16. The Possibility of Error as Contemporaneous with Truth.- 17. A Digression — The Theory of Evidence According to Descartes and the Problem of the Cartesian Circle.- 18. Phenomenological Description as a Critique of Authenticity: Static and Genetic Constitution.- 19. The Constitution of the Formal Domain: Logic and Mathematics.- 20. The Genesis of Judgment.- Four: The Result of Phenomenology.- 21. The Genesis of Antepredicative Experience and Its Real Content.- Two: The Dialectic of Real Movement.- to Part Two.- 1. Consciousness and Matter.- One: The Dialectic of Animal Behavior as the Becoming of Sense Certainty.- 2. Phenomenological Givens and Real Givens.- 3. The Movement of the Internal Sense.- 4. The Movement of the External Sense.- 5. Remarks on the Preceding Development: The Passage to the Dialectic of Human Societies.- Two: The Dialectic of Human Societies as the Becoming of Reason.- 6. Use-Value and the Movement of Sacrifice.- 7. The Movement of Wealth and the Becoming of the Gods.- 8. Mercantile Economy and the Sacrifice of the Savior, God.- 9. Monetary Economy, the Transcendence of the Idea, and the Concept of Salvation.- 10. Capitalistic Economy, the Power of Abstraction and the Proletarian Revolution.- Notes.- Bibliography of Works Cited.- Index of Names.

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Book SynopsisThis open access book provides a broad context for the understanding of current problems of science and of the different movements aiming to improve the societal impact of science and research. The author offers insights with regard to ideas, old and new, about science, and their historical origins in philosophy and sociology of science, which is of interest to a broad readership. The book shows that scientifically grounded knowledge is required and helpful in understanding intellectual and political positions in various discussions on the grand challenges of our time and how science makes impact on society. The book reveals why interventions that look good or even obvious, are often met with resistance and are hard to realize in practice. Based on a thorough analysis, as well as personal experiences in aids research, university administration and as a science observer, the author provides - while being totally open regarding science's limitations- a realistic narrative about how research is conducted, and how reliable ‘objective’ knowledge is produced. His idea of science, which draws heavily on American pragmatism, fits in with the global Open Science movement. It is argued that Open Science is a truly and historically unique movement in that it translates the analysis of the problems of science into major institutional actions of system change in order to improve academic culture and the impact of science, engaging all actors in the field of science and academia.Table of ContentsChapter 1: Science and Society – Chapter 2: Images of Science: A reality check.- Science in Transition: How science goes wrong and what to do about it.- Chapter 4: Science & Society: pragmatism by default.- Chapter 5: Science in Social Contexts.- Chapter 6: Science in Transition reduced to Practice.- chapter 7: Transition to Open Science.

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Book SynopsisQuote by W. H. Auden.- Prefatory Note for the First Edition.- Acknowledgments for the Second Edition.- Table of Contents.- Editor’s Introduction to the Second Edition.- The Conceptual Content of the Book.- Introduction to the Conceptual Content of the Book.- BOOK ONE – PART I: Cosmological Explanation, B.C.- The Great Facts of the Heavens.- Plato.- Eudoxus and ‘Plato’s Problem’.- Aristotle.- BOOK ONE – PART II: Ptolemy and Prediction.- Pre-Ptolemaic Anticipations.- The Power of the Epicycle-on-Deferent Technique.- Three-Dimensional Variations of Ptolemy’s Technique.- Ptolemy’s Ancient Legacy.- BOOK TWO – PART I: The Medieval Rediscovery of Ptolemy’s Tool Box.- ‘The Ptolemaic System’.- Supplementary Material for Book Two, Part I.- BOOK TWO – PART II: Copernicus’ Systematic Astronomy.- The Copernican System.- Further Aspects of Copernican Astronomy in Contrast to All that had Gone Before.- Tycho and Copernicus.- BOOK THREE – PART I: Kepler.- Kepler and the ‘Clean’ Idea.- Supplementary Material for Book Three, Part I.- Index.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisFundamentals of Bayesian Epistemology provides an accessible introduction to the key concepts and principles of the Bayesian formalism. This volume introduces degrees of belief as a concept in epistemology and the rules for updating degrees of belief derived from Bayesian principles.Table of ContentsQuick Reference Preface I Our Subject 1: Beliefs and Degrees of Belief II The Bayesian Formalism 2: Probability Distributions 3: Conditional Credences 4: Updating by Conditionalization 5: Further Rational Constraints

