Philosophy of science Books
Random House USA Inc Until the End of Time
Book Synopsis
£12.60
Edinburgh University Press Scandalous Knowledge
Book SynopsisThis new book explores the radical reconceptions of knowledge and science emerging from constructivist epistemology, social studies of science, and contemporary cognitive science.Trade ReviewScandalously unimpressed by the charges, countercharges, and 'prudent' middle paths found in current disputes over science and truth, Barbara Herrnstein Smith deploys her ferocious intelligence, wicked wit, and broad understanding to provide us with a tonic mixture of empathy and resources for taking positions that are both informed and responsible. She does not flinch before the barrage of outrages; neither, this book in hand, need we. -- Susan Oyama, author of Evolution's Eye: A Systems View of the Biology-Culture Divide Professor Herrnstein Smith's work is known for its rigor, clarity, and cogency. The chief contribution of this book is to present a more historical, complex, and nuanced discussion of the epistemological issues at stake in the "science wars" than has hitherto been the norm. -- N. Katherine Hayles, John Charles Hillis Professor of Literature, English Department, University of California, Los Angeles Scandalously unimpressed by the charges, countercharges, and 'prudent' middle paths found in current disputes over science and truth, Barbara Herrnstein Smith deploys her ferocious intelligence, wicked wit, and broad understanding to provide us with a tonic mixture of empathy and resources for taking positions that are both informed and responsible. She does not flinch before the barrage of outrages; neither, this book in hand, need we. Professor Herrnstein Smith's work is known for its rigor, clarity, and cogency. The chief contribution of this book is to present a more historical, complex, and nuanced discussion of the epistemological issues at stake in the "science wars" than has hitherto been the norm.Table of ContentsContents; 1. Introduction: Scandals of Knowledge; 2. Pre-Post-Modern Relativism; 3. Netting Truth: Ludwik Fleck's Constructivist Genealogy; 4. Cutting-Edge Equivocation: Conceptual Moves and Rhetorical Strategies in Contemporary Anti-Epistemology; 5. Disciplinary Cultures and Tribal Warfare: The Sciences and the; Humanities Today; 6. Super Natural Science: The Claims of Evolutionary Psychology; 7. Animal Relatives, Difficult Relations; Works Cited; Index.
£99.00
Edinburgh University Press Minds and Computers
Book SynopsisCould a computer have a mind? What kind of machine would this be? Exactly what do we mean by ''mind'' anyway?The notion of the ''intelligent'' machine, whilst continuing to feature in numerous entertaining and frightening fictions, has also been the focus of a serious and dedicated research tradition. Reflecting on these fictions, and on the research tradition that pursues ''Artificial Intelligence'', raises a number of vexing philosophical issues. Minds and Computers introduces readers to these issues by offering an engaging, coherent, and highly approachable interdisciplinary introduction to the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence.Readers are presented with introductory material from each of the disciplines which constitute Cognitive Science: Philosophy, Neuroscience, Psychology, Computer Science, and Linguistics. Throughout, readers are encouraged to consider the implications of this disparate and wide-ranging material for the possibility of developing machines with minds. And they can expect to de
£94.50
Edinburgh University Press Philosophy of Science AZ
Book SynopsisThis book gives concise, accurate and illuminating accounts of key positions, concepts, arguments and figures in the philosophy of science. It aids understanding of current debates, explains their historical development and connects them with broader philosophical issues.
£94.50
Edinburgh University Press A Process Philosophy of Signs
Book SynopsisJames Williams sets out a new process philosophy of signs where signs are processes, not fixed relations. He develops his argument through a formal model and a series of case studies. He engages in dialogue with the philosophies of Deleuze and Whitehead, and in critical discussion with contemporary and historical theories of the sign.
