Philosophy of science Books

1551 products


  • Cambridge University Press Biology and Feminism

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book provides a unique introduction to the study of relationships between gender and biology, a core part of the feminist science research tradition which emerged nearly half a century ago. Lynn Hankinson Nelson presents an accessible and balanced discussion of research questions, background assumptions, methods, and hypotheses about biology and gender with which feminist scientists and science scholars critically and constructively engage. Writing from the perspective of contemporary philosophy of science, she examines the evidence for and ethical implications of biological hypotheses about gender, and discusses relevant philosophical issues including understandings of scientific objectivity, the nature of scientific reasoning, and relationships between biological research and the scientific and social contexts in which it is pursued. Clear and comprehensive, this volume addresses the engagements of feminist scientists and science scholars with a range of disciplines, including dTrade Review'The book is written and structured in a way that makes it accessible to both students and researchers looking to familiarize themselves with the philosophy and history of feminist engagement with biology. It is also a great read for any feminist scientists, philosophers of science, or science studies scholars who, although maybe familiar with this area of study, are nonetheless looking for an engaging refresher.' Sara Weaver, History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences'… offers an important outline of key philosophical issues threading through biology's concerns with gender, as well as feminist critiques.' Lynda Birke, A Journal of Feminist Philosophy'This text is suitable for classroom use because it gives a clear demonstration of the methods of philosophy of science, providing organized coverage of fundamental topics while vividly showing that legitimate critiques of logical reasoning in science are informed by social and political understanding.' Evelyn Brister, MetascienceTable of ContentsList of figures; Acknowledgements; Preface; 1. Conceptual preliminaries; 2. Sexual selection: Darwin; 3. Sexual selection: parental investment theory and human sociobiology; 4. Primatology; 5. Developmental biology; 6. Medicine; 7. Neurobiology; 8. Evolutionary psychology; 9. Socially responsible science and socially relevant philosophy of science; Bibliography; Index.

    15 in stock

    £24.99

  • Cambridge University Press Resisting Scientific Realism

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe book provides a balanced and up to date contribution to the realism/anti-realism debate in philosophy of science. It reviews the evidence for and against realism and anti-realism, including evidence from the history of science, and various logical considerations.Trade Review'With its insightful and engaging critique Resisting Scientific Realism takes on every argument that scientific realists have offered, but does much more than that. What emerges along the way is a strengthened anti-realism skillfully aligned with epistemic modesty about the continuing historical development of the sciences. It will be a delightful and rewarding read for realists and anti-realists alike.' Bas Van Fraassen, Princeton University, New Jersey'Resisting Scientific Realism is a wonderfully rich, impressively clear, and meticulously argued, thought-provoking book … it is required reading for anyone interested in the contemporary development of the scientific realism debate in the philosophy of science literature.' Philosophia'Resisting Scientific Realism exhibits excellent scholarship and philosophical creativity. It is a valuable contribution to the literature on scientific anti-realism, containing important arguments with which realists must contend, and directing the scientific realism debate towards exciting new (or unfairly neglected) topics. The writing is admirably clear and elegant. If you are interested in scientific anti-realism or scientific theory change, you should read this book.' British Journal for the Philosophy of Science'It is essential reading for those interested in the classic arguments in the realism debate.' Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews'… it offers various intertwined strands of argument with the aim of persuading the reader that realism faces significant challenges, and hence, anti-realism cannot be so easily dismissed as is typically thought.' Steven French, Metascience'Wray's book Resisting Scientific Realism is a welcome addition to the philosophy of science literature. It joins just a handful of book-length discussions of the realism debate in the past 20 years. I expect that anybody interested in the realism debate, or the relationship between science and truth more generally, would profit from reading it.' Peter Vickers, Metascience'Brad Wray's Resisting Scientific Realism is precisely what the title suggests: an attempt to resist scientific realism, and in particular an attempt to resist the realist ways to reconcile the two foregoing facts … I should add without any hesitation that Brad Wray has written an admirable book, full of insightful argument and constructive criticism.' Stathis Psillos, Metascience'K. Brad Wray's Resisting Scientific Realism offers a spirited and engaging attack on scientific realism that includes new historical examples, useful engagement with familiar examples and arguments, and some novel arguments of its own. It aspires both to present a comprehensive survey of the arguments against scientific realism and to challenge the influential realist argument that the approximate truth of our best scientific theories offers the best or only explanation for the success of those theories.' P. Kyle Stanford, Metascience'Resisting Scientific Realism is a wonderfully rich, impressively clear, and meticulously argued, thought-provoking book. It is well-balanced in its exposition of case studies from the history of science, discussion of the relevant history of philosophy of science, and engagement with the realism vs. anti-realism debate in the philosophy of science literature.' Elay Shech, PhilosophiaTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Against Realism: 1. The Copernican Revolution in astronomy; 2. The underdetermination of theory choice by evidence; 3. The argument from underconsideration; 4. Epistemic privilege: another realist dogma; 5. Four pessimistic inductions; 6. Pessimism, optimism, and the exponential growth of science; 7. The nature of radical theory change; 8. Do the theoretical values really support scientific realism?; Part II. Strengthening Anti-Realism: 9. But can the anti-realist explain the success of science?; 10. Selection and predictive success; 11. How are false theories able to make true predictions?; 12. Discarded theories: the role of changing interests; 13. A synthesis.

    1 in stock

    £85.50

  • Cambridge University Press Theoretical Virtues in Science

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhat are the features of a good scientific theory? Samuel Schindler''s book revisits this classical question in the philosophy of science and develops new answers to it. Theoretical virtues matter not only for choosing theories ''to work with'', but also for what we are justified in believing: only if the theories we possess are good ones (qua virtues) can we be confident that our theories'' claims about nature are actually correct. Recent debates have focussed rather narrowly on a theory''s capacity to predict new phenomena successfully, but Schindler argues that the justification for this focus is thin. He discusses several other theory properties such as testability, accuracy, and consistency, and highlights the importance of simplicity and coherence. Using detailed historical case studies and careful philosophical analysis, Schindler challenges the received view of theoretical virtues and advances arguments for the view that science uncovers reality through theory.Trade Review'In this ambitious book Samuel Schindler mounts a sustained defence of scientific realism, challenging the most important antirealist arguments with a comprehensive and multi-layered appeal to theoretical virtues. His advocacy for the general truth-conduciveness of these virtues, rejecting the lure of predictivism, is both balanced and persuasive.' Hasok Chang, University of Cambridge'Steeped in the history of science and bursting with examples, this book turns a spotlight on the 'theoretical virtues' and their role in determining what the natural sciences reveal about our world. Fearlessly contesting received views of the import of novel predictions and the nature of ad hoc hypotheses, Schindler shows by example how general philosophy of science, and the history and philosophy of science, are indispensable to an understanding of scientific knowledge.' Anjan Chakravartty, University of Notre Dame, Indiana'The book is clearly written, well-informed about both philosophy and history of science, and makes numerous incisive points. I would recommend this as an excellent guide to the literature, due to its clear overarching narrative thread, and the fact that Schindler is not afraid to point out various oddities and sources of confusion in the literature.' Darren Bradley, MetascienceTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Theoretical virtues, truth, and the argument from simplicity; 2. Pessimism, base rates, and the no-virtue-coincidence argument; 3. Novel success and predictivism; 4. Theoretical fertility without novel success; 5. Ad hoc hypotheses and the argument from coherence; 6. Virtues as confidence boosters and the argument from choice; 7. Philosophy of science by historical means; Conclusion.

    1 in stock

    £85.50

  • Cambridge University Press Under One Sky The Iau Centenary Symposium Iau S349

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe IAU Centenary Symposium was held at its General Assembly in Vienna in 2018. It starts with plenary lectures, by Malcolm Longair on 100 years of astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology, and by Catherine Cesarsky, who reflects on a century of IAU history. There follows reminiscences from past IAU presidents and general secretaries and presentations on various aspects of IAU history, including some of the famous astronomers who served the Union. The volume then examines the relations between the IAU and different geographical regions, including the issues relating to the Central Powers after World War I, and the ''China crisis'', when China withdrew from the Union in 1960 and was absent for two decades. The IAU''s internal structures and organization are reviewed, along with trends in astronomical publishing and astronomical education. IAU S349 finishes with a vision of the IAU''s future from its current president, Ewine van Dishoeck.Trade Review'… its own history occupied one plenary session … and one symposium, though scraps of history wormed their way into a supernova session and elsewhere …' Virginia Trimble, The Observatory Magazine'Under One Sky is primarily a publication celebrating the centenary of the IAU and only secondarily a serious contribution to the organizational history of the astronomical sciences. On the other hand, it includes a wealth of biographical and other information as well as several chapters that will be of interest to historians of modern astronomy.' Helge Kragh, Journal for the History of AstronomyTable of ContentsPart I. Centenary Celebration Session. 1. 100 years of astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology M. Longair; 2. Reflections on 100 years of IAU C. Cesarsky; Part II. Reminiscences from Past IAU Presidents; Part II. Reminiscences from Past IAU Presidents; Part III. Reminiscences from Past IAU General Secretaries; Part IV. The IAU and its History; Part V. The IAU and its Relation to Diverse Geographical Regions of the World; Part VI. IAU Structures and Organization; Part VII. Astronomical Publishing; Part VIII. The International School for Young Astronomers; Education and Outreach; Part IX. Some Miscellaneous Topics in Astronomical History; Part X. The IAU in the Future.

    10 in stock

    £103.55

  • Cambridge University Press Physicalism Deconstructed

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisProvides a philosophical and historical critique of contemporary conceptions of physicalism, especially non-reductive, levels-based approaches to physicalist metaphysics. Challenging assumptions about the mind-body problem, this accessible book will interest scholars working in metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of science.Trade ReviewAdvance praise: 'Physicalism Deconstructed is a beautifully clear and readable book that throws down the gauntlet for physicalists to accept the consequences of their core commitments. Kevin Morris advances an unexpectedly persuasive argument that the world according to physics really is all the world. This challenge to the layer cake view of reality cannot be ignored.' Thomas Polger, University of CincinnatiTable of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Supervenience and non-reductive physicalism; 2. Non-reductive physicalism and the exclusion problem; 3. Functional realization; 4. Subset realization; 5. Grounding and physicalism; 6. The rise of non-reductive physicalism; 7. The physicalist problematic reconsidered; Conclusion.

