Philosophy of science Books

Book SynopsisHugh Everett III was an American physicist best known for his many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics, which formed the basis of his PhD thesis at Princeton University in 1957. This book presents the long and short versions of Everett's thesis along with a collection of his explanatory writings and correspondence.Trade Review"What can be said without dispute is that the present editors have done an excellent job in presenting the available material. Their book can be highly recommended to physicists in each of the two parallel branches of the mental universe!"--Peter J. Bussey, Contemporary Physics "This book will be very useful for historians as well any philosophers working on the development of interpretations of quantum theory."--K.-E. Hellwig, Zentralblatt MATH "[T]he book is a mandatory read for anyone interested in the history of the philosophy of quantum mechanics. The editors have skillfully grouped the material according to both chronological order and topical concern, and have added a fair amount of useful annotation, assisting the reader without being overly intrusive. Short but expertly written introductions provide necessary context on the biographical and conceptual dimensions. The book is also a fascinating and rewarding read."--Tilman Sauer, British Journal for the History of Science "In sum: Spinoza's metaphysics has returned in the work of Hugh Everett as physics--as a complete and consistent interpretation of QM that resolves the traditional puzzles of the standard interpretation."--Sheldon Richmond, Philosophy in ReviewTable of ContentsPREFACE xi PART I INTRODUCTION 1 CHAPTER 1: General Introduction 3 Everett and His Project 3 Everett's Target: The Measurement Problem 5 CHAPTER 2: Biographical Introduction 9 Basement Treasure 9 Life of Everett: The Short Story 10 Origins of the Theory 11 To Split or Not To Split 17 Operations Research 19 The Theory Matures 21 CHAPTER 3: Conceptual Introduction 26 The Quantum Measurement Problem 27 Everett's Proposed Resolution 34 Interpretations of Everett 37 On the Faithful Interpretation of Everett 50 PART II THE EVOLUTION OF THE THESIS 55 CHAPTER 4: Minipaper: Objective versus Subjective Probability (1955) 57 CHAPTER 5: Minipaper: Quantitative Measure of Correlation (1955) 61 CHAPTER 6: Minipaper: Probability in Wave Mechanics (1955) 64 CHAPTER 7: Correspondence: Wheeler to Everett (1955) 71 CHAPTER 8: Long Thesis: Theory of the Universal Wave Function (1956) 72 Introduction 72 Probability, Information, and Correlation 80 Quantum Mechanics 95 Observation 117 Supplementary Topics 133 Discussion 151 Appendix I 159 Appendix II: Remarks on the Role of Theoretical Physics 168 CHAPTER 9: Short Thesis: "Relative State" Formulation of Quantum Mechanics (1957) 173 Introduction 175 Realm of Applicability of the Conventional or "External Observation" Formulation of Quantum Mechanics 175 Quantum Mechanics Internal to an Isolated System 178 Concept of Relative State 179 Observation 183 Discussion 196 CHAPTER 10: Wheeler Article: Assessment of Everett's "Relative State" Formulation of Quantum Theory (1957) 197 PART III THE COPENHAGEN DEBATE 203 CHAPTER 11: Correspondence: Wheeler and Everett (1956) 205 Wheeler to Everett, May 22, 1956 205 Wheeler Notes on Conversation with Petersen, May 3, 1956 207 Wheeler to Everett, May 26, 1956 211 Wheeler to Everett, September 17, 1956 212 CHAPTER 12: Correspondence: Wheeler, Everett, and Stern (1956) 214 Stern to Wheeler, May 20, 1956 215 Wheeler to Stern, May 25, 1956 219 Wheeler to Everett, May 25, 1956 223 CHAPTER 13: Correspondence: Groenewold to Everett (1957) 225 Groenewold to Everett and Wheeler, April 11, 1957 226 CHAPTER 14: Correspondence: Everett and Wiener (1957) 231 Wiener to Wheeler, April 9, 1957 231 Everett to Wiener, May 31, 1957 234 CHAPTER 15: Correspondence: Everett and Petersen (1957) 236 Petersen to Everett, April 24, 1957 236 Everett to Petersen, May 31, 1957 238 CHAPTER 16: Correspondence: Everett and DeWitt (1957) 241 DeWitt to Wheeler, May 7, 1957 242 Everett to DeWitt, May 31, 1957 252 CHAPTER 17: Correspondence: Everett and Frank (1957) 257 Everett to Frank, May 31, 1957 257 Frank to Everett, August 3, 1957 259 CHAPTER 18 Correspondence: Everett and Jaynes (1957) 261 Everett to Jaynes, June 11, 1957 262 PART IV POST-THESIS CORRESPONDENCE AND NOTES 265 CHAPTER 19: Transcript: Conference at Xavier University (1959) 267 CHAPTER 20: Notes: Everett on DeWitt (1970) 280 CHAPTER 21: Notes: Everett on Bell (1971) 283 CHAPTER 22: Correspondence: Jammer, Wheeler, and Everett (1972) 291 Jammer to Wheeler, January 11, 1972 291 Wheeler to Jammer, March 19, 1972 292 Jammer to Everett, August 28, 1973 293 Everett to Jammer, September 19, 1973 294 CHAPTER 23: Transcript: Everett and Misner (1977) 299 CHAPTER 24: Correspondence: Everett and Levy-Leblond (1977) 311 Levy-Leblond to Everett, August 17, 1977 311 Everett to Levy-Leblond, November 15, 1977 313 CHAPTER 25: Correspondence: Everett and Raub (1980) 315 Everett to Raub, April 7, 1980 315 PART V APPENDIXES 317 Appendix A: Everett's Notes on Possible Thesis Titles 319 Appendix B: Early Draft Outline for Long Thesis 321 Appendix C: Universal Wave Function Note 324 Appendix D: Handwritten Draft Introduction to the Long Thesis 326 Appendix E: Handwritten Draft Conclusion to the Long Thesis 348 Appendix F: Handwritten Revisions to the Long Thesis for Inclusion in DeWitt and Graham (1973) 355 Appendix G: Handwritten Notes on Everett's Copy of DeWitt and Graham (1973) 364 CONCLUDING NOTES 367 BIBLIOGRAPHY 369 INDEX 375