£22.79
Taylor & Francis Ltd Before and After Darwin Origins Species
Book SynopsisThis is the first of a pair of volumes by Jonathan Hodge, collecting all his most innovative, revisionist and influential papers on Charles Darwin and on the longer run of theories about origins and species from ancient times to the present. The focus in this volume is on the diversity of theories among such pre-Darwinian authors as Lamarck and Whewell, and on developments in the theory of natural selection since Darwin. Plato's Timaeus, the Biblical Genesis and any current textbook of evolutionary biology are all, it may well seem, on this same enduring topic: origins and species. However, even among classical authors, there were fundamental disagreements: the ontology and cosmogony of the Greek atomists were deeply opposed to Plato's; and, in the millennia since, the ontological and cosmogonical contexts for theories about origins and species have never settled into any unifying consensus. While the structure of Darwinian theory may be today broadly what it was in Darwin's own argumentation, controversy continues over the old issues about order, chance, necessity and purpose in the living world and the wider universe as a whole. The historical and philosophical papers collected in this volume, and in the companion volume devoted to Darwin's theorising, seek to clarify the major continuities and discontinuities in the long run of thinking about origins and species.Trade Review’An invaluable resource...’ Scientific and Medical Network 'This [...] collection of previously published papers by Jonathan Hodge not only brings to light a number of essays published in now hard to find places but also offers an unparalleled opportunity for tracing the historiographic trajectory of a leading Darwin historian over more than thirty years of intellectual achievement.' Metascience 'Incisive is a good word to describe Hodge’s famous scholarly style. As some of these papers and reviews demonstrate, he gets to the crux of any issue effortlessly, and often with astonishing directness. Who else can pack such brainy 'oomph' in the space of just a few pages, and in the unconventional form of a review article, instead of some long-winded monograph-length treatise? That, I suspect, is one reason the collection includes so much trenchant work... a splendid collection that should be required reading for anyone interested in Darwin, Darwinism and the history of evolutionary thought.' Science & EducationTable of ContentsContents: Introduction; The Very Long Run: Origins and species before and after Darwin; Canguilhem and the history of biology. Cosmogonies and Ontologies After Buffon: 2 Cosmologies (theory of the Earth and theory of generation) and the unity of Buffon's thought; Lamarck's science of living bodies; Lamarck's great change of mind; The history of the Earth, life and Man: Whewell and palaetiological science; The universal gestation of nature: Chamber's Vestiges and Explanations. The Structure and Content of Darwinian Theory Since Darwin: The structure and strategy of Darwin's 'long argument'; Darwin's theory and Darwin's argument; Discussion: Darwin's argument in the Origin; Knowing about evolution: Darwin and his theory of natural selection; Generation and the origin of species (1837-1937): a historiographical suggestion; Biology and philosophy (including ideology): a study of Fisher and Wright; Natural selection as a causal, empirical and probabilistic theory; Index.
£137.75
The Merlin Press Ltd Lancelot Hogben Scientific Humanist An
Book SynopsisHogben escaped from a background of religious bigotry by the academic ladder and gained a major scholarship at Cambridge and graduated in 1916. During a noteworthy academic career, he found time to be active in the Fabian Society and in the London Labour Party. He also founded the Journal of Experimental Biology along with Julian Huxley and J.B.S. Haldane. He is most widely known for Mathematics for the Million and Science for the Citizen, and he played a big part in creating The Loom of Language.