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Book SynopsisIn this long-awaited book, pre-eminent analytical philosopher Alvin Plantinga argues that the conflict between science and theistic religion is actually superficial, and that at a deeper level they are in concord.Trade ReviewPlantinga is at his most persuasive when exhibiting defeats in the naturalist world-view. * Anthony Kenny, Times Literary Supplement *Plantinga is an intellectual heavyweight in the philosophy of religion, and those who want to keep abreast of the best work in this area would be well advised to read this long-awaited contribution. * The Tablet *Alvin Plantinga is one of the most eminent philosophers in the world, and a book from him on science and religion is of the first importance. It is a joy to see how he uses precise logical analysis to counter the arguments of his opponents, and issue a trenchant defence of Christian thought. * Keith Ward, Third Way *an engaging read ... a very good book, well worth reading by both theists and non-theists for its thoughtful consideration of difficult and contentious issues. I warmly recommend it. * Robert J. Deltete, Philosophy in Review *a robust defence of religion against the claim that it is defeated by science. * Julian Baggini, TPM *a highly worthwhile contribution to the contemporary science-and-religion debate, and one which brings the much needed voice of this rigorous philosopher to bear upon the complex conceptual issues at stake. ... The book is relatively technical, but thanks to Plantinga's generaous use of examples and the relegation of the most technical material to smaller print, the non-specialist should have little difficulty understanding the thrust of this excellent book. * Max Baker-Hytch, Theology *There is much ... to note and commend in this demanding and rewarding work. ... Yet the present reviewer regards the permanent value of this important book as lying in its critical implications for the beliefs of the 'New Atheism.' Not an easy read, admittedly - but for those with patience and perserverance, this is a highly commendable addition to a pastor's library. * Alister McGrath, Churchman *Table of ContentsChapter 1 Evolution and Christian Belief (1) ; Chapter 2 Evolution and Christian Belief (2) ; Chapter 3 Divine Action in the World ; Chapter 4 The New Picture ; Chap. 5 Evolutionary Psychology and Scripture Scholarship ; Chapter 6 Defeaters? ; Chapter 7 Fine-Tuning ; Chapter 8 Design Discourse ; Chapter 9 Deep Concord ; Chapter 10 Deep Conflict

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Book Synopsis''A delight'' Dara O Briain''A witty, smart writer who has a great talent'' Bill Gates''A winning blend of education and anecdote'' Clive Cookson, FTWhy are most gases invisible, odourless and tasteless? Why do some poison us and others make us laugh? And why do some power our engines while others make drinks fizzy? In It''s a Gas, Mark Miodownik masterfully reveals an invisible world through his unique brand of scientific storytelling.Taking us back to that exhilarating and often dangerous moment when scientists tried to work out exactly what they had discovered, Miodownik shows that gases are the formative substances of our modern world, each with its own weird and wonderful personality.We see how seventeenth-century laughing gas parties led to the first use of anaesthetics in surgery, how the invention of the air valve in musical instruments gave us bicycles, cars and trainers, and how gases made us masters of the sea (by huge steamships) and skies (via extremely flammable balloons). This delight of a book reveals the immense importance of gases to modern civilisation.