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Book SynopsisA translation of one the major writings of Wilhelm Dilthey (1833-1911), a philosopher and historian of culture who continues to have a significant influence on Continental philosophy and a broad range of scholarly disciplines. It presents Dilthey's main theoretical works from the 1890s.Table of ContentsPreface to all Volumes vii Editorial Note to Volume ii xi introduction to volume ii xv Understanding the Human World CHAPTER I: Dilthey's Draft for a Preface (1911) 1 Translated by Rudolf A. Makkreel and Patricia Van Tuyl CHAPTER II: Inaugural Speech to the Prussian Academy (1887) 5 Translated by Patricia Van Tuyl CHAPTER III: The Origin of Our Belief in the Reality of the External World and Its Justifi cation (1890) 8 Translated by Maximilian Aue CHAPTER IV: Life and Cognition (1892-93) 58 Translated by Rudolf A. Makkreel and Jacob Owensby CHAPTER V: Ideas for a Descriptive and Analytic Psychology (1894) 115 Translated by Rudolf A. Makkreel and Donald Moore CHAPTER VI: Contributions to the Study of Individuality (1895-96) 211 Translated by Erdmann Waniek Glossary 285 Index 299

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Book SynopsisCan secularism offer us moral, aesthetic, and spiritual satisfaction? Or does the secular view simply affirm a dog-eat-dog universe? At a time when the issues of religion, evolution, atheism, fundamentalism, Darwin, and science fill headlines and invoke controversy, The Joy of Secularism provides a balanced and thoughtful approach for understandingTrade ReviewOne of The New Yorker's Reviewer's Favorites of 2011 "[T]he book valuably works over middle ground, the space vacated by both dogmatic religionists and dogmatic atheists. It is tolerant of, and even interested in, the varieties of religious practice, and maintains an engaged and equitable tone of voice. We might call this the New Secularism... Essays ... by Adam Phillips (on helplessness) and Rebecca Stott (on Darwinian wonderment), make for a nicely prismatic collection, in which the contributors happily pursue their own interests, and are often at their most secular when they're not trying especially hard to be. The book naturally radiates outward from its editorial theme as an ideal medieval town might spread outward--from a relaxed and unpoliced center."--James Wood, New Yorker "George Levine has put together a diverse collection on what it means to be a secularist, with thoughtful essays from philosophers, historians, literary critics, and evolutionary theorists... The essays are literate and sophisticated."--Simon Blackburn, Prospect "In his upbeat Introduction, Levine's own joy in his religionless world is amply manifest. He is rapt in nature, especially birds, so expressions of aesthetic awe and wonder predominate. Secularism is not a fall, he affirms. Or rather, it is a fall, but upward (in Amy Clampitt's words) into the dazzling sun. Is life worth living in a (religiously) disenchanted world? 'You bet!' Levine answers emphatically."--Tamas Pataki, Australian Book Review "This volume ... is a valuable first contribution to an important topic, and will no doubt inspire much more work in this area."--Whitley Kaufman, Philosophy in Review "While avoiding triumphalism, these essays make a powerful case for a secularism that is both intellectually rigorous and heartfelt."--Peter D Smith, Guardian "Demonstrating that a world of secular enchantment is a place worth living in, The Joy of Secularism takes a new and liberating look at a valuable and complex subject."--World Book IndustryTable of ContentsContributors vii Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 George Levine Chapter 1: Challenges for Secularism by Philip Kitcher 24 Chapter 2: Disenchantment--Reenchantment by Charles Taylor 57 Chapter 3: Enchantment? No, Thank You! by Bruce Robbins 74 Chapter 4: Shock Therapy, Dramatization, and Practical Wisdom by William E. Connolly 95 Chapter 5: Freud's Helplessness by Adam Phillips 115 Chapter 6: A Secular Wonder by Paolo Costa 134 Chapter 7: Prehuman Foundations of Morality by Frans B. M. de Waal 155 Chapter 8: The Truth Is Sacred by David Sloan Wilson 168 Chapter 9: Darwinian Enchantment by Robert J. Richards 185 10: The Wetfooted Understory: Darwinian Immersions by Rebecca Stott 205 Notes 225 Index 253

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The authors paint a detailed but dynamic recounting of how general relativity became what it is today." * Nature Astronomy *"Gutfreund and Renn . . . combine years of Einstein scholarship with readability and insight." * Science *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Works by Galileo’s seventeenth-century contemporaries, translated by Stefano Gattei, reveal at first hand the making of his myth in a tumultuous era."---Barbara Kiser, Nature"This book is a major scholarly achievement and represents the first collection and translation into English of the earliest biographical accounts of Galileo’s life . . . The book gives readers many fascinating key insights into Galileo’s life, work and character." * Paradigm Explorer *"This volume is a splendid contribution to Galileo’s afterlife."---Eileen Reeves, Journal for the History of Astronomy"Gattei’s philological and translation work is impeccable and the volume is completed by a rich apparatus as well as numerous historical illustrations. A gem in the editorial market on Galileo."---Matteo Valleriani, Metascience

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The author’s writing is an admirable blend of substantive, hardheaded scholarship and illustrative, homespun cases and examples accessible to many readers."---D.B. Boersema, Choice