    15 in stock

    £81.00

  • Cambridge University Press Time and Causality Across the Sciences

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book, geared toward academic researchers and graduate students, brings together research on all facets of how time and causality relate across the sciences. Time is fundamental to how we perceive and reason about causes. It lets us immediately rule out the sound of a car crash as its cause. That a cause happens before its effect has been a core, and often unquestioned, part of how we describe causality. Research across disciplines shows that the relationship is much more complex than that. This book explores what that means for both the metaphysics and epistemology of causes - what they are and how we can find them. Across psychology, biology, and the social sciences, common themes emerge, suggesting that time plays a critical role in our understanding. The increasing availability of large time series datasets allows us to ask new questions about causality, necessitating new methods for modeling dynamic systems and incorporating mechanistic information into causal models.Trade Review'Understanding the causal relations that make the world go round would be so much easier if mechanisms didn't operate over time, or at least if they operated at a single time scale. But mechanisms do unfold over multiple time scales, making not only inferences about causality tricky, but the very definition of causality the most slippery of conceptual issues. This book unpacks all this at the cutting edge of philosophy and science. It even addresses what may be the heart of the problem: how people understand causality and its counterpart, time.' Steven Sloman, Brown University, Rhode Island'A very useful collection on a fascinating topic. The connection between time and causation seems as obvious in science as in everyday life, yet turns out to be deeply puzzling, as soon as we dig below the surface. The essays collected here offer an excellent and accessible introduction to the issues, from an impressively interdisciplinary range of perspectives.' Huw Price, University of Cambridge'The volume encompasses a wide range of discussions on both metaphysical and epistemological approaches, and chapter authors look at issues across the sciences including physics, biochemistry, psychology, and sociology. Readers will undoubtedly agree that most researchers, including philosophers, who are concerned about causality would benefit from considering how their own approach compares with those of other disciplines … the material will be accessible to anyone within the respective sciences. The chapters are well written throughout, each with a good reference list.' E. Kincanon, ChoiceTable of Contents1. An introduction to time and causality Samantha Kleinberg; 2. Causality and time: an introductory typology Bert Leuridan and Thomas Lodewyck; 3. The direction of causation Phil Dowe; 4. On the causal nature of time Victor Gijsbers; 5. Causation in a physical world: an overview of our emerging understanding Jenann Ismael; 6. Intervening in time Neil R. Bramely; 7. Time-event relationships as representations for constructing cell mechanisms Yin Chung Au; 8. Causation, time asymmetry, and causal mechanisms in the social sciences Inge de Bal and Erik Weber; 9. Temporalization in causal modeling Jonathan Livengood and Karen R. Zwier; 10. Reintroducing dynamics into static causal models Naftali Weinberger; 11. Overcoming the poverty of mechanisms in causal models David Jensen.

    15 in stock

    £57.99

  • Cambridge University Press Heat Pneuma and Soul in Ancient Philosophy and Science

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe conceptualization of the vital force of living beings as a kind of breath and heat is at least as old as Homer. The assumptions that life and living things were somehow causally related to ''heat'' and ''breath'' (pneuma) would go on to inform much of ancient medicine and philosophy. This is the first volume to consider the relationship of the notions of heat, breath (pneuma), and soul in ancient Greek philosophy and science from the Presocratics to Aristotle. Bringing together specialists both on early Greek philosophy and on Aristotle, it brings an approach drawn from the history of science to the study of both fields. The chapters give fresh and detailed interpretations of the theory of soul in Heraclitus, Empedocles, Parmenides, Diogenes of Appolonia, and Democritus, as well as in the Hippocratic Corpus, Plato''s Timaeus, and various works of Aristotle.Trade Review'Ultimately, the volume makes a fine case for a collection of essays examining heat, pneuma, and soul through Aristotle, and it ably advances the scholarly discussion on them.' Rhodes Pinto, Stanford UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction. Ancient philosophy and science at the crossroads of metaphysics and medicine Colin Guthrie King; Heat, pneuma and soul in the medical tradition Hynek Bartoš; Part I. Early Greek Philosophy and Medicine: 1. Fire, heat and motive force in early Greek philosophy and medicine Gábor Betegh; 2. Parmenides on the soul Shaul Tor; 3. The spirit in the flesh: Empedocles on embodied soul Simon Trépanier; 4. Out of thin air? Diogenes on causal explanation Bryan C. Reece; 5. Soul, life and nutrition in the Timaeus Thomas K. Johansen; 6. De spiritu on heat and its roles in the formation, composition and activities of animals Orly Lewis; Part II. Aristotle: 7. Heat, meteorology and spontaneous generation Malcolm Wilson; 8. Aristotle on 'the nature in the pneuma' and the first body Karel Thein; 9. Aristotle on the powers of thermic equilibrium Tiberiu Popa; 10. Why animals must keep their cool: Aristotle on the need for respiration (and other forms of cooling) James G. Lennox; 11. Soul's tools Jessica Gelber; 12. When life imitates art: vital locomotion and Aristotle's craft analogy Patricio Fernandez and Jorgé Mittelmann; 13. Blood, πνεῦμα, or something more solid? Aristotle on the material structure of perceptual apparatus Robert Roreitner; 14. The pathological role of pneuma in Aristotle Patrick Macfarlane.

    2 in stock

    £83.99

  • Cambridge University Press Evaluating Evidence in Biological Anthropology

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisBiological anthropology is a diverse field, with countless research methods and techniques in different sub-disciplines. This book takes a critical perspective to the current state of the field, exploring theory and practice in paleoanthropology, bioarchaeology, and ecology. Contributors challenge how evidence is discovered, collected and interpreted, and explain that researchers gain insights by de-familiarizing themselves from well-known methods and taking a different perspective - ''making the familiar strange''. The book covers how researchers'' biases and assumptions affect the interpretation of topics such as human evolution and population movements; race, health, and disability; bodies and embodiment; and landscapes and ecology. A final chapter includes a critical assessment of new thinking about technology, in addition to the multilayered and complex nature of both research questions and evidence. This is an insightful text for researchers and graduate students in anthropology,Trade Review'This edited volume critically examines how practitioners of biological anthropology apply methods, interpret evidence, and produce established knowledge … The opening five chapters are dedicated to theoretical and philosophical issues. Some themes have been discussed for decades, such as how women are portrayed in evolution and how popular science mischaracterizes human evolution, while others are newly emerging, such as the question of why insects are not eaten more widely on a global scale. The last five chapters present new approaches to data analysis and methods. These include contributions on disability and care in paleopathology, the osteological paradox in bioarchaeology, the incompleteness of fossil evidence, and the application of stable isotope studies for interpreting past environments.' T. Harrison, ChoiceTable of ContentsIntroduction: (re)discovery of the strange and the familiar: theory and methods for a twenty-first-century biological anthropology Sang-Hee Lee and Cathy Willermet; Part I. The Strange and Familiar: New Landscapes and Theoretical Approaches: 1. Women in human evolution redux Dänae G. Khorasani and Sang-Hee Lee; 2. Hegemony and the Central Asian Paleolithic record: perspectives on Pleistocene landscapes and morphological mosaicism Michelle M. Glantz; 3. Anthropology now: how popular science (mis)characterizes human evolution Marc Kissel; 4. The strangeness of not eating insects: the loss of an important food source in the United States Julie J. Lesnik; 5. Methods without meaning: moving beyond body counts in research on behavior and health Robin G. Nelson; Part II. (Re)discovery of Evidence: New Thinking About Data, Methods, and Fields: 6. (Re)discovering paleopathology: integrating individuals and populations in bioarchaeology Ann L. W. Stodder and Jennifer F. Byrnes; 7. Parsing the paradox: examining heterogeneous frailty in bioarchaeological assemblages Sharon N. DeWitte; 8. Seeing RED: a novel solution to a familiar categorical data problem Cathy Willermet, John Daniels, Heather J. H. Edgar and Joseph McKean; 9. Paleoanthropology and analytical bias: citation practices, analytical choice, and prioritizing quality over quantity Adam P. Van Arsdale; 10. (Re)discovering ancient hominin environments: how stable carbon isotopes of modern chimpanzee communities can inform paleoenvironment reconstruction Melanie M. Beasley and Margaret J. Schoeninger; Discussion and conclusion: move forward, critically Cathy Willermet and Sang-Hee Lee.

    1 in stock

    £66.49

  • FineTuning in the Physical Universe

    Cambridge University Press FineTuning in the Physical Universe

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisIs the universe fine-tuned for complexity, life, or something else? This comprehensive overview of fine-tuning arguments in physics, with contributions from leading researchers in their fields, sheds light on this often used but seldom understood topic. Each chapter reviews a specific subject in modern physics, such as dark energy, inflation, or solar system formation, and discusses whether any parameters in our current theories appear to be fine-tuned and, if so, to what degree. Connections and differences between these fine-tuning arguments are made clear, and detailed mathematical derivations of various fine-tuned parameters are given. This accessible yet precise introduction to fine-tuning in physics will aid students and researchers across astrophysics, atomic and particle physics and cosmology, as well as all those working at the intersections of physics and philosophy.Trade Review'… the questions posed here are of strong interest to many … Recommended' C. Palma, ChoiceTable of ContentsPart I. Introduction: 1. Fine-Tuning, Complexity, and Life in the Multiverse Mario Livio and Martin Rees; 2. Hierarchy of Fine-Structure Constants Bernard Carr; Part II. Cosmological Fine-Tunings: 3. Naturalness, fine-tuning, and observer selection in cosmology John A. Peacock; 4. Cosmic Inflation: Trick or Treat? Jerome Martin; 5. Is the Universal Matter- Anti-matter Asymmetry Fine tuned? Gary Steigman and Robert J. Scherrer; 6. Structure Formation Adrianne Slyz; Part III. Fine-tuning in Particle and Nuclear Physics: 7. Nuclear physics and its impact on primordial and stellar nucleosynthesis Jean-Philippe Uzan; 8. Fine-Tunings at Particle Scales Giulia Zanderighi; 9. Dark Matter Edward W. Kolb; Part IV. Fine-tuning for life: 10. Fine-tuning: from stars to galaxies formation Joseph Silk; 11. How Special Is the Solar System? Mario Livio; 12. On the Temporal Habitability of Our Universe; 13. Climbing up the theories of Nature: Fine-Tuning and Biological Molecules Abraham Loeb.