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Book SynopsisA brilliantly funny philosophical investigation into the existence of Santa - from a writer of The Big Bang Theory and The SimpsonsTrade ReviewEric Kaplan's Does Santa Exist? is the funniest book of philosophy since . . . well, ever -- Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons and FuturamaEric Kaplan is more than a talented comedy writer. He is a deep soul, an intellectual master, and a brilliant communicator of the subtleties of the intersections between faith and logic. He will have you laughing, thinking harder than you've ever thought, and falling in love with the process of intellectual exploration all over again. A masterpiece -- Mayim Bialik, PhD (neuroscience, UCLA), actress known for her role as Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler in The Big Bang TheoryIf you can put this book down, you should see a doctor. Kaplan's message burrows into the mind, beats up a few beliefs and then leaves with a triumphant bang -- Michael Gazzaniga, Professor of Psychology University of California Santa Barbara and Founder of the Cognitive Neuroscience Society

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Book SynopsisThis is the first English translation of Causalite´ et Lois de La Nature, and is an important contribution to the theory of causation.Trade ReviewPraise for the French language edition of Causalité et lois de la nature‘… it is a pleasure to read Kistler’s book and … its argument is very well developed. It is a remarkable example of the standards of clarity and precision that are achieved in today’s analytical philosophy of science.’Michael Esfedl, University of Konstanz, Germany: review of French language edition in Dialectica"… a wonderfully rich book by Max Kistler … not only a skilled writer in the history of philosophy; he also makes important and novel contributions both to the theory of causation and to the philosophy of laws of nature. (…) This book is already packed with good arguments. My impression is that Causalité et lois de la nature is important reading for all philosophers with an interest in laws of nature and causation. I will certainly be on the watch both for the translation of it and for forthcoming work by Max Kistler."Johannes Persson, Lund University, review in MindTable of Contents1. What is a Causal Relation? 2. Laws of Nature and Universal Generalisations 3. Applicability Conditions and the Concept of "Strict Law" 4. Consequences 5. The Nomological Theory of Causation and Causal Responsibility 6. Efficacious Properties and the Instantiation of Laws 7. Causal Responsibility and its Applications Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThis new book explores the radical reconceptions of knowledge and science emerging from constructivist epistemology, social studies of science, and contemporary cognitive science.Trade ReviewScandalously unimpressed by the charges, countercharges, and 'prudent' middle paths found in current disputes over science and truth, Barbara Herrnstein Smith deploys her ferocious intelligence, wicked wit, and broad understanding to provide us with a tonic mixture of empathy and resources for taking positions that are both informed and responsible. She does not flinch before the barrage of outrages; neither, this book in hand, need we. -- Susan Oyama, author of Evolution's Eye: A Systems View of the Biology-Culture Divide Professor Herrnstein Smith's work is known for its rigor, clarity, and cogency. The chief contribution of this book is to present a more historical, complex, and nuanced discussion of the epistemological issues at stake in the "science wars" than has hitherto been the norm. -- N. Katherine Hayles, John Charles Hillis Professor of Literature, English Department, University of California, Los Angeles Scandalously unimpressed by the charges, countercharges, and 'prudent' middle paths found in current disputes over science and truth, Barbara Herrnstein Smith deploys her ferocious intelligence, wicked wit, and broad understanding to provide us with a tonic mixture of empathy and resources for taking positions that are both informed and responsible. She does not flinch before the barrage of outrages; neither, this book in hand, need we. Professor Herrnstein Smith's work is known for its rigor, clarity, and cogency. The chief contribution of this book is to present a more historical, complex, and nuanced discussion of the epistemological issues at stake in the "science wars" than has hitherto been the norm.Table of ContentsContents; 1. Introduction: Scandals of Knowledge; 2. Pre-Post-Modern Relativism; 3. Netting Truth: Ludwik Fleck's Constructivist Genealogy; 4. Cutting-Edge Equivocation: Conceptual Moves and Rhetorical Strategies in Contemporary Anti-Epistemology; 5. Disciplinary Cultures and Tribal Warfare: The Sciences and the; Humanities Today; 6. Super Natural Science: The Claims of Evolutionary Psychology; 7. Animal Relatives, Difficult Relations; Works Cited; Index.