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Bedeviled admirably insists on recording the plain history of science. It just so happens that the history of that most rational of human endeavors reads at times like a Gothic tale, one replete with evil geniuses, time travelers and uncanny intelligences lurking in reality’s obscure corners."---Jess Keiser, Washington Post"Thought-provoking and highly readable . . . A welcome contribution to the philosophy of scientific discovery that deserves further scholarly attention."---Jan G. Michel, Science"A brilliant, challenging overview of the myth-driven scientific endeavors that transform human understandings of the world." * Foreword Reviews *"The workings of powerful computers, the processes of evolution, the market forces that drive the global economy. To conceptualize such unseen forces, researchers have long invoked thought experiments involving demons, devils, golems or genies . . . Canales has given us a glimpse into this haunted realm."---Ramin Skibba, Nature"At the very same time that science was said to be demystifying the world, Canales shows us, scientists were populating it all over again with the demonic. . . . [Canales] links her demonology to what she calls 'the audacity of our imagination,' our ability to imagine what does not yet exist or seems as if it cannot be real."---Casey Cep, New Yorker"In this fascinating and informative book Canales treats the reader to a rich feast of scientific demons, tracing their histories and relevance from atomic and molecular physics to computer science and biology, including a chapter on demons in the global economy."---V. V. Raman, Choice"A welcome, in-depth historical investigation of the many functions that demons have played and continue to play in science and technology."---Rawad El Skaf, History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"This book makes an entertaining, engaging and informative effort to tackle a notoriously difficult topic: Albert Einstein's influence on society and culture... [The book] give[s] a rather balanced and authoritative portrayal of the man and his cultural context, while drawing attention to several entertaining sidelights of his life and career."--Daniel Kennefick, American Scientist "This lovely compendium of essays on Einstein's cultural impact is as stunning in its breadth as Einstein was in his science. Among the book's contributors are such luminaries as Lisa Randall and E.L. Doctorow. Browsing through this book is like eavesdropping on the reminiscences of great artists, novelists, historians, and scientists as they discuss their favorite old teachers. How remarkable, then, that they are all discussing the same man."--Seed Magazine "Books on Einstein are scarcely in short supply but much of this collection feels fresh, probably because, astonishingly, Einstein's work is still, at the forefront of physics. But it's also because his life touched so many worlds outside science, including nuclear weapons, Nazi Germany, Zionism and the Arab-Israeli conflict, civil rights and the arts."--Andrew Robinson, Financial Times "A remarkable volume... At turns illuminating and disorientating, this is a book that I can recommend to all those interested in that eternal enigma, Albert Einstein."--Brian Foster, Physics World "There are many books written about Einstein, but this is one of the most important that this reviewer has ever read. This work clearly articulates the complex nature of this man, his thought, and this overwhelming influence on the cultural identity of much of the world, even though it has been over 50 years since his death."--G. D. Oberle III, Choice "The book is correctly advertised as speaking 'to everyone with an interest' in Einstein's work; it makes a wonderful gift. It also marks the way toward a gradual transformation of Albert Einstein as he lived into the Mythos Einstein."--Hubert Goenner, Journal for the History of AstronomyTable of ContentsIntroduction ix PART 1: Solitude and World Chapter 1: Who Was Einstein? Why Is He Still So Alive? by Gerald Holton 3 Chapter 2: A Short History of Einstein's Paradise beyond the Personal by Lorraine Daston 15 Chapter 3: Einstein's Jewish Identity by Hanoch Gutfreund 27 Chapter 4: Einstein and God by Yehuda Elkana 35 Chapter 5: Einstein's Unintended Legacy: The Critique of Common-Sense Realism and Post-Modern Politics by Yaron Ezrahi 48 Chapter 6: Subversive Einstein by Susan Neiman 59 Chapter 7: Einstein and Nuclear Weapons by Silvan S. Schweber 72 PART 2: Art and World Chapter 8: Einstein and 20th-Century Art: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Linda Dalrymple Henderson 101 Chapter 9: Rendering Time by Caroline A. Jones 130 Chapter 10: Into the Bleed: Einstein and 21st-Century Art by Matthew Ritchie 150 Chapter 11: Einstein and Music by Leon Botstein 161 Chapter 12: Seeing the Unseen by E. L. Doctorow 176 PART 3: Science and World Chapter 13: The Assassin of Relativity by Peter L. Galison 185 Chapter 14: Space, Time, and Geometry: Einstein and Logical Empiricism by Michael L. Friedman 205 Chapter 15: Einstein as a Student by Dudley Herschbach 217 Chapter 16: Learning from Einstein: Innovation in Science by Jurgen Renn 239 Chapter 17: Einstein and 'h: Advances in Quantum Mechanics by Jurg Frohlich 257 Chapter 18: Einstein's Unknown Contribution to Quantum Theory by A. Douglas Stone 270 Chapter 19: Einstein and the Quest for a Unified Theory by David Gross 287 Chapter 20: Energy in Einstein's Universe by Lisa Randall 299 Notes 311 Contributors 341 Index 349

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the 2018 Daniel Giraud Elliot Medal, National Academy of Sciences""Homology, Genes, and Evolutionary Innovation makes a seminal contribution to evolutionary biology. As Wagner argues, his view provides an opportunity for a major research program on the study of novelty as distinct from adaptation."---Carl Simpson and Douglas H. Erwin, Science"There is much information that is good here." * Choice *"The book is beautifully written, in a precise yet conversational and often humorous tone; still, it is not light reading. Like the chocolate tortes of the author's native Vienna, it requires time to savor. Buy it, and find a seat in your favorite library or café in which to appreciate its richness."---J. A. Bolker, Evolution and Development"This is a book I've waited for all of my professional life (plus a bit--I'm 80)."---Gorkana Group, Biologist"[A]s a treatise on the homology concept in relation to evolutionary morphological novelties, we cannot think of a better current treatment. We congratulate the author for having written a truly inspiring book that will influence the field for many years to come."---Lennart Olsson, Systematic Biology"It is with great pleasure that readers may learn in the pages of Günter Wagner's book how to solve such recalcitrant de Beerian puzzles by their own, guided by the author's expertise both as a gifted philosopher and first rank scientist. . . . Wagner's beautifully written four hundred and twenty five pages are full of important qualifications of the framework and excellent illustrations of each and every of the author's points."---Guillermo Lorenzo González, Theorema"Deeply thought provoking. . . . This survey of homology in the light of modern genetic research . . . is timely and helpful."---Peter Moore, The Bulletin

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Suzanne J. Levinson Prize, History of Science Society""Shortlisted for the Pickstone Prize, British Society for the History of Science""A multifaced and original discussion of the curious life of the 'killer ape' theory within American culture."---Marcia Holmes, Times Higher Education"Coupling her study with research shifting from humankind’s inclination for violence to their more destructive treatment of the environment will reveal that those same factors will continue to remain progressive."---G. Donato, Choice Reviews"[A] fascinating and very well-documented account of disputes about human nature. . . . A major work like Creatures of Cain: The Hunt for Human Nature in Cold War America informs and intrigues, it raises questions, and points to avenues of more research. [Erika] Milam is to be congratulated."---Michael Ruse, The Quarterly Review of Biology"Milam’s book . . . is deeply researched as well as lucidly written. . . . Historians will find much to reward them in Creatures of Cain. . . . Historians broadly interested in the social and political landscapes of mid-century U.S. intellectual life will value Milam’s book for its deft interweaving of science, public intellectualism, and American social and political anxieties"---Joy Rohde, American Historical Review"Milam has made a significant and innovative contribution to the historiography of anthropology . . . . A novel perspective on anthropology’s impact and influence."---Robert Hancock, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute"A tour de force, a historical study that offers a well-researched, meticulous examination of how a diverse community of scientists debated the meaning of human nature in the United States after World War II."---Michal Shapira, Isis"Creatures of Cain brings to light the ways in which the circulation of knowledge actually took place."---Marianne Sommer, Journal of the History of Biology"Erika Lorraine Milam’s Creatures of Cain is an exemplary work in the cultural history of modern science. The research is thorough, the material fascinating, the writing lucid and, at times, gripping."---Alex Aylward, Birkhauser (N.T.M)"Creatures of Cain is likely to become a classic in history of science studies. The work is beautifully written and has layers of rich detail, much of which could be mined for gaining insights on contemporary debates."---Roger Chapman, Cercles