    3 in stock

    £57.94

  • Cambridge University Press Levels of Analysis in Psychopathology

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisLevels of Analysis in Psychopathology draws research from psychiatry, philosophy, and psychology to explore the variety of explanatory approaches for understanding the nature of psychiatric disorders both in practice and research. The fields of psychiatry and clinical psychology incorporates many useful explanatory approaches and this book integrates this range of perspectives and makes suggestions about how to advance etiologic theories, classification, and treatment. The editors have brought together leading thinkers who have been widely published and are well-respected in their area of expertise, including several developers of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and authors of the US National Institute of Mental Health''s Research Domain Criteria Project (RDoC). Each main chapter has a commentary provided by one of the other authors and an introduction written by one of the editors to create an accessible, interdisciplinary dialog.Trade Review'The editors continue to deepen the analysis of the conceptual basis of psychopathological science through their astutely-framed, thematic book. They have assembled a diverse and expert group of contributors in considering the range of sciences relevant to psychopathology. This volume offers an outstanding pedagogy, including introductory overviews, and insightfully-chosen commentaries throughout.' John Z. Sadler, The Daniel W. Foster Professor of Medical Ethics and Distinguished Teaching Professor, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center'This excellent book combines substantive expertise with philosophical and methodological insights to provide high-level perspectives on essential topics in psychiatry. The editors focus on a topic of central importance: the complicated relation between the biological, psychological, and social levels of analysis that are required for a full understanding of mental disorders.' Denny Borsboom, University of Amsterdam'The editors have assembled a wide range of chapters from multiple disciplines, encompassing Anglo-American and European Continental philosophies, to integrate research and clinical perspectives. No matter how well-versed a reader may be on the topic, with the breadth of expertise represented in the volume, they will learn something new.' Derek Bolton, King's College London, and Honorary Consultant Clinical Psychologist, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust's Child and Adolescent Anxiety Service'This is a state-of-the-art conversation between leading psychiatrists and philosophers about the challenges and possibilities of explaining psychiatric disorders across multiple levels.' Carl F. Craver, Washington University, St LouisTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Neuroscience, Mechanisms and RDoC: 1. Introduction Peter Zachar; 2. Rethinking psychiatric disorders in terms of heterarchical networks of control mechanisms William Bechtel; 3. A typology of levels of mechanisms involved in the etiology of psychiatric illness Kenneth S. Kendler; 4. Introduction Kenneth S. Kendler; 5. Wrangling the matrix: lessons from the RDoC working memory domain Robert M. Bilder; 6. Brain and mind in psychiatry? Presuppositions of cognitive ontology Georg Northoff; 7. Introduction Kenneth S. Kendler; 8. Tackling hard problems: neuroscience, treatment, and anxiety Daniel S. Pine; 9. Comments on Daniel S. Pine Kenneth F. Schaffner; Part II. Phenomenology, Biological Psychology, and the Mind-Body Problem: 10. Introduction Josef Parnas; 11. Body self-awareness: multiple levels or dynamical gestalt? Shaun Gallagher; 12. Commentary on Gallagher 'Body self-awareness: multiple levels or dynamical gestalt?' Jan-Willem Romeijn; 13. Introduction Josef Parnas; 14. Can psychiatry dispense with appeal to mental causation? John Campbell; 15. Folk psychology and Jaspers' empathic understanding: a conceptual exercise? Peter Zachar; 16. Introduction Peter Zachar; 17. Phenomenology of a disordered self in schizophrenia: example of an integrative level for psychiatric research Josef Parnas and Maja Zanderson; 18. Who is the psychiatric subject? Shaun Gallagher; 19. Introduction Kenneth S. Kendler; 20. Challenges in the relationships between psychological and biological phenomena in psychopathology Gregory A. Miller and Morgan E. Bartholomew; 21. Non-reductionism, eliminativism, and modularity in RDoC: thoughts about a progressive mechanistic science Peter Zachar; Part III. Taxonomy, Integration and Multiple Levels of Explanation: 22. Introduction Josef Parnas; 23. Descriptive psychopathology: a manifest level of analysis, or not? Peter Zachar; 24. Psychiatry without description Josef Parnas; 25. Introduction Peter Zachar; 26. Should psychiatry be precise? Reduction, big data, and nosological revision in mental health research Kathryn Tabb; 27. Commentary on should psychiatry be precise? Reduction, big data, and nosological revision in mental health research Robert M. Bilder; 28. Introduction Peter Zachar; 29. Psychiatric classification: an a-reductionist perspective Jan-Willem Romeijn and Hanna van Loo; 30. Double black diamond Eric Turkheimer; 31. Introduction Peter Zachar; 32. Approaches to multi-level models of fear: the what, where, why, how, and how much? Kenneth F. Schaffner; 33. Schaffner on levels and selves William Bechtel; 34. Introduction Kenneth S. Kendler; 35. Levels: what are they and what are they good for? James Woodward; 36. Levels of analysis in Alzheimer's disease research Stephan Heckers; 37. Introduction Peter Zachar; 38. The impact of faculty psychology and theories of psychological causation on the origins of modern psychiatric nosology Kenneth S. Kendler; 39. Commentary on 'The impact of faculty psychology and theories of psychological causation on the origins of modern psychiatric nosology' Gregory A. Miller; 40. Introduction Kenneth S. Kendler; 41. Psychiatric discourse: scientific reductionism for the autonomous person Stephan Heckers; 42. Comment on Stephan Heckers, 'Psychiatric discourse: scientific reductionism for the autonomous person' John Campbell; 43. Introduction Josef Parnas; 44. Entity focus: applied genetic science at different levels Eric Turkheimer; 45. Comment on 'Entity focus: applied genetic science at different levels' by Eric Turkheimer Kathryn Tabb.

    1 in stock

    £133.95

  • Cambridge University Press Animal Suffering and the Darwinian Problem of Evil

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book will be of interest to college faculty and advanced students interested in the relationship between religion and science, particularly at Christian colleges and seminaries. Its value is to offer an innovative Christian theological approach to the daunting problem that Darwinian animal suffering poses to belief in God.Table of Contents1. Facing the Darwinian problem of evil; 2. Darwinian evil and anti-theistic arguments; 3. Ways around the problem: Neo-Cartesian theory and skeptical theism; 4. Making a 'case for God' (a Causa Dei); 5. Animal suffering and the fall: Lapsarian theodicy; 6. Narrow is the way of world making: only way theodicy; 7. God-justifying beauty: aesthetic theodicy; 8. Suffering 'for no reason': job and the Darwinian problem; 9. Darwinian Kenōsis and 'divine selection'; 10. Animals in heaven: the defeat of Darwinian evils.

    15 in stock

    £85.50

  • Cambridge University Press Aristotle on How Animals Move

    10 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe De incessu animalium forms an integral part of Aristotle''s biological corpus but is one of the least studied Aristotelian works both by ancient and modern interpreters. Yet it is a treatise where we can see, with some clarity and detail, Aristotle''s methodology at work. This volume contains a new critical edition of the Greek text, an English translation, and nine in-depth interpretative essays. A general introduction that focuses on the explanatory strategies adopted by Aristotle in the De incessu animalium plus a historical essay on the reception of this work in antiquity and beyond open the volume. No other work of this kind has been published in any modern language.Table of ContentsPart I. Introduction: 1. Explanatory Strategies in the De incessu animalium Andrea Falcon; 2. The Reception of the De incessu animalium Andrea Falcon; Part II. Greek Text and Translation: Part III. Interpretative Essays: 3. De incessu animalium 1–3: The Theoretical Framework and the Beginning of the Actual Investigation Andrea Falcon; 4. De incessu animalium 4: Aristotle's Conception of Dimension Panos Dimas; 5. De incessu animalium 5–6: The Architecture of Locomotive Bodies Klaus Corcilius; 6. De incessu animalium 7–8: Number and Distribution of Feet in Animal Progression Stasinos Stavrianeas; 7. De incessu animalium 9: Aristotle's Mathematical Kinesiology: The Case of Bending Christopher Frey; 8. De incessu animalium 10–11: Flight and Two-Footedness Timothy Clarke; 9. De incessu animalium 12–13: Limb-Bending and Natural Teleology Spyridon Rangos; 10. De incessu animalium 14–15: Teleology Across Kinds Sarah Ruth Jansen; 11. De incessu animalium 16–19: The Motion of Many-Footed Animals and Cases of Peculiar Motion in Water Pantelis Golitsis.

    10 in stock

    £90.24

  • Cambridge University Press Conceptions of Set and the Foundations of Mathematics

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisSets are central to mathematics and its foundations, but what are they? In this book Luca Incurvati provides a detailed examination of all the major conceptions of set and discusses their virtues and shortcomings, as well as introducing the fundamentals of the alternative set theories with which these conceptions are associated. He shows that the conceptual landscape includes not only the naïve and iterative conceptions but also the limitation of size conception, the definite conception, the stratified conception and the graph conception. In addition, hepresents a novel, minimalist account of the iterative conception which does not require the existence of a relation of metaphysical dependence between a set and its members. His book will be of interest to researchers and advanced students in logic and the philosophy of mathematics.Trade Review'Incurvati provides a veritable handbook for researchers and practitioners in the domain of logic and the foundations of mathematics … Each chapter raises significant foundational questions, fertile ground for further research.' R. L. Pour, ChoiceTable of Contents1. Concepts and conceptions; 2. The iterative conception; 3. Challenges to the iterative conception; 4. The naïve conception; 5. The limitation of size conception; 6. The stratified conception; 7. The graph conception.