£18.95
Tyndall Scientific Villain of Steam
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£999.99
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) Why Human Nature Matters
Book SynopsisMatteo Mameli is Reader in Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, King's College London, UK.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Part I 1. Cooperation Social Beings Political Animals Superorganisms 2. Transformation Natura Pura Natura Lapsa Regnum 3. Subordination Slaves and Women Slaves and Colonies Part II 4. Essentialism Sciences and Channels Darwin’s Barnacles Ideal Types and Genealogies After Essentialism 5. Post-Essentialism Statistical Typicality Human Diversity Human Niches and Human Praxis Our Common Humanity Bibliography Index
£65.00
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Ethics of Global Organ Acquisition
Book SynopsisTrevor Stammers is former Associate Professor of Bioethics and Director of the Centre for Bioethics and Emerging Technologies at St Mary's University, UK. He previously worked as a clinician for over 30 years. Trade ReviewProfessor Stammers provides an impressively comprehensive and in-depth account of a wide range of ethical issues in organ transplantation at individual, institutional, societal and global levels. This book sounds important warnings and is essential reading for anyone considering the ethics and law of organ transplantation, indeed, for everyone in Bioethics. * Margaret Somerville, Professor of Bioethics, University of Notre Dame, Australia *This book provides a much-needed ethics update on recent developments and emerging approaches in global organ acquisition and transplantation. Trevor Stammers is an experienced doctor and prominent ethicist whose extensive teaching experience presents in a clear manner a treasure trove of information for patients and families, students, scholars, clinicians, and policymakers. * Gerard Magill, PhD Gallagher Chair & Professor Center for Global Health Ethics, Duquesne University, USA *Bringing the debate about the ethics of organ donation and sale up to date, to include the effects of the Covid pandemic, Trevor Stammers provides a wide-ranging and well-balanced discussion of these crucial issues. Throughout this book the emphasis is on public trust and real-life cases, handled with sensitivity and careful analysis. * Donna Dickenson, Emeritus Professor of Medical Ethics and Humanities, University of London, UK *Table of ContentsPreface Dictionary of Abbreviations 1. The Triumph of Transplantation 2. Organs from Living Donors 3. Organs from the Dead 4. Organ Donation and Euthanasia 5. Organ Trafficking, Tourism and Trading 6. Organs from Animals and Bioengineering 7. Ethical Global Organ Acquisition Bibliography Index
£999.99
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Advances in Experimental Philosophy of Action
Book SynopsisWhat is self-control? Does a person need to be conscious to act? Are delusions always irrational? Questions such as these are fundamental for investigations into action and rationality, as well as how we assign responsibility for wrongdoing and assess clinical symptoms. Bridging the gap between philosophy and psychology, this interdisciplinary collection showcases how empirical research informs and enriches core questions in the philosophy of action.Exploring issues such as truth, moral judgement, agency, consciousness and cognitive control, chapters offer an overview of the current state of research, present new empirical findings and identify where future experimental work can further advance the frontier between philosophy and psychology. This is an essential resource for anyone looking to better understand how science and philosophy can meaningfully inform our knowledge of human agency.Trade ReviewThis cutting-edge collection impressively covers a wide range of topics, ranging from free will and moral responsibility to monothematic delusions. There is something here for everyone with an interest in the philosophy of action – experimental or otherwise – and for everyone with an interest in the very lively field of experimental philosophy. * Alfred Mele, William H. and Lucyle T. Werkmeister Professor of Philosophy, Florida State University, USA *This impressive volume makes a powerful case for the value of experimental philosophy of action by showcasing recent experimentally-informed work on free will, self-control, moral judgment, reasoning, assertion, and animal agency. It undeniably advances our understanding of some of the most interesting questions at the intersection of philosophy, psychology, cognitive science, and the