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Physicist Hanoch Gutfreund and historian Jürgen Renn provide a sparky commentary."---Andrew Robinson, Nature"[Einstein on Einstein] provides context, commentary, and background and explores Einstein’s thinking, theories, and contributions."---Dan Aubrey, U.S. 1"The opportunity to read Einstein’s musings, interpreted by two current leaders in Einstein studies, is valuable to all interested in the history or philosophy of physics as well as in Einstein himself."---Jay Paschoff, The Key Reporter"The main commentaries give hugely valuable insights into the development of Einstein’s thinking and how he positioned himself with respect to his predecessors and contemporaries."---David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer ​​​​​​​

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Book SynopsisA fundamentally new approach to the history of science and technologyThis book presents a new way of thinking about the history of science and technology, one that offers a grand narrative of human history in which knowledge serves as a critical factor of cultural evolution. Jurgen Renn examines the role of knowledge in global transformations gTrade Review"[Renn’s] new tour de force, The Evolution of Knowledge, addresses all those concerned with science’s fate. . . . In the 1930s, at a moment of existential crisis comparable to today’s, [Edmund] Husserl likewise sought to reorient science around shared human experiences and common human needs. Yet Husserl, a notoriously opaque writer, had little hope of communicating his message to the scientific community. With this lucid and accessible book, Renn stands a far greater chance of success."---Deborah R. Coen, Science"This is an important book and one that powerfully advances our understanding of how knowledge operates in society while directly engaging with pressing contemporary issues."---Geoffrey Cantor, Times Higher Education"A global history of knowledge is a breathtakingly ambitious project. . . . Renn faces down the difficulties of crafting such an account with skill and resolve. The result is provocative and challenging."---Joseph D. Martin, Physics Today"In The Evolution of Knowledge, both academics and nonacademics concerned with the state of our planet will find a lot to think with and elaborate on. This erudite, rich, and important book indeed opens conversations rather than closing them."---Raf De Bont, Isis"This book should be required reading for all who consider themselves students of the history of knowledge."---Alfred Freeborn, History of Human Sciences"An inspiring survey of the products of Renn's long career."---Jeremy Trevelyan Burman, Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Foundations of Political Theory Section First Book Award, American Political Science Association""In a post-COVID world where contestation of both science and public institutions is on the rise, Pamuk’s book will remain a central point of reference for institutional theorists in the years to come."---Mikołaj Szafrański, LSE Review of Books"It is not often that we come across a book that comprehensively identifies, addresses and explores the very problems that are currently affecting the daily lives of us all. . . . In the midst of the ongoing controversies surrounding issues like COVID, climate change and genetic engineering (to name but a few), this contribution could not be more relevant or more welcome."---Oliver Dowen, Political Studies Review"Illuminating. . . . Pamuk provides an exceptionally clear and nuanced analysis of many complex issues, and she offers promising institutional proposals for improving the role of scientific research and expert advice in democratic politics"---Mark B. Brown, Perspectives on Politics"Lucid, rigorous, and tightly written. . . . Pamuk has accomplished a great deal of analytical and imaginative work, and as debates about the proper relationship between politics and science continue to develop, Politics and Expertise is guaranteed to remain a touchstone in and beyond the field of political theory."---Matthew Benjamin Cole, The Review of Politics

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Bedeviled admirably insists on recording the plain history of science. It just so happens that the history of that most rational of human endeavors reads at times like a Gothic tale, one replete with evil geniuses, time travelers and uncanny intelligences lurking in reality’s obscure corners."---Jess Keiser, Washington Post"Thought-provoking and highly readable . . . A welcome contribution to the philosophy of scientific discovery that deserves further scholarly attention."---Jan G. Michel, Science"A brilliant, challenging overview of the myth-driven scientific endeavors that transform human understandings of the world." * Foreword Reviews *"The workings of powerful computers, the processes of evolution, the market forces that drive the global economy. To conceptualize such unseen forces, researchers have long invoked thought experiments involving demons, devils, golems or genies . . . Canales has given us a glimpse into this haunted realm."---Ramin Skibba, Nature"At the very same time that science was said to be demystifying the world, Canales shows us, scientists were populating it all over again with the demonic. . . . [Canales] links her demonology to what she calls 'the audacity of our imagination,' our ability to imagine what does not yet exist or seems as if it cannot be real."---Casey Cep, New Yorker"In this fascinating and informative book Canales treats the reader to a rich feast of scientific demons, tracing their histories and relevance from atomic and molecular physics to computer science and biology, including a chapter on demons in the global economy."---V. V. Raman, Choice"A welcome, in-depth historical investigation of the many functions that demons have played and continue to play in science and technology."---Rawad El Skaf, History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences

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Book Synopsisaeo The first comprehensive, critical study of one of the foremost twentieth--century philosophers of science -- Paul Feyerabend. aeo The book will be an excellent introduction to Feyerabenda s work for students in philosophy.Trade Review'This is a brave, direct, competent, insightful and sympathetic exposition of the total output of one of the best-known, most admired, least comprehended philosophers of the second half of the twentieth century. It is a fair critical assessment of Feyerabend's work as intriguing and inspired but as falling short of his goal.' Joseph Agassi, York University, Ontario, Canada 'Preston provides a sympathetic but critical account of Feyerabend's work. The scope is comprehensive and the treatment is fair-minded, sensible and thoroughly professional. The content is certainly better than anything I have encountered on Feyerabend. It can be read by those who have not read Feyerabend and by those whose acquaintance with philosophy of science is limited or non-existent.' William Newton-Smith, Balliol College, Oxford 'John Preston has done us a signal service in charting the chages in Feyerabend's thought and in sympathetically explaining why he thought what he did.' MindTable of ContentsPreface. Acknowledgements. Notes on References. Introduction: Feyerabend's Life and Work. 1. Philosophy and the Aim of Science. 2. Meaning: The Attack on Positivism. 3. Theories of Observation. 4. Scientific Realism and Instrumentalism. 5. Theoretical Monism. 6. Incommensurability. 7. Theoretical Pluralism. 8. Materialism. 9. Science without Method. 10. Relativism, Rationalism and a Free Society. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