    15 in stock

    £97.68

  • Cambridge University Press Understanding EvoDevo

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhy do the best-known examples of evolutionary change involve the alteration of one kind of animal into another very similar one, like the evolution of a bigger beak in a bird? Wouldn''t it be much more interesting to understand how beaks originated? Most people would agree, but until recently we didn''t know much about such origins. That is now changing, with the growth of the interdisciplinary field evo-devo, which deals with the relationship between how embryos develop in the short term and how they (and the adults they grow into) evolve in the long term. One of the key questions is: can the origins of structures such as beaks, eyes, and shells be explained within a Darwinian framework? The answer seems to be yes, but only by expanding that framework. This book discusses the required expansion, and the current state of play regarding our understanding of evolutionary and developmental origins.Trade Review'Wallace Arthur treats his readers to an eminently readable but still deeply rooted introduction into one of the most significant achievements of evolutionary biology: how evolutionary developmental biology put the organism back into the centre of evolutionary thinking.' Günter P. Wagner, Yale University, USA'Evo-devo deals with the multiple connections that exist between the biological processes of evolution and development. However, as an interface subject, there is a plurality of views on its content and its boundaries. In spite of that, Wallace Arthur has succeeded in writing an extremely clear and highly accessible guide to this fascinating, multifaceted discipline. Using the concept of 'developmental repatterning' as a common thread, the book provides a balanced view of evo-devo, covering its main achievements and future challenges. This is an ideal entry point for the non-specialist, but also a stimulating read for the practitioner who wants to consider her/his research in a wider perspective.' Giuseppe Fusco, University of Padova, Italy'Occasionally I feel that the field of Evolution and Development has lost its way, becoming submerged in myriad examples and details that don't expand our understanding of life. Wallace's book expounds the intellectual underpinnings of Evolution and Development, leads us through the key questions, and finally shows how the details and examples inform our future understanding. This book provides not just a guide to Evolution and Development, but also a spur to refocus and redouble our efforts to use development to help understand the evolution of life on Earth.' Peter Dearden, University of Otago, New ZealandTable of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgements; 1. What is evo-devo and why is it important?; 2. Antecedents of evo-devo; 3. Evolutionary and developmental essentials; 4. Evo-devo essentials; 5. The evolution of variations on a theme; 6. The evolutionary origins of themes and novelties; 7. The evolutionary origins of body plans; 8. Body plan features and toolkit genes; 9. Bringing it all together; Concluding remarks; Summary of common misunderstandings; References; Index.

    2 in stock

    £42.74

  • Superstition and Science

    Little, Brown Book Group Superstition and Science

    2 in stock

    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. Particularly transformative was 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. This fascinating account of the profound changes undergone by Europe between the Renaissance and the Enlightenment will cover ground including folk religion and its pagan past; Catholicism and its saintly dogma; alchemy, astTrade 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 *

    2 in stock

    £8.24

  • Life is Simple: How Occam's Razor Set Science

    John Murray Press Life is Simple: How Occam's Razor Set Science

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis'The most sheerly enjoyable history of science of recent years' The Spectator'This is one of the best science books I have read in a decade' Paul DaviesLife is Simple tells the remarkable story of how a thirteenth century monk's search for simplicity led to the emergence of the modern world.We begin in the turbulent times of the medieval friar, William of Occam, who first articulated the principle that the best answer to any problem is the simplest. This theory, known as Occam's razor, cut through the thickets of medieval metaphysics to clear a path for modern science. We follow the razor in the hands of the giants of science, from Copernicus, to Kepler, Galileo, Newton, Darwin, Einstein, Rubin and Higgs. Its success suggests that we live in the simplest possible habitable universe and supports the revolutionary theory that our cosmos has evolved.By highlighting the very human passion, curiosity, mistakes and struggles of those who were inspired by Occam's razor to create the modern world, Johnjoe McFadden provides new insight into what science is really about. And that the principle of simplicity is as relevant today as ever.Trade ReviewLIFE IS SIMPLE tells, in an entertaining and engaging way, the remarkable story of a simple idea that begins its epic journey 800 years ago with a medieval Franciscan friar and yet somehow still influences some of the most profound ideas in science today. -- Jim al-KhaliliOccam's razor, like Hobson's choice and Schrödinger's cat, is a phrase that's entered the language. We know more or less what it means without necessarily knowing anything about its inventor or realising the immense power it has as a philosophical and scientific principle. LIFE IS SIMPLE describes brilliantly the context in which William of Occam lived and worked, and the transforming effect that his simple-seeming doctrine has had on the development of our understanding of nature and the universe. -- Philip PullmanThe most sheerly enjoyable history of science of recent years -- Simon Ings, The SpectatorI read LIFE IS SIMPLE and found myself captured by the central premise: that science, though perceived as complicated, is actually the pursuit of simplicity. Johnjoe has created a fascinating book that weaves history, science and humanity together to illuminate what science really is - a topic that could not be more timely. The world is currently waking up to the complexities of science and its role in our world, and this book is an enlightening aid to that new understanding. -- Michael Brooks, physicist and science writerIn LIFE IS SIMPLE, geneticist Johnjoe McFadden offers a breezy but well-researched look at how the razor has inspired some of science's biggest ideas...his examples illustrate with persuasive power how 'simplicity continues to present us with the most profound, enigmatic and sometimes unsettling insights' into how the universe works -- Scientific AmericanLIFE IS SIMPLE is a history that takes you through many centuries of understanding the changing language and philosophy of science. I highly recommend you buy it -- Robin Ince, broadcaster and author of The Importance of Being Interested: Adventures in Scientific CuriosityWith flair and accessibility, McFadden walks readers through Occam's many intellectually revolutionary ideas...A dense, provocative, and satisfying foray into the history of science -- Kirkus ReviewsA compelling assessment of an idea many of us know but few deeply understand -- John Keogh, BooklistI learned a great deal from reading this book and I thought that the concept of simplicity as the main plot of the story worked well -- Bernard Lightman, Distinguished Research Professor, University of York, Canada. President History of Science Society and editor of Isis, the preeminent international History of Science journal.McFadden's love for William is hard to resist. If you are at all interested in the history of ideas, this is a fabulous read. Even after you've taken a few detours through other material to become better oriented in the controversy over what exactly he's good for, William plausibly still stands as a daring, original figure who deserves a place in the Pantheon, and McFadden has done a great service in bringing the whole William and his influence to wider attention. In short, Life is Simple is enthralling. -- Prospect MagazineCenturies ago, the principle of Ockham's razor changed our world by showing simpler answers to be preferable and more often true. In Life Is Simple, scientist Johnjoe McFadden traces centuries of discoveries, taking us from a geocentric cosmos to quantum mechanics and DNA, arguing that simplicity has revealed profound answers to the greatest mysteries . . . Recasting both the history of science and our universe's origins, McFadden transforms our understanding of ourselves and our world -- Irish Tech NewsA tour through two millennia of scientific discovery . . . interesting and illuminating -- Wall Street JournalFor all its technical triumphs, science does not take place in a cultural vacuum. McFadden's wonderful and thoroughly-researched account of the history of ideas reveals how simplicity as an overarching principle weaves through all the sciences, telling us something profound about the nature of reality. His vivid descriptions and clear exposition make the subject come alive, and resonate with significance. This is one of the best science books I have read in a decade. -- Paul Davies, Regents’ Professor of Physics at Arizona State University and author of What’s Eating the Universe?Like a talented stylist or editor, courageous scientists have identified what is redundant . . . and promptly scratched it out. McFadden's book brings this observation to life using two millennia of scientific advancement, never castigating those who were wrong, but instead highlighting how they helped to shape the correct answers that came later -- Caroline Delbert, Popular MechanicsMcFadden includes much interesting material drawn from Ockham and other historical sources. His evident enthusiasm is particularly welcome as this book is directed not only at fellow scientists but also at a wider readership -- Geoffrey Cantor, Times HigherJohnjoe McFadden's delightfully lucid book is itself a model of deceptive simplicity. The words glide off the page in this trenchant analysis of nature's complexities that brings fresh life to centuries of scientific discovery and also points the way towards a clearer future -- Patricia Fara, Emeritus Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge and award-winning author of Science: A Four Thousand Year HistoryThoroughly fascinating . . . Far from being a narrow specialist, [McFadden] has a firm grasp of the complexities of many branches of science . . . Breath-taking in its comprehensiveness and clarity -- Irish Times

    1 in stock

    £22.50

  • Politics of Representation: An Essay in the

    Nova Science Publishers Inc Politics of Representation: An Essay in the

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book is about the already present supremacy of technology in the contemporary world. As we speak, the mind is being substituted by thinking machines. Thinking is increasingly becoming automatised and mechanised, and technology is taking over all the traditionally human and humanistic realms of life and action. This volume employs the discursive devices and techniques already present in the second volume, so the text represents a combination of descriptive, interpretative, argumentative, programmatic, assertive, explanatory and declarative discourses. It also includes the combination of fragmentary, narrative, academic and essayistic styles and registers. The use of different writing styles, registers and forms aims at exemplifying the chaos and disorder of the present moment through the discourse itself.

    1 in stock

    £163.19

  • Science in Short Chapters

    Nova Science Publishers Inc Science in Short Chapters

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis collection of previously printed articles by W. Mattieu Williams is of interest to all readers who are sufficiently intelligent to prefer sober fact to sensational fiction, but who, at the same time, do not profess to be scientific specialists. The author has combined clearness and simplicity with an attempt at philosophy.