law. * Manuel Vargas, Professor of Philosophy, University of California San Diego, USA *This volume is a must for anyone interested in contemporary experimental work related to action theory. It beautifully illustrates ways in which a variety of experimental data can inform and constrain philosophical theorizing about action, normal and compromised agency, free will, ethics, and responsibility. * Adina L. Roskies, The Helman Family Distinguished Professor, Dartmouth College, USA *Many subfields in philosophy have profited from close engagement with relevant empirical sciences. With this volume, edited by Henne and Murray, philosophy of action takes a major step in this direction. These essays seamlessly weave together philosophical and empirical perspectives as they tackle core questions about agency. * Chandra Sripada, Professor of Philosophy and Psychiatry, University of Michigan, USA *Table of ContentsList of Figures List of Tables Notes on Contributors Introduction to Advances in Experimental Philosophy of Action, Samuel Murray and Paul Henne 1. Consciousness, Phenomenal Consciousness, and Free Will, Justin Sytsma and Melissa Snater 2. Skilled Action and Metacognitive Control, Myrto Mylopoulos 3. Bringing Self-Control into the Future, Samuel Murray 4. Who is Responsible? Split Brains, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and Implicit Attitudes, Walter Sinnott-Armstrong 5. The Everyday Irrationality of Monothematic Delusion, Paul Noordhof and Ema Sullivan-Bissett 6. Truth, Perspective, and Norms Of Assertion: New Findings and Theoretical Advances, John Turri 7. The Distinct Functions of Belief and Desire in Intentional Action Explanation, Joanna Korman 8. Free Enough: Human Cognition (and Cultural Interests) Warrant Responsibility, Cory J Clark, Heather M Maranges, Brian B Boutwell, and Roy F Baumeister 9. Beyond the Courtroom: Agency and the Perception of Free Will, Edouard Machery, Markus Kneer, Pascale Willemsen, and Albert Newen 10. Do Rape Cases Sit in a Moral Blindspot? The Dual Process Theory of Moral Judgment and Rape, Katrina L. Sifferd 11. How People Think About Moral Excellence: The Role of Counterfactual Thoughts in Reasoning about Morally Good Actions, Shane Timmons and Ruth M.J. Byrne 12. Why Idealized Agency Gets Animal (and Human) Agency Wrong, Caroline T. Arruda and Daniel J. Povinelli Index
£80.75
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Metaphysics of Contingency
Book SynopsisPhilosophers approach the problem of possibility in two markedly different ways: with reference to worlds, whereby an event is possible if there is a world in which it occurs, and with reference to modal properties, whereby an event is a possible manifestation of a property of some substance or object.Showing how the world-account cannot properly explain the nature of possibilities within worlds, Ferenc Huoranszki argues that the latter approach is more plausible. He develops a theory of contingent possibilities grounded in a distinction between abilities and dispositions as real, first-order modal properties of objects, with fundamentally distinct ontological roles. By understanding abilities as first-order modal properties, and by linking such modal properties to counterfactual conditionals, Huoranszki argues we can distinguish between variably generic or specific abilities and identify more or less abstract possibilities in a world. In doing so, he furthers our understandingTrade ReviewThis book makes a worthwhile contribution to a serious ongoing debate in metaphysics. At times brilliant, The Metaphysics of Contingency has novel and challenging wisdom to offer on the nature and role of dispositions and powers that will interest both the Aristotelian and the Humean alike. Huoranszki’s account provides a worthy addition to a growing contemporary literature. * Stephen Mumford, Professor of Philosophy, Durham University, UK *Your coffee mug could have gotten broken when you accidentally dropped it on the floor this morning. Thank goodness it didn’t! But what makes it the case that there was such a contingent possibility? Ferenc Huoranszki’s book offers a fresh, engaging and valiantly defended contribution to the current debate on this topic. * Anna Marmodoro, Professor of Philosophy at Durham University and Associate Member of the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Oxford, UK *Table of Contents1. Introduction: Contingency, Worlds and Properties 2. Abilities and Dispositions 3. Specificity and Intrinsicness 4. Abilities, Dispositions and Conditionals 5. Reasoning with Possibilities 6. Manifestations and Events 7. Concluding Remarks: Abilities, Qualities and the Priority of the Actual References Index