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Book SynopsisBruno Latour is among the most important figures in contemporary philosophy and social science. His ethnographic studies have revolutionized our understanding of areas as diverse as science, law, politics and religion.Trade Review"For those utterly bewildered yet enthralled or those who would simply like a guide to take them through the maze of Latour's writing, the work of De Vries offers the perfect answer. De Vries' great explanatory style and the clear guiding lines that the books sets out makes this a very valuable resource for anyone who wishes to study Latour without getting lost." Waterstones AmsterdamTable of ContentsPreface 1 Empirical philosophy 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Making Paris visible 1.3 The path towards 'empirical philosophy' 1.4 The power of addition 2 Science studies 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Sociology of Scientific Knowledge 2.3 An anthropologist visits a laboratory 2.4 Anatomy of a scientific paper 2.5 Realism in and about science 3 Science and society 3.1 Introduction 3.2 The Pasteurization of France: War and Peace of Microbes 3.3 The Pasteurization of France: Irreductions 3.4 Another turn after the social turn 3.5 The turn to ontology 4 Another social science 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Deploying what makes up the social 4.3 Deploying how the social is stabilized 4.4 Shifting focus 5 A philosophy for our time 5.1 Introduction 5.2 We have never been modern 5.3 The modern Constitution 5.4 Relationism 5.5 Cosmopolitics 6 A comparative anthropology of the Moderns 6.1 Introduction 6.2 A research protocol for a comparative anthropology 6.3 'Empirical philosophy' redefined 6.4 Inquiring 'modes of existence' 6.5 The modern experience: fifteen modes 6.6 Facing 'Gaia' 7 Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisDoes the future exist already? What is space? Are time machines physically possible? What is quantum mechanical reality like? Are there many universes? Is there a 'true' geometry of the universe? Why does there appear to be an arrow of time? Do humans play a special role in the world? In this unique introductory book, Dean Rickles guides the reader through these and other core questions that keep philosophers of physics up at night. He discusses the three pillars of modern physics (quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and the theories of relativity), in addition to more cutting-edge themes such as econophysics, quantum gravity, quantum computers, and gauge theories. The book's approach is based on the idea that philosophy of physics is a kind of 'interpretation game' in which we try to map physical theories onto our world. But the rules of this game often lead to a multiplicity of possible victors: rarely do we encounter a simple answer. The Philosophy of Physics offers a highly aTrade Review"A real blast. No other beginner-level book in philosophy of physics provides such a synoptic view of the subject. But what really makes the book fun is Rickles' ability to convey how astonishing these physical puzzles are, in with an informal, witty voice." Craig Callender, University of California, San Diego "A wonderfully insightful and refreshing approach to the philosophy of physics, Rickles' book lays out the philosophical issues in an extremely clear and highly absorbing way, taking the reader on a fascinating journey through the twists and turns that lie at the heart of modern physics. Highly recommended!" Margaret Morrison, University of Toronto "The Philosophy of Physics is impressively written in a fully accessible and lively style." Midwest Book ReviewTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements 1 Interpreting Physical Theories 2 General Concepts of Physics 3 Symmetries in Physics 4 Getting Philosophy from Symmetry 5 Further Adventures in Space and Time 6 Linking Micro to Macro 7 Quantum Philosophy 8 On the Edge: A Snapshot of Advanced Topics Glossary Notes References

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Book SynopsisFree-roaming killer drones stalk the battlespace looking for organic targets. Human combatants are programmed to feel no pain. High-power microwave beams detonate munitions, jam communications, and cook internal organs.Trade Review"A clearly written and well-paced investigation into the character and nature of war, and the role of science and scientists in determining both. There are fascinating insights into 3D guns, non-lethal weapons and the author�s speciality, space-based systems. Bridging the worlds of scholarship and military practice, Dolman is uniquely qualified to comment on the science/war nexus and how all this impacts on the 'real world'."Christopher Coker, London School of Economics"Can Science End War? illustrates the changing nature of technology and human conflict with vivid analysis of war fought from ancient history to today, and a terrifying view of how modern science could influence future outbreaks of violence. Current events such as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, access to space, and new operations in the cyber environment demand that we understand and confront the questions Dolman puts before us. Our political, military, and scientific communities need to consider the challenges he poses if we are to accurately navigate the path to peace in this rapidly changing world; for, after all, ignorance is the reason all wars are lost."General Charles A. Horner, former USAF Four-Star General and Commander in Chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Space Command "At a time when many seem determined to seek simple technological solutions to the complex political and human problem of future armed conflict, Dolman�s perspective may help to correct unwise thinking about defence and international security." Survival: Global Politics and StrategyTable of ContentsPreface: Be Careful What You Look For page vi 1 Can Science End War? 1 2 Is War Good for Science? 26 3 Can Scientists End War? 50 4 Can Science Limit War? 77 5 What Will Tomorrow’s War Look Like? 106 6 What Will End War? 138 Epilogue 168 Bibliography 174 Index 181

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Book SynopsisFree-roaming killer drones stalk the battlespace looking for organic targets. Human combatants are programmed to feel no pain. High-power microwave beams detonate munitions, jam communications, and cook internal organs.Trade Review"A clearly written and well-paced investigation into the character and nature of war, and the role of science and scientists in determining both. There are fascinating insights into 3D guns, non-lethal weapons and the author�s speciality, space-based systems. Bridging the worlds of scholarship and military practice, Dolman is uniquely qualified to comment on the science/war nexus and how all this impacts on the �real world�."Christopher Coker, London School of EconomicsCan Science End War? illustrates the changing nature of technology and human conflict with vivid analysis of war fought from ancient history to today, and a terrifying view of how modern science could influence future outbreaks of violence. Current events such as the proliferation of nuclear weapons, access to space, and new operations in the cyber environment demand that we understand and confront the questions Dolman puts before us. Our political, military, and scientific communities need to consider the challenges he poses if we are to accurately navigate the path to peace in this rapidly changing world; for, after all, ignorance is the reason all wars are lost.General Charles A. Horner, former USAF Four-Star General and Commander in Chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Space Command "At a time when many seem determined to seek simple technological solutions to the complex political and human problem of future armed conflict, Dolman�s perspective may help to correct unwise thinking about defence and international security." Survival: Global Politics and StrategyTable of ContentsPreface: Be Careful What You Look For page vi 1 Can Science End War? 1 2 Is War Good for Science? 26 3 Can Scientists End War? 50 4 Can Science Limit War? 77 5 What Will Tomorrow’s War Look Like? 106 6 What Will End War? 138 Epilogue 168 Bibliography 174 Index 181