    1 in stock

    £191.19

  • Scientific Thinking

    Broadview Press Ltd Scientific Thinking

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisScientific Thinking is a practical guide to inductive reasoning – the sort of reasoning that is commonly used in scientific activity, whether such activity is performed by a scientist, a reporter, a political pollster, or any one of us in day-to-day life. The book provides comprehensive coverage of such topics as confirmation, sampling, correlations, causality, hypotheses, and experimental methods. Martin’s writing confounds those who would think that such topics must be dry-as-dust, presenting ideas in a lively and engaging tone and incorporating amusing examples throughout. This book underlines the importance of acquiring good habits of scientific thinking, and helps to instill those habits in the reader. Stimulating questions and exercises are included in each chapter.Trade Review“Robert Martin’s book is an excellent introduction to scientific thinking, and in that respect, to the philosophy of science … [it] renders a number of complex and difficult topics very accessible.” — Rich Hughen, Teaching Philosophy“Scientific Thinking is admirably clear and linear. It takes the student from the elementary position of undirected observation through problems in sampling to issues in explanation, causation and classification. The book’s informal language helps to make it easy to understand such things as the need for and practical difficulties involved with random sampling. … Scientific and historical examples are presented in an especially illuminating way.” — Carl Matheson, University of ManitobaTable of ContentsChapter 0: Not Your Usual IntroductionPart I: Induction, Proportions, CorrelationsChapter 1: Galileo and Mrs. SmithChapter 2: Induction, Deduction, ConfirmationChapter 3: SamplingChapter 4: SamplesChapter 5: Imprecision and Confidence LevelChapter 6: Statistical RelationsChapter 7: Correlations DescribedChapter 8: Correlations Calculated Part II: ExplanationsChapter 9: Explanations ExplainedChapter 10: Problems with D-N ModelChapter 11: Hypotheses and ExplanationsChapter 12: Two Strategies for HypothesizingChapter 13: Disconfirming HypothesesChapter 14: Empiricism RevisitedChapter 15: CategoriesChapter 16: Kinds and Laws Part III: CauseChapter 17: Seeing CausesChapter 18: Causal RelationsChapter 19: Causal ComplicationsChapter 20: Experimental ConfirmationChapter 21: Experimental ProceduresChapter 22: Non-Experimental MethodsChapter 23: The Truth Index

    2 in stock

    £38.66

  • Why Science?

    Nova Science Publishers Inc Why Science?

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWritten for the millions of science teachers, students and the public who want evidence of their views. Society must make important choices in health and medicine, the environment, energy sources, the courts and in risk and safety. These issues and many other problems facing us require knowledge of science for their solution. Polls show that nearly half of the US population believes the myths, superstition and paranormal delivered by TV and the press. Despite the great advances of science in the 20th century, pseudo-science and anti-science are still around, even growing in some of the greatest universities and institutions in the land.

    1 in stock

    £59.49

  • Living Systems: Theory & Application

    Nova Science Publishers Inc Living Systems: Theory & Application

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £79.04

  • Philosophical Insights About Modern Science

    Nova Science Publishers Inc Philosophical Insights About Modern Science

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisModern science is so much specialised that it seems utopic to try to follow it all at once. This new book is aimed at crossing the gap between specialists and a common understanding of ''modern science''. It would seem desirable that all educated people would know something from the humanities, literature, art but also the newest developments of natural sciences. One aim of this book is to point out the main messages of certain scientific fields, and what is really new and beyond the average educational level, in order to broaden our horizons. Therefore, at the end of the chapters each scientific field possible future contributions and and ethical concerns, if any, are elaborated.

    1 in stock

    £78.39

  • Philosophy of Science

    Nova Science Publishers Inc Philosophy of Science

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £106.49

  • Philosophical Letters, Abridged

    Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Philosophical Letters, Abridged

    3 in stock

    Book Synopsis"Margaret Cavendish (1623–1673) is a fascinating figure who is getting increasing attention by historians of philosophy these days, and for good reason. . . . She’s an interesting advocate of a vitalist tradition emphasizing the inherent activity of matter, as well as its inherent perceptive faculties. She’s also the perfect character to open students (and their teachers) up to a different seventeenth century, and a different cast of philosophical characters. This is an ideal book to use in the classroom. The Philosophical Letters (1664) gives us Cavendish’s view of what was interesting and important in the philosophical world at that moment, a view of philosophy as it was at the time by an engaged participant. There are few documents like it in the history of philosophy. Deborah Boyle’s Introduction provides a very accessible summary of Cavendish’s natural philosophy, as well as good introductions to the other figures that Cavendish discusses in the book. Boyle’s annotations are not extensive, but they are a great help in guiding the student toward an informed reading of the texts." —Daniel Garber, Princeton UniversityTrade Review"Boyle’s new edition of Cavendish’s Philosophical Letters makes accessible in print this imagined correspondence between Cavendish and another woman about how Cavendish’s view compares to those of Descartes, Hobbes, More, and Van Helmont. Boyle’s excellent Introduction sets the work in its context with respect to modes of writing and the intellectual environment in which she wrote, to Cavendish’s philosophical system as it is developed across her writings, and to the views of those thinkers against which she positions herself. This edition is both scholarly and accessible. It will be valuable to those already familiar with Cavendish, and especially valuable to those just starting to incorporate Cavendish into their understanding of early modern philosophy.” —Lisa Shapiro, Simon Fraser University“Boyle argues, and succeeds in making the case, that the Letters can be read on their own and stand as a single work (not a scattered series of thoughts). This will almost certainly become the standard volume of Cavendish's Letters." —Stephen Barbone, San Diego State University“Cavendish’s Philosophical Letters are an essential yet perhaps unappreciated text for those exploring the seventeenth century scientific revolution. . . . Boyle’s introduction is magically concise where the letters are dense and dizzying, at one moment abstract and then turning toward unexpected metaphor or even cultural commentary. . . . This is a text where the introduction is not only necessary, but thankfully also elucidatory, making legible the concerns and variety of opinions that produced it. “This edition is valuable to both advanced scholars and students because the scholarly apparati show what Cavendish is reading and responding to, a difficult task for those who had previously depended on the facsimile edition of the 1664 folio. "Boyle’s edition makes it possible to introduce this difficult text with crucial background and clarification, so that students in particular will see what she accurately calls 'a clearer picture of the shape of philosophy in the seventeenth century.'" —Andrew Black, Murray State University, in The Seventeenth Century

    3 in stock

    £22.49

  • Philosophical Letters, Abridged

    Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Philosophical Letters, Abridged

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis"Margaret Cavendish (1623–1673) is a fascinating figure who is getting increasing attention by historians of philosophy these days, and for good reason. . . . She’s an interesting advocate of a vitalist tradition emphasizing the inherent activity of matter, as well as its inherent perceptive faculties. She’s also the perfect character to open students (and their teachers) up to a different seventeenth century, and a different cast of philosophical characters. This is an ideal book to use in the classroom. The Philosophical Letters (1664) gives us Cavendish’s view of what was interesting and important in the philosophical world at that moment, a view of philosophy as it was at the time by an engaged participant. There are few documents like it in the history of philosophy. Deborah Boyle’s Introduction provides a very accessible summary of Cavendish’s natural philosophy, as well as good introductions to the other figures that Cavendish discusses in the book. Boyle’s annotations are not extensive, but they are a great help in guiding the student toward an informed reading of the texts." —Daniel Garber, Princeton UniversityTrade Review"Boyle’s new edition of Cavendish’s Philosophical Letters makes accessible in print this imagined correspondence between Cavendish and another woman about how Cavendish’s view compares to those of Descartes, Hobbes, More, and Van Helmont. Boyle’s excellent Introduction sets the work in its context with respect to modes of writing and the intellectual environment in which she wrote, to Cavendish’s philosophical system as it is developed across her writings, and to the views of those thinkers against which she positions herself. This edition is both scholarly and accessible. It will be valuable to those already familiar with Cavendish, and especially valuable to those just starting to incorporate Cavendish into their understanding of early modern philosophy.” —Lisa Shapiro, Simon Fraser University“Boyle argues, and succeeds in making the case, that the Letters can be read on their own and stand as a single work (not a scattered series of thoughts). This will almost certainly become the standard volume of Cavendish's Letters." —Stephen Barbone, San Diego State University

    1 in stock

    £48.44

  • Gender in Science and Technology:

    Transcript Verlag Gender in Science and Technology:

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhat role does gender play in scientific research and the development of technologies? This book provides methodological expertise, research experiences and empirical findings in the dynamic field of Science and Technology Studies. The authors, coming from computer science, social sciences, or cultural studies of science, discuss how to ask questions about gender and give examples for the application in interdisciplinary research, development and teaching. Topics range from the design of information and communication technologies, epistemologies of biology and chemistry to teaching mathematics and professional processes in engineering. Contributions by Anne Balsamo, Wendy Faulkner, Rebecca Jordan-Young, Barbara Orland, Els Rommes, and others.Trade ReviewBesprochen in: International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 8/2 (2016), Marie Larsson

    2 in stock

    £31.44

  • The New Formula For Cool: Science, Technology,

    Transcript Verlag The New Formula For Cool: Science, Technology,

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis"Our society has undergone a paradigm shift. In the information age, you and I are the alpha males," Dr Leonard Hofstadter, experimental physicist and protagonist of the hit sitcom "The Big Bang Theory", assures himself and his fellow scientists. The success of this and similar formats in American popular culture proves his point: Science has finally discovered the formula for cool. This interdisciplinary study examines how "cool", a key aesthetic and affective category in the American imagination, informs contemporary representations of technoscience. Analyzing selected audiovisual productions, Judith Kohlenberger sheds light on current processes of interaction between science and popular culture, two pivotal sources for change in post-industrial America.Trade Review"An important contribution to the study of American popular culture and will be a fixture in future discussions addressing the many permutations of cool." Susanne Hamscha, Amerikastudien, 62/1 (2017) "In her study, Kohlenberger succeeds in dissecting the multiple diverging relationships of science and coolness and provides a compelling analysis of a variety of media texts. This makes 'The New Formula for Cool' not only an important go-to for anyone interested in coolness studies, but also an important contribution to North American Studies and explorations of popular culture in general." Maria Sulimma, Zeitschrift für Anglistik und Amerikanistik, 65/2 (2017) "One can only hope that there will be a continuation and extension of the present engaging and remarkably informative study in the near future." Katarina Delikonstantinidou, European journal of American studies, 2 (2016)

    2 in stock

    £38.24

  • How Genes Matter – Genetic Medicine as

    Transcript Verlag How Genes Matter – Genetic Medicine as

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisUnderstanding the significance of genetic factors for our lives requires an analysis that goes beyond biological aspects. It is especially necessary to take into account how human beings relate to others and to themselves. Who we are is a result of social action and the ways in which human beings constitute themselves as subjects. Seen from this perspective, genetic medicine is a social practice that shapes how we think about us, how we conduct our behaviour and how we care for our children. This book scrutinises practices by which individuals become knowledgeable about their genes and constitute them as responsible decision makers.