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Book SynopsisCould a computer have a mind? What kind of machine would this be? Exactly what do we mean by ''mind'' anyway?The notion of the ''intelligent'' machine, whilst continuing to feature in numerous entertaining and frightening fictions, has also been the focus of a serious and dedicated research tradition. Reflecting on these fictions, and on the research tradition that pursues ''Artificial Intelligence'', raises a number of vexing philosophical issues. Minds and Computers introduces readers to these issues by offering an engaging, coherent, and highly approachable interdisciplinary introduction to the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence.Readers are presented with introductory material from each of the disciplines which constitute Cognitive Science: Philosophy, Neuroscience, Psychology, Computer Science, and Linguistics. Throughout, readers are encouraged to consider the implications of this disparate and wide-ranging material for the possibility of developing machines with minds. And they can expect to de

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Book SynopsisThis book gives concise, accurate and illuminating accounts of key positions, concepts, arguments and figures in the philosophy of science. It aids understanding of current debates, explains their historical development and connects them with broader philosophical issues.

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Book SynopsisJames Williams sets out a new process philosophy of signs where signs are processes, not fixed relations. He develops his argument through a formal model and a series of case studies. He engages in dialogue with the philosophies of Deleuze and Whitehead, and in critical discussion with contemporary and historical theories of the sign.

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Book SynopsisThis is the first of a pair of volumes by Jonathan Hodge, collecting all his most innovative, revisionist and influential papers on Charles Darwin and on the longer run of theories about origins and species from ancient times to the present. The focus in this volume is on the diversity of theories among such pre-Darwinian authors as Lamarck and Whewell, and on developments in the theory of natural selection since Darwin. Plato's Timaeus, the Biblical Genesis and any current textbook of evolutionary biology are all, it may well seem, on this same enduring topic: origins and species. However, even among classical authors, there were fundamental disagreements: the ontology and cosmogony of the Greek atomists were deeply opposed to Plato's; and, in the millennia since, the ontological and cosmogonical contexts for theories about origins and species have never settled into any unifying consensus. While the structure of Darwinian theory may be today broadly what it was in Darwin's own argumentation, controversy continues over the old issues about order, chance, necessity and purpose in the living world and the wider universe as a whole. The historical and philosophical papers collected in this volume, and in the companion volume devoted to Darwin's theorising, seek to clarify the major continuities and discontinuities in the long run of thinking about origins and species.Trade Review’An invaluable resource...’ Scientific and Medical Network 'This [...] collection of previously published papers by Jonathan Hodge not only brings to light a number of essays published in now hard to find places but also offers an unparalleled opportunity for tracing the historiographic trajectory of a leading Darwin historian over more than thirty years of intellectual achievement.' Metascience 'Incisive is a good word to describe Hodge’s famous scholarly style. As some of these papers and reviews demonstrate, he gets to the crux of any issue effortlessly, and often with astonishing directness. Who else can pack such brainy 'oomph' in the space of just a few pages, and in the unconventional form of a review article, instead of some long-winded monograph-length treatise? That, I suspect, is one reason the collection includes so much trenchant work... a splendid collection that should be required reading for anyone interested in Darwin, Darwinism and the history of evolutionary thought.' Science & EducationTable of ContentsContents: Introduction; The Very Long Run: Origins and species before and after Darwin; Canguilhem and the history of biology. Cosmogonies and Ontologies After Buffon: 2 Cosmologies (theory of the Earth and theory of generation) and the unity of Buffon's thought; Lamarck's science of living bodies; Lamarck's great change of mind; The history of the Earth, life and Man: Whewell and palaetiological science; The universal gestation of nature: Chamber's Vestiges and Explanations. The Structure and Content of Darwinian Theory Since Darwin: The structure and strategy of Darwin's 'long argument'; Darwin's theory and Darwin's argument; Discussion: Darwin's argument in the Origin; Knowing about evolution: Darwin and his theory of natural selection; Generation and the origin of species (1837-1937): a historiographical suggestion; Biology and philosophy (including ideology): a study of Fisher and Wright; Natural selection as a causal, empirical and probabilistic theory; Index.