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Book SynopsisPatrick Suppes is a philosopher and scientist whose contributions range over probability and statistics, mathematical and experimental psychology, the foundations of physics, education theory, the philosophy of language, measurement theory, and the philosophy of science.Table of ContentsVolume 1: Introduction; P. Humphreys. Part I: Probability. Some Contributions to Formal Theory of Probability; K. Popper, D. Miller. Elementary Non-Archimedean Representations of Probability for Decision Theory and Games; P.J. Hammond. Random Sequences and Hypotheses Tests; R. Chuaqui. Changing Probability Judgements; I. Levi. Upper and Lower Probability; T.L. Fine. Some Connections between Epistemic Logic and the Theory of Nonadditive Probability; P. Mongin. On the Properties of Conditional Independence; W. Spohn. Qualitative Probabilities Revisited; Z. Domotor. The Monks' Vote: a Dialogue on Unidimensional Probabilistic Geometry; J.-C. Falmagne. Part II: Probabilistic Causality. Probabilistic Causation without Probability; P.W. Holland. Causal Tendency, Necessitivity and Sufficientivity: an Updated Review; I.J. Good. Practical Causal Generalizations; E.W. Adams. In Place of Regression; C. Glymour, P. Spirtes, R. Scheines. Testing Probabilistic Causality; D. Costantini. Psychologistic Aspects of Suppes' Definition of Causality; P. Legrenzi, M. Sonino. Name Index. Subject Index. Volume 2: Part III: Philosophy of Physics. Probability and Quantum Theory; B. Loewer. Schrödinger's Version of EPR, and its Problems; A. Fine. Classical Field Magnitudes; J. Vuillemin. Quantity, Representation and Geometry; B. Mundy. Numerical Experimentation; P. Humphreys. Part IV: Theory Structure. Theories and Theoretical Models; R. Wojcicki. Suppes Predicates and the Construction of Unsolvable Problems in the Axiomatized Sciences; N.C.A. da Costa, F.A. Doria. StructuralExplanation; J.D. Sneed. Part V: Measurement Theory. Fifteen Problems concerning the Representational Theory of Measurement; R.D. Luce, L. Narens. The Meaningfulness of Ordinal Comparisons for General Order Relational Systems; F.S. Roberts, Z.S. Rosenbaum. Theories as Nets: the Case of Combinatorial Measurement Theory; C.U. Moulines, J.A. Díez. Name Index. Subject Index. Volume 3: Part VI: Philosophy of Language and Logic. Patrick Suppes' Contribution to the Philosophy of Language; D. Føllesdal. Open Problems in Relational Grammar; M. Böttner. A Variable-Free Logic for Anaphora; W.C. Purdy. Is Snow White? J. Moravcsik. Can there be Reasons for Putting Limitations on Classical Logic? P. Weingartner. Quantum Logic as a Logic of Identification; J. Hintikka, I. Halonen. Logic and Probability in Quantum Mechanics; M.L. dalla Chiara, R. Giuntini. Part VII: Learning Theory, Action Theory, and Robotics. From Stimulus-Sampling to Array-Similarity Theory; W.K. Estes. Action as Seeing to it that Something is the Case; R. Tuomela, G. Sandu. Command Satisfaction and the Acquisition of Habits; C. Crangle. Part VIII: General Philosophy of Science. Some Observations on Patrick Suppes' Philosophy of Science; M.C. Galavotti. Epilogue. Postscript; P. Suppes. Chronological and Topical Bibliography of Patrick Suppes' Publications. Name Index. Subject Index.

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Book SynopsisThe first systematic study of the aesthetic evaluations that scientists pass on their theories.Trade ReviewA valuable, important, persuasively argued book. Highly recommended. * Choice *This is a great book. It clearly and concisely does what it sets out to do: it examines the basic philosophical and sociological theories of the role of aesthetics in science, it identifies the critical assumptions and contradictions that differentiate these views, and it provides a carefully reasoned, well-documented and novel approach to the issues. Best of all, the book is eminently readable. Anyone interested in the bases of scientific controversies, the nature of scientific revolutions, or the similarities and differences between the sciences and the arts should definitely read McAllister's book. It may prove to be as fundamental as Thomas S. Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions. * American Scientist *

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Book SynopsisThe study concludes with an analysis of simultaneity's importance in general relativity and quantum mechanics.Trade ReviewConcepts of Simultaneity excels at clearly explaining subtle but important issues. The book is incisive and valuable; it will appeal not only to historians and philosophers of physics but also to physicists drawn to the elements of special relativity. -- Alberto A. Martinez Physics Today 2007 This interesting, carefully crafted analysis of some fundamental ideas belongs in good college library collections... Highly recommended. Choice 2007 Concepts of Simultaneity provides a welcome survey of the development of our views and theories of simultaneity, bringing together sources in history, physics and philosophy. The book covers an impressive array of material. -- Jill North American Scientist 2008 The view of simultaneity presented by Max Jammer is almost breathtaking... I think Jammer has written a valuable book. -- Allen I. Janis Sudies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics Presents a very well-researched and thought-provoking analysis of the topic. -- Mark Shumelda History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences 2007 I highly recommend the book. -- Craig Callender Isis 2008 Jammer's book is a significant contribution to the literature on the physics of time and merits the attention of both physicists and philosophers of science. -- Howard E. Brandt Mathematical Reviews 2009Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroduction1. Terminological Preliminaries2. The Concept of Simultaneity in Antiquity3. Medieval Conceptions of Simultaneity4. The Concept of Simultaneity in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries5. The Concept of Simultaneity in Classical Physics6. The Transition to the Relativistic Conception of Simultaneity7. Simultaneity in the Special Theory of Relativity8. The Reception of the Relativistic Conception of Simultaneity9. The Conventionality Thesis10. The Promulgation of the Conventionality Thesis11. Symmetry and Transitivity of Simultaneity12. Arguments against the Conventionality Thesis13. Clock Transport Synchrony14. Recent Debates on the Conventionality of Simultaneity15. Simultaneity in General Relativity and in Quantum MechanicsEpilogueIndex