£85.50
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Quines Epistemic Norms in Practice
Book SynopsisIn this illuminating guide to the criteria of rational theorizing, Michael Shepanski identifies, defends and applies W. V. Quine's epistemic norms the norms that best explain Quine's decisions to accept some theories and not others. Parts I and II set out the doctrines of this epistemology, demonstrating their potential for philosophical application. Part III is a case study in which Shepanski develops a theory of the propositional attitudes by the method of formalizing inferences to behaviour. He presents critiques of popular alternative views, including foundationalism, the centrality of knowledge and Quine's own epistemological naturalism. By reassessing Quine's normative epistemology, Shepanski advances our understanding of Quine's philosophy whilst providing a guide for our own theorizing.Trade ReviewStarting from a clear exposition of Quine's views, Shepanski develops an elegant and useful epistemology of his own. Written with personality and rigor, this is an enjoyable and intriguing read. * Paul Gregory, Professor of Philosophy, Washington and Lee University, USA *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Part I. Undogmatic Empiricism 1. Wanted: A Normative Epistemology in Working Order 2. Epistemological Dissociative Disorder 3. Empiricism Without (Even Mentioning) the Dogmas 4. Conservatism is not a Third Norm 5. Sufficient Logical Explicitness is Norm Zero Part II. Application to Philosophy 6. Touching Base 7. The Armchair 8. Adapting to Predicate Logic Part III. Case Study: Propositional Attitude Ascriptions 9. Destination and Horizon 10. Sententialism 11. From Sententialism to Russellianism 12. Sententialism with Non-Designating Names Part IV. Paths Not Taken 13. The “Two Dogmas” Argument 14. Naturalized Epistemology 15. Attitudes to Sets of Possibilia 16. The Mythical Given 17. Epistemology as the Theory of Knowledge Notes Bibliography Index
£999.99
Bloomsbury Publishing (UK) Andrea Cesalpino and Renaissance Aristotelianism
Book SynopsisFabrizio Baldassarri and Craig Martin's volume sheds new light on the understudied Italian Renaissance scholar, Andrea Cesalpino and the diverse fields he wrote on. Contributors cover the multiple traditions that characterize Cesalpino's complex natural philosophy and medical theories, taking in epistemology, demonology, mineralogy, and botany.By moving beyond the established influence of Aristotle's texts on his work, Andrea Cesalpino and Renaissance Aristotelianism reflects the rich influences of Platonism, alchemy, and Galenism. Cesalpino's relation to the new sciences of the 17th century are traced through his direct influences, on Galileo, botany, and blood circulation. In combining Cesalpino's reception of these traditions alongside his connections to early modern science, this book provides a vital case study of Renaissance Aristotelianism.Trade ReviewThis volume provides an engaging series of studies that set Andrea Cesalpino’s philosophical and medical writings within the context of sixteenth-century thought. They show that his allegiance to Aristotelian assumptions did not prevent him from pursuing new lines of enquiry and coming to different solutions. * David Lines, Professor of Renaissance Philosophy and Intellectual History, University of Warwick, UK *Philosopher and physician, botanist and naturalist, Andrea Cesalpino engaged in many of the most contentious natural philosophical debates of the sixteenth century. The contributors to this volume unravel his complex strands of thought, draw connections within and across his works, and reveal Cesalpino’s centrality to early modern intellectual history. * Hannah Marcus, John and Ruth Hazel Associate Professor of the Social Sciences, Harvard University, USA *Table of ContentsAndrea Cesalpino. An Introduction, Fabrizio Baldassarri (University of Venice, Italy) and Craig Martin (University of Venice, Italy) Part I. Philosophy 1. Andrea Cesalpino’s Epistemology, Marco Sgarbi (Ca’ Foscari, Venice, Italy) 2. Philosophy, Medicine and Humanism in Cesalpino’s Investigation into Demons, Craig Martin (University of Venice, Italy) 3. Plato and Andrea Cesalpino’s Aristotelianism: A Revealing Marginality, Eva del Soldato (University of Pennsylvania, USA) 4. Cesalpino on Sensitive Powers and the Question of Divine Immanence, Andreas Blank (Klagenfurt University, Austria) 5. Andrea Cesalpino and the Rejection of the Celestial Spheres in Seventeenth-Century University of Edinburgh, David McOmish (Ca’ Foscari