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Book SynopsisHogben escaped from a background of religious bigotry by the academic ladder and gained a major scholarship at Cambridge and graduated in 1916. During a noteworthy academic career, he found time to be active in the Fabian Society and in the London Labour Party. He also founded the Journal of Experimental Biology along with Julian Huxley and J.B.S. Haldane. He is most widely known for Mathematics for the Million and Science for the Citizen, and he played a big part in creating The Loom of Language.

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Book SynopsisMatteo Mameli is Reader in Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, King's College London, UK.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Part I 1. Cooperation Social Beings Political Animals Superorganisms 2. Transformation Natura Pura Natura Lapsa Regnum 3. Subordination Slaves and Women Slaves and Colonies Part II 4. Essentialism Sciences and Channels Darwin’s Barnacles Ideal Types and Genealogies After Essentialism 5. Post-Essentialism Statistical Typicality Human Diversity Human Niches and Human Praxis Our Common Humanity Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisWhat is self-control? Does a person need to be conscious to act? Are delusions always irrational? Questions such as these are fundamental for investigations into action and rationality, as well as how we assign responsibility for wrongdoing and assess clinical symptoms. Bridging the gap between philosophy and psychology, this interdisciplinary collection showcases how empirical research informs and enriches core questions in the philosophy of action.Exploring issues such as truth, moral judgement, agency, consciousness and cognitive control, chapters offer an overview of the current state of research, present new empirical findings and identify where future experimental work can further advance the frontier between philosophy and psychology. This is an essential resource for anyone looking to better understand how science and philosophy can meaningfully inform our knowledge of human agency.Trade ReviewThis cutting-edge collection impressively covers a wide range of topics, ranging from free will and moral responsibility to monothematic delusions. There is something here for everyone with an interest in the philosophy of action – experimental or otherwise – and for everyone with an interest in the very lively field of experimental philosophy. * Alfred Mele, William H. and Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy, Florida State University, USA *This impressive volume makes a powerful case for the value of experimental philosophy of action by showcasing recent experimentally-informed work on free will, self-control, moral judgment, reasoning, assertion, and animal agency. It undeniably advances our understanding of some of the most interesting questions at the intersection of philosophy, psychology, cognitive science, and the law. * Manuel Vargas, Professor of Philosophy, University of California San Diego, USA *This volume is a must for anyone interested in contemporary experimental work related to action theory. It beautifully illustrates ways in which a variety of experimental data can inform and constrain philosophical theorizing about action, normal and compromised agency, free will, ethics, and responsibility. * Adina L. Roskies, The Helman Family Distinguished Professor, Dartmouth College, USA *Many subfields in philosophy have profited from close engagement with relevant empirical sciences. With this volume, edited by Henne and Murray, philosophy of action takes a major step in this direction. These essays seamlessly weave together philosophical and empirical perspectives as they tackle core questions about agency. * Chandra Sripada, Professor of Philosophy and Psychiatry, University of Michigan, USA *Table of ContentsList of Figures List of Tables Notes on Contributors Introduction to Advances in Experimental Philosophy of Action, Samuel Murray and Paul Henne 1. Consciousness, Phenomenal Consciousness, and Free Will, Justin Sytsma and Melissa Snater 2. Skilled Action and Metacognitive Control, Myrto Mylopoulos 3. Bringing Self-Control into the Future, Samuel Murray 4. Who is Responsible? Split Brains, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and Implicit Attitudes, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong 5. The Everyday Irrationality of Monothematic Delusion, Paul Noordhof and Ema Sullivan-Bissett 6. Truth, Perspective, and Norms Of Assertion: New Findings and Theoretical Advances, John Turri 7. The Distinct Functions of Belief and Desire in Intentional Action Explanation, Joanna Korman 8. Free Enough: Human Cognition (and Cultural Interests) Warrant Responsibility, Cory J Clark, Heather M Maranges, Brian B Boutwell, and Roy F Baumeister 9. Beyond the Courtroom: Agency and the Perception of Free Will, Edouard Machery, Markus Kneer, Pascale Willemsen, and Albert Newen 10. Do Rape Cases Sit in a Moral Blindspot? The Dual Process Theory of Moral Judgment and Rape, Katrina L. Sifferd 11. How People Think About Moral Excellence: The Role of Counterfactual Thoughts in Reasoning about Morally Good Actions, Shane Timmons and Ruth M.J. Byrne 12. Why Idealized Agency Gets Animal (and Human) Agency Wrong, Caroline T. Arruda and Daniel J. Povinelli Index