    1 in stock

    £31.19

  • transcript Verlag A Heated Debate

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £40.00

  • transcript Verlag Scientific Understanding

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £46.39

  • Spatial Social Thought – Local Knowledge in

    ibidem-Verlag, Jessica Haunschild u Christian Schon Spatial Social Thought – Local Knowledge in

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisGlobal, local, glocal reflecting on the area of world social science seems to be above all a matter of space. In these spatial dichotomies the global has no location and locations seem beyond this world. Discourses about world social science thought not only distinguish social thought along spaces where they are created. Space has become an attribute of thinking when social scientists reflect on the world of social thought: Southern, Western and Northern knowledge, the location in which thoughts are created, is not only a hint about the address of a thinker, but about the theoretical perspective through which social science thinkers look at social reality. Social thoughts are imagined as imprisoned in the spatial context in which they are created, and social science thinkers are imagined as representatives of spaces, whether these are defined politically, culturally, or in any other context in which their thoughts must be rooted as if the product of human minds was nothing but a voicing of the nature of spaces. And should we imagine the world social science arena, the encounter of all these spatially bound thoughts, as the encounter of many parochial knowledges that never manage to arrive at shared thoughts unless they already share the same spatial context? Why should we then at all meet each other? This book discusses examples of spatially constructed knowledges and the struggles these knowledges encounter as they seek to meet one another and escape from the mind prison of their spatial contexts. Or does the world social science arena after all only prove that the 'Western' dogma of contextualising social thought is a dead end road for social thought -- everywhere?Table of ContentsForeword Section I: Global Social Thought 1. Concepts that Hinder the Progress of Sociological Research: Identity as an Epistemological Obstacle, by Youssef Salameh 2. Isn't Anthropology Already a Multiversalist Discipline? Assessing the Status of Anthropology in Asia, by Nestor Castro 3. Indigenised while Internationalised? Tensions and Dilemmas in China's Modern Transformation of Social Sciences in an Age of Globalisation, by Rui Yang 4. 'Academic Dependence': The World Social Science Arena-a Battlefield among Parochial Thought?, by Michael Kuhn Section II: Spatialized Thought and Local Knowledge Production 5. Michel Foucault and the Postcolonial African Theory: A Critical Essay, by Leon-Marie Nkolo Ndjodo 6. Knowledge Production: A Perspective from the Periphery, by Carmen Bueno 7. Civilizational Encounter, Cultural Translation, and Social Reflexivity: A Note on the History of Sociology in Japan, by Shujiro Yazawa 8. The community of sociologists in Morocco facing the internationalization of knowledge, by Kamal Mellakh 9. Internationalization of Research in Lebanon: The case of the American University of Beirut, by Sari Hanafi, Rigas Avanitis, Justine Baer Section III: Culture in Global Knowledge Encounters 10. Culture as a Dimension in International Social Science Encounters, by Doris Weidemann 11. The Manifestation of Scientific Cultures: A Sociophilosophical Study of Islamic Scientific Tradition, by Alparslan Acikgenc 12. The Study of Culture within Alternative Vision, by Mahmoud Dhaouadi Section IV: Globalizing Local Social Thought 13. The Transformation Processes in Global Social Knowledge, by Hebe Vessuri 14. Can Peripheries Talk Back? Alternative Intellectual Trends in Tamil Nadu and their Possible Lessons for Knowledge-Making Practices outside Intellectual Power Centers, by Kumaran Rajagopal 15. How to Overcome "Oriental" Sociology?, by Ebrahim Towfigh, Shirin Ahmadnia Authors

    3 in stock

    £21.59

  • World of Our Grandchildren

    Aspekt B.V., Uitgeverij World of Our Grandchildren

    3 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe future looks brighter than most people think! That is the conclusion of this book after a thorough investigation of present facts, trends and promises of science and technology. The world population will soon stop growing. The consequences of climate change will be far-reaching, but surmountable. Science and technology will, in the 21st century, make enormous progress. They are the shaping forces of the future. This book clearly explains the potential benefits and dangers of innovations from many area of research. Special attention is paid to the question whether and how mankind will try to improve itself beyond its natural capacities. The author is by profession a physicist. He worked at CERN and other research institutes in Europe and North America. His present primary interest is in historical research.

    3 in stock

    £17.06

  • The Beauty and Fascination of Science

    Springer Verlag, Singapore The Beauty and Fascination of Science

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn this book, Professor Anatoly Buchachenko gives a brief and informative description of the most striking achievements and discoveries made in the major natural sciences at the turn of the century – in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. The author has a rare ability to describe scientific discoveries so that these achievements and their significance are understandable not only by professionals and scientists of all specialities, but for any reader interested in modern science, its role in the existence of mankind, and its impact on human society. Originally published in Russian, Professor Buchachenko’s book describes the interaction of natural sciences with social ones—philosophy and history—as well as the part played by the human factor in the development of science, especially the role of the great scientists. Table of ContentsScience.- Physics.- Mathematics.- Evolution.- Chemistry.- Biology.- Intelligence.- History.- Philosophy.- Aesthetics of Science.

    1 in stock

    £24.74

  • Nova Science Publishers Inc Conceptual Features of Einstein's Theory of

    1 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    1 in stock

    £72.24

  • HarperCollins Publishers Inc This Will Change Everything

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisTrade Review"This Will Change Everything offers seemingly radical but actually feasible ideas with the potential to change the world. " -- Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel

    15 in stock

    £11.39

  • Oxford University Press Inc In Search of a Theory of Everything

    15 in stock

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

    15 in stock

    £27.89

  • Oxford University Press Mathematics and Scientific Representation

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisMathematics plays a central role in much of contemporary science, but philosophers have struggled to understand what this role is or how significant it might be for mathematics and science. In this book Christopher Pincock tackles this perennial question in a new way by asking how mathematics contributes to the success of our best scientific representations. In the first part of the book this question is posed and sharpened using a proposal for how we can determine the content of a scientific representation. Several different sorts of contributions from mathematics are then articulated. Pincock argues that each contribution can be understood as broadly epistemic, so that what mathematics ultimately contributes to science is best connected with our scientific knowledge. In the second part of the book, Pincock critically evaluates alternative approaches to the role of mathematics in science. These include the potential benefits for scientific discovery and scientific explanation. A majorTrade Reviewa rare and fairly comprehensive philosophical account of the success of mathematics in science and after reading it you may be left with the impression that something like this should have been published years ago. This book is a major contribution to an otherwise underdeveloped area in the philosophy of science and is most likely to be well referenced ... this book is at the cutting-edge. * Stuart Rowlands, Science & Education *Mathematics and Scientific Representation is an engaging piece of contemporary philosophy of mathematics and science. Its deeply science-informed approach and focus on applied mathematics, with an aim to seriously tackle also more traditional issues in philosophy of mathematics, exemplify exciting and fertile scholarly 'border-hopping'. * Juha Saatsi, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Pincocks writing style is engaging, and the book is structured in a way that makes it easy to follow the contours of the main lines of argumentan...an impressive book and one that repays detailed reading and re-reading. * Alan Baker, The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science *Pincock's book is an excellent analysis of some of the most important topics in philosophy of science and philosophy of mathematics, and is well worth a read for any philosopher interested in the issue of mathematical application. * Ashley Graham Kennedy, International Studies in the Philosophy of Science *Table of Contents1 Introduction ; 1.1 A Problem ; 1.2 Classifying Contributions ; 1.3 An Epistemic Solution ; 1.4 Explanatory Contributions ; 1.5 Other Approaches ; 1.6 Interpretative Flexibility ; 1.7 Key Claims ; I Epistemic Contributions ; 2 Content and Confirmation ; 2.1 Concepts ; 2.2 Basic Contents ; 2.3 Enriched Contents ; 2.4 Schematic and Genuine Contents ; 2.5 Inference ; 2.6 Core Conceptions ; 2.7 Intrinsic and Extrinsic ; 2.8 Confirmation Theory ; 2.9 Prior Probabilities ; 3 Causes ; 3.1 Accounts of Causation ; 3.2 A Causal Representation ; 3.3 Some Acausal Representations ; 3.4 The Value of Acausal Representations ; 3.5 Batterman and Wilson ; 4 Varying Interpretations ; 4.1 Abstraction as Variation ; 4.2 Irrotational Fluids and Electrostatics ; 4.3 Shock Waves ; 4.4 The Value of Varying Interpretations ; 4.5 Varying Interpretations and Discovery ; 4.6 The Toolkit of Applied Mathematics ; 5 Scale Matters ; 5.1 Scale and ScientificRepresentation ; 5.2 Scale Separation ; 5.3 Scale Similarity ; 5.4 Scale and Idealization ; 5.5 Perturbation Theory ; 5.6 Multiple Scales ; 5.7 Interpreting Multiscale Representations ; 5.8 Summary ; 6 Constitutive Frameworks ; 6.1 A Different Kind of Contribution ; 6.2 Carnap's Linguistic Frameworks ; 6.3 Kuhn's Paradigms ; 6.4 Friedman on the Relative A Priori ; 6.5 The Need for Constitutive Representations ; 6.6 The Need for the Absolute A Priori ; 7 Failures ; 7.1 Mathematics and Scientific Failure ; 7.2 Completeness and Segmentation Illusions ; 7.3 The Parameter Illusion ; 7.4 Illusions of Scale ; 7.5 Illusions of Traction ; 7.6 Causal Illusions ; 7.7 Finding the Scope of a Representation ; II Other Contributions ; 8 Discovery ; 8.1 Semantic and Metaphysical Problems ; 8.2 A Descriptive Problem ; 8.3 Description and Discovery ; 8.4 Defending Naturalism ; 8.5 Natural Kinds ; 9 Indispensability ; 9.1 Descriptive Contributions and Pure Mathematics ; 9.2 Quine and Putnam ; 9.3 Against the Platonist Conclusion ; 9.4 Colyvan ; 10 Explanation ; 10.1 Explanatory Contributions ; 10.2 Inference to the Best Mathematical Explanation ; 10.3 Belief and Understanding ; 11 The Rainbow ; 11.1 Asymptotic Explanation ; 11.2 Angle and Color ; 11.3 Explanatory Power ; 11.4 Supernumerary Bows ; 11.5 Interpretation and Scope ; 11.6 Batterman and Belot ; 11.7 Looking Ahead ; 12 Fictionalism 413 ; 12.1 Motivations ; 12.2 Literary Fiction ; 12.3 Mathematics ; 12.4 Models ; 12.5 Understanding and Truth ; 13 Facades ; 13.1 Physical and Mathematical Concepts ; 13.2 Against Semantic Finality ; 13.3 Developing and Connecting Patches ; 13.4 A New Approach to Content ; 13.5 Azzouni and Rayo ; 14 Conclusion: Pure Mathematics ; 14.1 Taking Stock ; 14.2 Metaphysics . ; 14.3 Structuralism ; 14.4 Epistemology ; 14.5 Peacocke and Jenkins ; 14.6 Historical Extensions ; 14.7 Non-conceptual Justification ; 14.8 Past and Future ; Appendices ; A Method of Characteristics ; B Black-Scholes Model ; C Speed of Sound ; D Two Proofs of Euler's Formula