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Book SynopsisThought-provoking and controversial, Lawless Universe is a complement to, even an antidote for, books that create the misimpression that science can explain everything.Trade ReviewDr. Rosen knocks down the structure of good science and rebuilds it for the reader, brick by brick, beginning with the most basic differences between objectivity and subjectivity. And through topics that might otherwise leave readers feeling adrift-like quantum theory, metaphysics, and the anthropic principle-Dr. Rosen proves a calm, conscientious guide who sticks by the reader's side. GW Magazine/GW Today 2011Table of ContentsPreface1. Objective or Subjective: That Is the QuestionObjective and SubjectiveThe Objective Outer World: RealityOur Subjective Inner Worlds: FantasiesObjective or Subjective?Objective TruthSubjective TruthLogical TruthDealing with the SubjectiveDealing with the Objective2. The Science of Nature and the Nature of SciencePreliminariesScienceNatureReproducibilityPredictabilityLaw3. Theory: Explanation, Not SpeculationTheoryLogical Implication and Objective TruthGenerality and FundamentalityNaturalityCausationSimplicity and UnificationBeautyFalsifiabilityAn Archetypal Example4. Is Science the Whole Story?Science and MetaphysicsTranscendence and Nontranscendence5. Our Unique UniverseThe Lawless UniverseCosmology6. Nature's LawsRealism and IdealismReductionism and HolismObserver and ObservedQuasi-Isolated System and SurroundingsInitial State and Law of EvolutionExtended Mach PrincipleWhence Order?7. Facing the UniverseHuman ScienceAnthropic PrincipleWhence Order? (Again)Space and Time8. The Hunt for RealityMetaphysical PositionsObjective RealityPerceived RealityPartially Hidden RealityTranscendent RealityCodaGlossaryCombined BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe papers from the 2000 symposium of the Royal Society of Canada explore the crucial relationship between science and ethics. In the six papers, presented by scholars and practitioners in fields as varied as psychiatry, law, philosophy, and ethics, the contributors address the central place of ethics in scientific policy, research, and practice. Historic decisions like the place of the 1947 Nuremberg Code, adopted by the International War Crimes Tribunal to establish the foundational ethical principals of research involving human subjects; contemporary policy concerning, and institutional responsibility for, the protection of human subjects; science, technology, and copyright laws in Canada; xenotransplantation (the process of grafting living cells, tissues, and organs from animals to human beings); the privatization of biomedical research; and the relationship between ethics, policies, and research experts: these are the topics under discussion in this timely collection of

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the arguments and behavior of the scientists who have been locked in conflict over two competing theories to explain why, 65 million years ago, most life on earth—including the dinosaurs—perished.

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Book SynopsisIs science unified or disunified? Over the last century, the question has raised the interest (and hackles) of scientists, philosophers, historians, and sociologists of science, for at stake is how science and society fit together. Recent years have seen a turn largely against the rhetoric of unity, ranging from the please of condensed matter physicists for disciplinary autonomy all the way to discussions in the humanities and social sciences that involve local history, feminism, multiculturalism, postmodernism, scientific relativism and realism, and social constructivism. Many of these varied aspects of the debate over the disunity of science are reflected in this volume, which brings together a number of scholars studying science who otherwise have had little to say to each other: feminist theorists, philosophers of science, sociologists of science. How does the context of discover shape knowledge? What are the philosophical consequences of a disunified science? Does, for eTrade Review“This is a very important work, with contributions by many of the most prominent scholars in science studies....It actually delivers on its promise to renew discussion and develop fresh ideas about the allegation that the sciences are no longer (or never were) unified by a single theoretical view of nature or a methodological foundation.” —Michael Lynch, Brunel UniversityTable of ContentsContributors Introduction: the context of disunity Part I. Boundaries: 1. The disunities of the sciences Ian Hacking 2. Styles of reasoning, conceptual history, and the emergence of psychiatry Arnold I. Davidson 3. Metaphysical disorder and scientific disunity John Dupre; 4. Computer simulations and the trading zone Peter Galison 5. The unity of science: carnap. neurath, and beyond Richard Creath 6. Talking metaphysical turkey about epistemological chicken, and the poop on pidgins Steve Fuller Part II. Contexts: 7. From relativism to contingetism Mario Biagioli 8. Contextualizing the canon Simon Schaffer 9. Science made up: constructivist sociology of scientific knowledge Arthur Fine 10. From epistemology and metaphysics to concrete connections David J. Stump 11. The care of the self and blind variation: the disunity of two leading sciences Karim Knorr Cetina 12. The constitution of archaelogical evidence: gender politics and science Alison Wym Part III. Power: 13. Otto neurath: politics and the unity of science Jordi Cat, Nancy Cartwright, and Hasok Chang 14. The naturalized history museum Timothy Lenon and Cheryl Lynn Ross 15. Beyond epistemic sovereignty Joseph Rouse 16. The dilemma of scientific subjectivity in postvital culture Evelyn Fox Keller 17. Modest witness: feminist diffractions in science studies Donna J. Haraway 18. Afterword: new directions in the philosophy of science studies David J. Stump Notes Select bibliography Index.

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Book SynopsisTells "stories" about a British attempt to build a military aircraft - the TSR2. Offering numerous insights into the way we theorise the working of systems, this title explores the overlaps between singularity and multiplicity and reveals rich new meaning in such concepts as oscillation, interference, fractionality, and rhizomatic networks.Trade Review“Through this lively text, John Law guides us on a tour of the TSR2 that will be a rich resource for anyone interested in the question of how new artifacts come into being. Writers, readers, engineers, and aircraft are inseparable components of the project, which involves simultaneously achieving the singularities and recovering the multiplicities of stories and things. Crafting together a complex architecture of subject/object relations, Aircraft Stories offers a prototype for a new form of technoscience storytelling.”—Lucy Suchman, author of Plans and Situated Actions: The Problem of Human-Machine Communication“What is a military aircraft? John Law shows in his beautiful analysis that it is a constant oscillation between multiplicity and singularity. It (sometimes) flies, it (possibly) drops nuclear bombs, it (certainly) reproduces a very conservative social order, it interpellates and entices young men, and yet it still remains a military aircraft. John Law invents what could be a monadology in which there is no longer preestablished harmony.”—Michel Callon, CSI Ecole des mines de Paris"[Law] writes well, sometimes almost poetically, with few of the tortured sentences of much cultural theory. Many readers may disagree with his theses, but few will fail to be stimulated by this brave, challenging book." -- Donald MacKenzie * American Journal of Sociology *"Law's illustration of the singularity/multiplicity of artifacts (especially in the context of the many strands of social theory on which he draws) lends depth to any understanding of the social character of technology. His readers are invited, I think, to pull some of the more valuable jottings from his pinboard and interweave them in their own montages." -- Cyrus C. M. Mody * Contemporary Sociology *Table of ContentsAcknowledgments 1. Introduction 2. Objects 3. Subjects 4. Cultures 5. Heterogeneities 6. Aesthetics 7. Decisions 8. Arborescences 9. Pinboards Notes References Index