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Book SynopsisPhilosophers approach the problem of possibility in two markedly different ways: with reference to worlds, whereby an event is possible if there is a world in which it occurs, and with reference to modal properties, whereby an event is a possible manifestation of a property of some substance or object.Showing how the world-account cannot properly explain the nature of possibilities within worlds, Ferenc Huoranszki argues that the latter approach is more plausible. He develops a theory of contingent possibilities grounded in a distinction between abilities and dispositions as real, first-order modal properties of objects, with fundamentally distinct ontological roles. By understanding abilities as first-order modal properties, and by linking such modal properties to counterfactual conditionals, Huoranszki argues we can distinguish between variably generic or specific abilities and identify more or less abstract possibilities in a world. In doing so, he furthers our understandingTrade ReviewThis book makes a worthwhile contribution to a serious ongoing debate in metaphysics. At times brilliant, The Metaphysics of Contingency has novel and challenging wisdom to offer on the nature and role of dispositions and powers that will interest both the Aristotelian and the Humean alike. Huoranszki’s account provides a worthy addition to a growing contemporary literature. * Stephen Mumford, Professor of Philosophy, Durham University, UK *Your coffee mug could have gotten broken when you accidentally dropped it on the floor this morning. Thank goodness it didn’t! But what makes it the case that there was such a contingent possibility? Ferenc Huoranszki’s book offers a fresh, engaging and valiantly defended contribution to the current debate on this topic. * Anna Marmodoro, Professor of Philosophy at Durham University and Associate Member of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Oxford, UK *Table of Contents1. Introduction: Contingency, Worlds and Properties 2. Abilities and Dispositions 3. Specificity and Intrinsicness 4. Abilities, Dispositions and Conditionals 5. Reasoning with Possibilities 6. Manifestations and Events 7. Concluding Remarks: Abilities, Qualities and the Priority of the Actual References Index