    15 in stock

    £40.37

  • Oxford University Press Inc A Tale of Seven Scientists and a New Philosophy of Science

    15 in stock

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

    15 in stock

    £33.72

  • Oxford University Press Can Science Explain Religion The Cognitive Science Debate

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisDrawing on scientific research and logical argument James Jones directly confronts the claims that cognitive science can eliminate, or debunk, religion. He provides an accessibly written, persuasive account of why these claims are not convincing.Trade Review[T]his volume will be useful to students and scholars alike interested in deepening their engagement with the field of cognitive approaches to religion and will be a useful addition to course or module materials for students studying in this area. * Paul-François Tremlett, Religion *certainly deserves the attention of the general public, and offers a welcome antidote to the misrepresentations of cognitive science of religion * Tom Uytterhoeven, ESSSAT *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements ; Introduction: A Voice from the Border of Religion and Science ; Chapter One: Explanations -How Science Seeks to Explain Religion ; Chapter Two: Explaining-What does it Mean to Explain Religion? ; Chapter Three: Physicalism-Is a Purely Physicalist Account Compelling? ; Chapter Four: Beyond Physicalism-Mind and Nature ; Chapter Five: Our Pluralistic Universe - Living on the Border of Science and Religion ; Appendix: Sources, References, and Further Discussions ; Bibliography of Sources Used In Preparing the Text

    15 in stock

    £30.39

  • Oxford University Press Systematicity

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn Systematicity, Paul Hoyningen-Huene answers the question What is science? by proposing that scientific knowledge is primarily distinguished from other forms of knowledge, especially everyday knowledge, by being more systematic. Science is here understood in the broadest possible sense, encompassing not only the natural sciences but also mathematics, the social sciences, and the humanities. The author develops his thesis in nine dimensions in which it is claimed that science is more systematic than other forms of knowledge: regarding descriptions, explanations, predictions, the defense of knowledge claims, critical discourse, epistemic connectedness, an ideal of completeness, knowledge generation, and the representation of knowledge. He compares his view with positions on the question held by philosophers from Aristotle to Nicholas Rescher. The book concludes with an exploration of some consequences of Hoyningen-Huene''s view concerning the genesis and dynamics of science, the relationship of science and common sense, normative implications of the thesis, and the demarcation criterion between science and pseudo-science.Trade ReviewSystematicity constitutes a welcome contribution to the general philosophy of science. The research agenda for general philosophy of science has been shifting over the last three decades as many philosophers of science have focused on issues in the philosophy of the special sciences, philosophy of physics, philosophy of biology, and the like. In Systematicity, Hoyningen-Huene shows that there is still important and interesting work to be done in general philosophy of science. One leaves the book with a deeper appreciation for the nature of science, as the subtitle suggests, and why science rightly holds the important place it does in contemporary Western cultures. The book has the marks of being written by a mature scholar, erudite, wide ranging, and carefully argued. * K. Brad Wray, Metascience *Hoyningen-Huene presents a thought-provoking image of science that is very useful for the debate on the nature of science within science education. * Esther M. van Dijk, Science & Education *provides a fresh perspective on science ... Recommended. * V.V. Raman, CHOICE *This is a well-organized, well-written, and compellingly argued text on a topic of considerable importance. * Travis Dumsday, Review of Metaphysics *This book is a pleasure to read. It is well written, delicately crafted, scrupulously sign-posted, and very carefully and closely argued including of course the appropriate hedging at crucial points. Its perspective on the histories of both Science and philosophy is expansive, and its author strikes an impeccably impartial tone on disputes that are purely intramural in characteror irrelevant to the subject at hand. * Mariam Thalos, Mind *Table of ContentsPreface ; 1 Introduction ; 1.1 Historical Remarks ; 1.2 The Question "What Is Science?" in Focus ; 2 The Main Thesis ; 2.1 Science and Systematicity ; A) A Little History ; B) Preliminary Remarks ; 2.2 The Concept of Systematicity ; 2.3 The Structure of the Argument ; 3 The Systematicity of Science Unfolded ; 3.1 Descriptions ; A) Some Preliminaries ; B) Axiomatization ; C) Classification, Taxonomy, and Nomenclature ; D) Periodization ; E) Quantification ; F) Empirical Generalizations ; G) Historical Descriptions ; 3.2 Explanations ; A) Some Preliminaries ; B) Explanations Using Empirical Generalizations ; C) Explanations Using Theories ; D) Explanations of Human Actions ; E) Reductive Explanations ; F) Historical Explanations ; G) Explanation and Understanding in the Humanities in General ; H) Explanations in the Study of Literature ; 3.3 Predictions ; A) Some Preliminaries ; B) Predictions Based on Empirical Regularities of the Data in Question ; C) Predictions Based on Correlations with Other Data Sets ; D) Predictions Based on (Fundamental) Theories or Laws ; E) Predictions Based on Models ; F) Predictions Based on Delphi Methods ; 3.4 The Defense of Knowledge Claims ; A) Some Preliminaries ; B) Non-Evidential Considerations ; C) Empirical Generalizations, Models, and Theories ; D) Causal Influence ; E) The Verum Factum Principle ; F) The Role of Mathematics in the Sciences ; G) Historical Sciences ; 3.5 Critical Discourse ; A) Some Preliminaries ; B) Norms and Institutions ; C) Practices in Science Fostering Critical Discourse ; 3.6. Epistemic Connectedness ; A) Preliminaries: The Problem ; B) Failing Answers ; C) The Concept of Epistemic Connectedness ; D) Revisiting the Examples ; 3.7 The Ideal of Completeness ; A) Some Preliminaries ; B) Examples ; 3.8 The Generation of New Knowledge ; A) Some Preliminaries ; B) Data Collection ; C) The Exploitation of Knowledge from Other Domains ; D) The Generation of New Knowledge as an Autocatalytic Process ; 3.9 The Representation of Knowledge ; A) Some Preliminaries ; B) Examples ; 4 Comparison with Other Positions ; 4.1 Aristotle ; A) The Position ; B) Comparison with Systematicity Theory ; 4.2 Rene Descartes ; A) The Position ; B) Comparison with Systematicity Theory ; 4.3 Immanuel Kant ; A) The Position ; B) Comparison with Systematicity Theory ; 4.4 Logical Empiricism ; A) The Position ; B) Comparison with Systematicity Theory ; 4.5 Karl R. Popper ; A) The Position ; B) Comparison with Systematicity Theory ; 4.6 Thomas S. Kuhn ; A) The Position ; B) Comparison with Systematicity Theory ; 4.7 Paul K. Feyerabend ; A) The Position ; B) Comparison with Systematicity Theory ; 4.8 Nicholas Rescher ; A) The Position ; B) Comparison with Systematicity Theory ; 5 Consequences for Scientific Knowledge ; 5.1 The Genesis and Dynamics of Science ; A) Conceptual Clarifications ; B) The Genesis of a Science ; C) The Dynamics of Science ; 5.2 Science and Common Sense ; A) The Preservation of Common Sense ; B) The Deviations from Common Sense ; C) Additional Remarks ; 5.3 Normative Consequences ; 5.4 Demarcation from Pseudo-Science ; A) A Little History ; B) Systematicity Theory's Demarcation Criterion ; 6 Conclusion ; Notes ; Literature ; Literature