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Book SynopsisAddresses a shift in the hierarchy of scientific explanationsTrade Review“Growing Explanations registers the profound shift in many domains of science—from chaos theory to functional genomics—giving epistemological priority to complex and emergent phenomena. Anyone interested in the nature of contemporary science, especially the central role of the computer, will find this a fascinating read.”—Angela N. H. Creager, Princeton University“M. Norton Wise has orchestrated a volume of cutting-edge work exploring the sea change in contemporary models of explanation fueled by advances in computation, simulation, and the new sciences of complexity. The authors illustrate how, across a wide spectrum of disciplines, new strategies based on ‘growing explanations’ to understand the emergent behaviors of systems constructed from the bottom up are replacing the traditional ‘reductionist’ credo of explaining complex phenomena in terms of simple entities. An important and timely volume for anyone interested in science studies.”—Timothy Lenoir, author of Instituting Science: The Cultural Production of Scientific DisciplinesTable of ContentsIntroduction: dynamincs all the way up / M. Norton Wise 1 Part I Mathematics, physics, and engineering Elementary particles? ` 1. Mirror symmetry: persons, values, and objects / Peter Galison 23 Nonlinear dynamics and chaos 2. Chaos, disorder, and mixing: a new fin-de-siecle image of science? / Amy Dahan Dalmedico 67 3. Forms of explanation in the catastrophe theory of Rene Thjom: topology, morphogenesis, and structuralism / David Aubin 95 Coping with complexity in technology 4. From Boeing to Berkeley: civil engineers, the cold war, and the origins of finite element analysis / Ann Johnson 133 5. Fuzzyfying the world: social practices of showing the properties of fuzzy logic / Claude Rosental 159 Part II The organism, the self, and (artificial) life Self-Organization 6. Marrying the premodern to the postmodern: computers and organisms after World War II / Evelyn Fox Keller 181 Immunology 7. Immunology and the enigma of selfhood / Alfred I. Tauber 201 8. Immunology of AIDS: growning explanations and developing instruments / Ilana Lowy 222 Artificial Life 9. Artificial life support: some nodes in the Alife ribotype / Richard Doyle 251 10. The word for world is computer: simulating second natures in artificial life / Stefan Helmreich 275 11. Constructing and explaining emergence in artificial life: on paradigms, ontodefinitions, and general knowledge in biology / Claus Emmeche 301 Afterword 327 Contributors 333 Index 337

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

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

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

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

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

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Book SynopsisThe specialization thesisthe idea that nineteenth-century science fragmented into separate forms of knowledge that led to the creation of modern disciplineshas played an integral role in the way historians have described the changing disciplinary map of nineteenth-century British science. This volume critically reevaluates this dominant narrative in the historiography. While new disciplines did emerge during the nineteenth century, the intellectual landscape was far muddier, and in many cases new forms of specialist knowledge continued to cross boundaries while integrating ideas from other areas of study. Through a history of Victorian interdisciplinarity, this volume offers a more complicated and innovative analysis of discipline formation. Harnessing the techniques of cultural and intellectual history, studies of visual culture, Victorian studies, and literary studies, contributors break out of subject-based silos, exposing the tension between the rhetorical push for specialization a

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

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1989, this book presents and analyzes the dramatic changes in philosophical conceptions of scientific explanation after the landmark 1948 essayStudies in the Logic of Explanation by Carl Hempel and Paul Oppenheim.

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Book SynopsisThis collection of essays reexamines the origins of logical empiricism and offers fresh insights into its relationship to contemporary philosophy of science.Trade Review“A nicely balanced collection that combines careful historical study with an eye on current debates in the philosophy of science and mind.”—Vienna Circle Institute Yearbook|“Of special interest to anyone interested in the history of 20th-century philosophy or in logical empiricism. Recommended.”—Choice|"Should not be missed by anyone interested in logical empiricism, or in the history and legacy of analytic philosophy more generally."—Erich Reck, University of California, Riverside

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Book SynopsisProminent philosophers analyze the work of Thomas Kuhn, including his monumental study The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, from a broad perspective, comparing earlier logical empiricism and logical positivism with the new philosophy inspired by Kuhn in the early 1960s.

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Book SynopsisBetter known as a poet and dramatist, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) was also a learned philosopher and natural scientist. Astrida Orle Tantillo offers the first comprehensive analysis of his natural philosophy, which she contends is rooted in creativity.

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Book SynopsisProvides an innovative analysis of the nature and interplay of observation and conceptualization. Radder shows that observation is always conceptually interpreted, and concepts affect the way observational processes are conducted in the first place.

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive philosophical analysis of the use of scientific models in historic and contemporary contexts.

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Book SynopsisExamines the essential role of understanding in the scientific process, through three key topics: understanding and explanation, understanding and models, and understanding in scientific practice.

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Book SynopsisAfter its publication in 1967, The Foundations of Scientific Inference taught a generation of students and researchers about the problem of induction, the interpretation of probability, and confirmation theory. Fifty years later, Wesley C. Salmon's book remains one of the clearest introductions to these fundamental problems in the philosophy of science.Trade ReviewPraise for the first edition:""Salmon’s book is written in a clear and elementary style. It has many of the earmarks of a text useful for beginners and advanced students alike"". - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science""As a presentation of the primary issues concerning the foundations of scientific inference, this volume can be recommended most highly"". - Philosophy and Phenomenological Research""This is an excellent little book. One might disagree with some of its contentions; some will disagree with the whole foundational approach. But Professor Salmon has given us a book of exceptional clarity and conciseness"". - Isis""This study admirably fills the need for an elementary survey of problems in the area of probability and induction. A well-written and challenging introduction to the field"". - Review of Metaphysics""Few current writers have devoted as much worthwhile attention to the problems of induction as Wesley Salmon. It is good to have his views on the subject expressed in a single, clearly written and extremely useful volume. It can be recommended to students of the field at all levels"". - Philosophical Review

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Book SynopsisThe nineteenth century was an important period for both the proliferation of popular science and for the demarcation of a group of professionals that we now term scientists.

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