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Book SynopsisFabrizio Baldassarri and Craig Martin's volume sheds new light on the understudied Italian Renaissance scholar, Andrea Cesalpino and the diverse fields he wrote on. Contributors cover the multiple traditions that characterize Cesalpino's complex natural philosophy and medical theories, taking in epistemology, demonology, mineralogy, and botany.By moving beyond the established influence of Aristotle's texts on his work, Andrea Cesalpino and Renaissance Aristotelianism reflects the rich influences of Platonism, alchemy, and Galenism. Cesalpino's relation to the new sciences of the 17th century are traced through his direct influences, on Galileo, botany, and blood circulation. In combining Cesalpino's reception of these traditions alongside his connections to early modern science, this book provides a vital case study of Renaissance Aristotelianism.Trade ReviewThis volume provides an engaging series of studies that set Andrea Cesalpino’s philosophical and medical writings within the context of sixteenth-century thought. They show that his allegiance to Aristotelian assumptions did not prevent him from pursuing new lines of enquiry and coming to different solutions. * David Lines, Professor of Renaissance Philosophy and Intellectual History, University of Warwick, UK *Philosopher and physician, botanist and naturalist, Andrea Cesalpino engaged in many of the most contentious natural philosophical debates of the sixteenth century. The contributors to this volume unravel his complex strands of thought, draw connections within and across his works, and reveal Cesalpino’s centrality to early modern intellectual history. * Hannah Marcus, John and Ruth Hazel Associate Professor of the Social Sciences, Harvard University, USA *Table of ContentsAndrea Cesalpino. An Introduction, Fabrizio Baldassarri (University of Venice, Italy) and Craig Martin (University of Venice, Italy) Part I. Philosophy 1. Andrea Cesalpino’s Epistemology, Marco Sgarbi (Ca’ Foscari, Venice, Italy) 2. Philosophy, Medicine and Humanism in Cesalpino’s Investigation into Demons, Craig Martin (University of Venice, Italy) 3. Plato and Andrea Cesalpino’s Aristotelianism: A Revealing Marginality, Eva del Soldato (University of Pennsylvania, USA) 4. Cesalpino on Sensitive Powers and the Question of Divine Immanence, Andreas Blank (Klagenfurt University, Austria) 5. Andrea Cesalpino and the Rejection of the Celestial Spheres in Seventeenth-Century University of Edinburgh, David McOmish (Ca’ Foscari Venice, Italy) Part II. Natural Philosophy 6. Cesalpino’s (Aristotelian) Philosophy of Plants: A Science of Botany in the Renaissance, Fabrizio Baldassarri (University of Venice, Italy) 7. Aristotelian Metaphysics of the Vegetative Soul and Early Modern Plant Physiology: Comparison between Plant Functions in Aristotle, Pseudo-Aristotle, and Cesalpino, Corentin Tresnie and Quentin Hiernaux (both FNRS University of Brussels, Belgium) 8. Paratextual Debates in De plantis (1583): On the best Form of Botanical Prose, Garden and Things, and the Author-Figure of Cesalpino, Julia Heideklang (Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany) 9. Cesalpino’s Mineralogy between Meteorology and Chymistry, Hiro Hirai (Columbia University, USA) Part III. Medicine 10. Anatomy and Practice: Andrea Cesalpino’s Praxis universae artis medicae, R. Allen Shotwell (Ivy Tech Community College, USA) 11. Simple and Compound Drugs in Late Renaissance Medicine: The Pharmacology of Andrea Cesalpino (1593), Elisabeth Moreau (Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium) 12. Cesalpino’s Theory of Disease between Galenism and Renaissance Neoplatonism: De morbo gallico in Context, Carmen Schmechel (Freie University of Berlin, Germany) Index

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Book Synopsis''A dazzling chronicle, a bracing challenge to modernity''s smug assumptions'' - Bryce Christensen, Booklist''O what a world of profit and delightOf power, of honour and omnipotenceIs promised to the studious artisan.''Christopher Marlowe, Dr FaustusBetween the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, Europe changed out of all recognition and particularly transformative were the ardent quest for knowledge and the astounding discoveries and inventions which resulted from it. The movement of blood round the body; the movement of the earth round the sun; the velocity of falling objects (and, indeed, why objects fall) - these and numerous other mysteries had been solved by scholars in earnest pursuit of scientia. Several keys were on offer to thinkers seeking to unlock the portal of the unknown:Folk religion had roots deep in the pagan past. Its devotees sought the aid of spirits. They had stores of ancient wisdom, particTrade ReviewA dazzling chronicle, a bracing challenge to modernity's smug assumptions -- Bryce Christensen * Booklist *Covers a lot of ground without being superficial . . . a rich and interesting book -- Kostas Kampourakis * Springer Nature *

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Book SynopsisAlfred North Whitehead presented a regular course of 85 lectures which extended from September of 1924 to May 1925. These represent the first ever philosophy lectures he gave and capture him working out the philosophical implications of the remarkable turns that physics had taken in his lifetime.