    15 in stock

    £38.94

  • Oxford University Press Scientism Prospects and Problems

    15 in stock

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

    15 in stock

    £81.61

  • Oxford University Press, USA Plato and Pythagoreanism

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisWas Plato a Pythagorean? Plato''s students and earliest critics thought so, but scholars since the nineteenth century have been more skeptical. With this probing study, Phillip Sidney Horky argues that a specific type of Pythagorean philosophy, called mathematical Pythagoreanism, exercised a decisive influence on fundamental aspects of Plato''s philosophy. The progenitor of mathematical Pythagoreanism was the infamous Pythagorean heretic and political revolutionary Hippasus of Metapontum, a student of Pythagoras who is credited with experiments in harmonics that led to innovations in mathematics. The innovations of Hippasus and other mathematical Pythagoreans, including Empedocles of Agrigentum, Epicharmus of Syracuse, Philolaus of Croton, and Archytas of Tarentum, presented philosophers like Plato with novel ways to reconcile empirical knowledge with abstract mathematical theories. Plato and Pythagoreanism demonstrates how mathematical Pythagoreanism established many of the fundamentaTrade ReviewPhilip S. Horky's Plato and Pythagoreanism is both deeply insightful and actually pleasant to read ... it is a great success. * Michael Weinman, Archai Journal: On the Origins of Western Thought *This is an inspiring book, widening the view on the Pythagoreans and their concept of number. The material is perfectly organized. * Volker Peckhaus, Zentralblatt MATH *This impressive work is crucial reading for students of early Pythagoreanism... Essential. * Choice *Plato and Pythagoreanism is a most interesting study, from which I learned a good deal and derived much pleasure. Horky sets out here to investigate the nature and extent of the influence on Plato and the Academy of that tradition within early Pythagoreanism which may be termed 'mathematical.' Despite the sketchy nature of the evidence, Horky proves his argument sufficiently to make this an important contribution to scholarship. * John Dillon, Trinity College Dublin *Horky's wide-ranging and meticulously researched Plato and Pythagoreanism provides an important contribution to our understanding of the doxographical traditions and the ongoing dialectic between the Greek philosophers of the fifth and fourth century BCE by engaging with some of the lesser known -- but no less interesting -- 'mathematical Pythagoreans' and systematically presenting their transformative influence on Plato's philosophy. This book deserves close attention from any student in ancient philosophy. * Mariska Leunissen, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill *A trail-blazing effort to collect, summarize, and relate scattered pieces of information that have too often been ignored or dismissed in the past.... The early Pythagoreans are neither lost to history nor boring nor well understood. Horky invites us to see them with fresh eyes. * Joseph G. Miller, HOPOS: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science *A fascinating, intelligent, and effective book.... By applying novel approaches to an old question, Horky has provided scholarship with a very remarkable contribution. * Federico M. Petrucci, The Journal of the History of Philosophy *Approached in the right order and with due scholarly caution.... The study as a whole is of uniformly high quality. * Simon Trepanier, Bryn Mawr Classical Review *It will be a standard text for those who are interested in Plato and Pythagoreanism, and especially for those of us interested in their connection. * Michael Weinman, Archai *Table of ContentsContents ; Acknowledgements ; Abbreviations ; Preface ; Chapter 1: Aristotle on Mathematical Pythagoreanism in the 4th Century BCE ; Chapter 2: Hippasus of Metapontum and Mathematical Pythagoreanism ; Chapter 3: Exoterism and the History of Pythagorean Politics ; Chapter 4: Mathematical Pythagoreanism and Plato's Cratylus ; Chapter 5: What is Wisest? Mathematical Pythagoreanism and Plato's Phaedo ; Chapter 6: The Method of the Gods: Mathematical Pythagoreanism and Discovery ; Afterword ; Index Locorum ; Bibliography ; General Index

    15 in stock

    £40.37

  • Oxford University Press In Praise of Desire

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisJoining the ancient debate over the roles of reason and appetite in the moral mind, In Praise of Desire takes the side of appetite. The book makes the claim that acting for moral reasons, acting in a praiseworthy manner, and acting out of virtue amount to nothing more than acting out of intrinsic desires for the right or the good, correctly conceived. In Praise of Desire shows that a desire-centered moral psychology can be richer than philosophers commonly think, accommodating the full complexity of moral life.Trade ReviewPraise of Desire combines Arpaly and Schroeder's treat strengths to produce a book populated with engaging and naturalistic examples, argued with great systematic sophistication... The authors powerfully illuminate the nature and importance of the role played by the aspect under which we undertake actions in determining whether we count as responding fittingly to the situations in which we find ourselves and the amount of praise and blame due us for doing so. * Justin Jennings, Journal of Moral Philosophy *The great accomplishment of In Praise of Desire is that it shows that a robust theory of virtue and moral responsibility can be founded on a behavioral and neural basis. As such, it is an excellent contribution to moral psychology. * Polaris Koi, doctoral candidate in Philosophy at the University of Turku, Finland, Metapsychology *pleasingly forthright and readable book...As Arpaly and Schroeder say in their conclusion, their aim has been to spark a debate rather than provide a final theory. With its integration of considerations from ethics, philosophy of mind and the empirical science, this book provides an excellent beginning. * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews Online *... is a fantastic book. Its ambitions are high, its arguments are insightful and its prose is clear and crisp. I recommend it in the highest possible terms to anyone working on the intersections of moral psychology, philosophy of action, philosophy of mind, practical reason, and normative ethics. * Ethics *...I think the book is impressive, necessary reading for all moral psychologists and appropriate for a graduate (or sophisticated undergraduate) seminar on moral psychology. * Analysis *This book makes an important contribution to the literature supporting the kind of position the authors favour, but beyond that, virtually all the topics covered, whether or not structural parts of the authors' larger argument, involve philosophically interesting discussions very much worth considering. * Mind *Table of ContentsIntroduction Section I: Reason Chapter 1: Deliberation Chapter 2: How Deliberation Works Chapter 3: Thinking and Acting for Reasons Section II: Desire Chapter 4: Love and Care Chapter 5: What Desires Are Not Chapter 6: What Desires Are Section III: Virtue Chapter 7: Credit and Blame Chapter 8: Virtue Chapter 9: Virtue and Cognition Section IV: Puzzles Chapter 10: Inner Struggle Chapter 11: Addiction Conclusion Works Cited Index

    15 in stock

    £34.67

  • Oxford University Press Ant Trap Rebuilding the Foundations of the Social Sciences Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Science

    15 in stock

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

    15 in stock

    £28.97

  • Oxford University Press Emergence From Chaos to Order

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis''He''s the man who taught computers how to have sex. And now, for an encore, he''s working on a theory to explain the complexity of life and its myriad manifestations on planet earth.'' New York Times In this book, one of today''s most innovative thinkers, John H. Holland, explains the theory of emergencea simple theory that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Emergence demonstrates that a small number of rules or laws can generate incredibly complex systems. From the checkers-playing computer that learnt to beat its creator again and again, to a fertilized egg that can program the development of a trillion-cell organism, to the ant colonies that build bridges over chasms and navigate leaf-boats on streams, this fascinating and groundbreaking book contains wide-ranging implications for science, business, and the arts. ''John Holland is an exceptionally imaginative person. Often surprising, and always engaging, he takes the reader on a journey from simplicity to complexityTable of ContentsLIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS; PREFACE; 1. BEFORE WE PROCEED; 2. GAMES AND NUMBERS; 3. MAPS, GAME THEORY, AND COMPUTER-BASED MODELLING; 4. CHECKERS; 5. NEURAL NETS; 6. TOWARD A GENERAL SETTING; 7. CONSTRAINED GENERATING PROCEDURES; 8. SAMUEL'S CHECKERSPLAYER; 9. VARIATION; 10. LEVELS OF DESCRIPTION AND REDUCTION; 11. METAPHOR AND INNOVATION; 12. CLOSING; REFERENCES; INDEX.

    15 in stock

    £20.99

  • Oxford University Press, USA Economics and the Philosophy of Science

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis is a paper edition of a book published in 1991. The author explores issues in the philosophy of science that relate to the methodology of economics.Trade Reviewimportant book ... providing economists, social scientists, and historians with the necessary background to discuss methodological matters with authority * University Press Book News *

    15 in stock

    £48.45

  • Oxford University Press Catching the Light

    15 in stock

    Book Synopsis`This is a most persuasive book on a most important subject. I recommend it highly.'' Saul Bellow With scholarship and clarity, Arthur Zajonc takes us on an epic journey into scientific history. Yet Catching the Light is not just about science; it is a book of ideas that blends science with literature, religion, philosophy, and morality and tries to answer the question that has mystified humanity from pre-history to the present day: what is light?Trade Review`a multi-levelled history about virtually everything that human beings have thought about light and seeing in the last three thousand years... ...I have not enjoyed a book so much for a long time. Oliver Sacks`a small gem of a book' James Gleik, Washington Post

    15 in stock

    £18.49

  • Oxford University Press, USA Bangs Crunches Whimpers and Shrieks Singularities and Acausalities in Relativistic Spacetimes

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book explains the relevant technical issues of general relativity theory and discusses how these issues bear upon philosophical problems about the nature of space and time, causality, and laws of nature. The first book to address these implications critically, it provides an overview of the technical literature as well as analytical commentary on its philosophical significance.Trade Review...this book is a refreshing addition to the literature for we find that Earman not only provides excellent discussions but also clarifies (or in some instances re-defines) the standard definitions involved...the book is highly recommended. * AAHPSSS, 1998 *Earman provides a careful topographic analysis of some core regions that is written in a brilliant style. * Vienna Circle Institute Yearbook 1998 *Table of Contents1. Introducing Spacetime Singularities and Acausalities ; 2. Defining, Characterizing, and Proving the Existence ; 3. Cosmic Censorship ; 4. Supertasks ; 5. The Big Bang and the Horizon Problem ; 6. Time Travel ; 7. Eternal; Recurrence, Cyclic Time, and All That ; 8. Afterword

    15 in stock

    £81.70

© 2026 Book Curl

    • American Express
    • Apple Pay
    • Diners Club
    • Discover
    • Google Pay
    • Maestro
    • Mastercard
    • PayPal
    • Shop Pay
    • Union Pay
    • Visa

    Login

    Forgot your password?

    Don't have an account yet?
    Create account