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Book SynopsisThis is a classic work on the relationship between science and human qualities, made available again for today's readers.The authors ask questions still relevant today, such as what role can science play in describing everyday human experiences, such as greeting a friend with a smile? They trace the roots of materialism and consider human beings' physical participation in the world.Trade Review'In this brilliant book, the authors build a fascinating bridge between science and the world of the senses, a bridge that holds great promise for overcoming the fragmentation and alienation that is so characteristic of our time.'-- Fritjof Capra, author of The Tao of Physics and The Web of Life'Rethinking the foundations of a subject as fundamental to our culture as physics is a bold and challenging initiative... The alternative proposed by the authors could help to heal our alienation from nature -- which we are destroying -- without losing anything of value from science itself.' -- Brian Goodwin, author of How the Leopard Changed Its Spots and Nature's Due'This little book opens many important avenues for further research and development. It stands as an invitation to join the project of reimagining science.'-- Arthur Zajonc, author of Meditation as Contemplative Inquiry: When Knowing Becomes Love

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Book SynopsisMan s quest for speed is driven by two ambitions. One is the competitive urge to excel to go as fast as possible by any available means, and preferably to go faster than anybody else. The other, more practical, aim is to make travel and transport as swift and efficient as possible. This guide will appeal to readers with no specific scientific knowledge, yet with a thirst to know more about the world we live in.

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Book SynopsisThere is a wonderfully weird but real world out there, and we are a part of it. It is time for physics to take life seriously.Can we ever truly comprehend the universe before we fully understand consciousness and the wonders, and limits, of the mind? Ulf Danielsson, an acclaimed theoretical physicist who has dedicated his career to probing the deepest mysteries of nature, thinks not. As he dismantles the arguments of esteemed mathematicians and scientists, who would substitute their mathematical models for reality and equate the mind to a computer, he makes a lucid and passionate case that it is nature, full of beauty and meaning, which must compel us. In challenging established worldviews, he also takes a fresh look at major philosophical debates, including the notion of free will.Fearless, provocative, and witty, The World Itself is essential reading for anyone curious about the profound questions surrounding life, the universe, and everything.Trade Review“[A] thought-provoking treatment of an array of issues at the frontier of science and philosophy. . . . Well worth our attention.” —PopMatters“Engaging and varied. . . . Books like this invite us to direct our curiosities—both as groups and individuals—in useful ways.” —North of Oxford“Engrossing. . . . Danielsson’s clarity of thought and expression and his use of illuminating literary and historical references are equal to the quality of his writing. Science ‘popularizing’ doesn’t get much more comprehensible, or provocative, than this.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Danielsson takes readers on an odyssey through the width and depth of his field, and it is truly a fascinating journey. Touching on subjects as diverse as evolutionary biology, philosophy, and even popular culture, Danielsson makes his topics both appreciably substantial and approachable.” —Library Journal (starred review)“There are some mind-bending ideas and the philosophical reflections on math and physics are stimulating. . . . This pensive take on physics has much to offer.” —Publishers Weekly“The World Itself offers a bold perspective on mathematics, physics, and the nature of reality. There’s much I agree with and less that I don’t, but Ulf Danielsson, a leading theoretical physicist, proves himself an insightful and patient guide through some of the universe’s deepest mysteries.” —Brian Greene, author of The Fabric of the Cosmos and Until the End of Time“Danielsson is Sweden’s most important public writer on the implications of natural science. His lucid, powerful, passionate, and engaging work advances original arguments of great importance. The World Itself is destined to become a modern classic as it upends many of the received wisdoms about the scientific worldview.” —Martin Hägglund, author of This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom“Danielsson displays a remarkably broad understanding of science and philosophy, and dispenses with false notions about the world in this brief, yet provocative book. I hope it stimulates lots of discussion and debate, as it should. For those who have thought about these issues, there is much of interest here. For those who haven’t, this is a great place to start.” —Lawrence M. Krauss, author of A Universe from Nothing and The Known Unknowns“In this accessible and beautifully written book, Danielsson argues for views diametrically opposite to mine on the nature of intelligence, consciousness, and physical reality—I highly recommend it!” —Max Tegmark, author of Our Mathematical Universe and Life 3.0: Being Human In the Age of Artificial Intelligence

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Book SynopsisOlivier returns from New York to Paris to find his sister Constance in pieces. Trying to fulfil his brotherly duty, he discovers a world beyond his imagination. What has an ancient diagram got to do with it all? Why is colour a metaphor for our existence? Why is divination a science?

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