Venice, Italy) Part II. Natural Philosophy 6. Cesalpino’s (Aristotelian) Philosophy of Plants: A Science of Botany in the Renaissance, Fabrizio Baldassarri (University of Venice, Italy) 7. Aristotelian Metaphysics of the Vegetative Soul and Early Modern Plant Physiology: Comparison between Plant Functions in Aristotle, Pseudo-Aristotle, and Cesalpino, Corentin Tresnie and Quentin Hiernaux (both FNRS University of Brussels, Belgium) 8. Paratextual Debates in De plantis (1583): On the best Form of Botanical Prose, Garden and Things, and the Author-Figure of Cesalpino, Julia Heideklang (Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany) 9. Cesalpino’s Mineralogy between Meteorology and Chymistry, Hiro Hirai (Columbia University, USA) Part III. Medicine 10. Anatomy and Practice: Andrea Cesalpino’s Praxis universae artis medicae, R. Allen Shotwell (Ivy Tech Community College, USA) 11. Simple and Compound Drugs in Late Renaissance Medicine: The Pharmacology of Andrea Cesalpino (1593), Elisabeth Moreau (Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium) 12. Cesalpino’s Theory of Disease between Galenism and Renaissance Neoplatonism: De morbo gallico in Context, Carmen Schmechel (Freie University of Berlin, Germany) Index
£85.00
Edinburgh University Press The Essays and Articles of Alfred North Whitehead 18861916
£157.50
Simon & Schuster The Moral Landscape
Book SynopsisNew York Times bestselling author Sam Harris's first book, The End of Faith, ignited a worldwide debate about the validity of religion. In the aftermath, Harris discovered that most peoplefrom religious fundamentalists to non-believing scientistsagree on one point: science has nothing to say on the subject of human values. Indeed, our failure to address questions of meaning and morality through science has now become the primary justification for religious faith.In this highly controversial book, Sam Harris seeks to link morality to the rest of human knowledge. Defining morality in terms of human and animal well-being, Harris argues that science can do more than tell how we are; it can, in principle, tell us how we ought to be. In his view, moral relativism is simply falseand comes at an increasing cost to humanity. And the intrusions of religion into the sphere of human values can be finally repelled: for just as there is no such thing as Christian physics
£15.19
Little, Brown Book Group Superstition and Science
Book Synopsis''A dazzling chronicle, a bracing challenge to modernity''s smug assumptions'' - Bryce Christensen, Booklist''O what a world of profit and delightOf power, of honour and omnipotenceIs promised to the studious artisan.''Christopher Marlowe, Dr FaustusBetween the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, Europe changed out of all recognition and particularly transformative were the ardent quest for knowledge and the astounding discoveries and inventions which resulted from it. The movement of blood round the body; the movement of the earth round the sun; the velocity of falling objects (and, indeed, why objects fall) - these and numerous other mysteries had been solved by scholars in earnest pursuit of scientia. Several keys were on offer to thinkers seeking to unlock the portal of the unknown:Folk religion had roots deep in the pagan past. Its devotees sought the aid of spirits. They had stores of ancient wisdom, particTrade ReviewA dazzling chronicle, a bracing challenge to modernity's smug assumptions -- Bryce Christensen * Booklist *Covers a lot of ground without being superficial . . . a rich and interesting book -- Kostas Kampourakis * Springer Nature *
£14.24
Edinburgh University Press The Harvard Lectures of Alfred North Whitehead
Book SynopsisAlfred North Whitehead presented a regular course of 85 lectures which extended from September of 1924 to May 1925. These represent the first ever philosophy lectures he gave and capture him working out the philosophical implications of the remarkable turns that physics had taken in his lifetime.
£157.50
SteinerBooks, Inc The Marriage of Sense and Thought: Imaginative
Book SynopsisThis is a classic work on the relationship between science and human qualities, made available again for today's readers.The authors ask questions still relevant today, such as what role can science play in describing everyday human experiences, such as greeting a friend with a smile? They trace the roots of materialism and consider human beings' physical participation in the world.Trade Review'In this brilliant book, the authors build a fascinating bridge between science and the world of the senses, a bridge that holds great promise for overcoming the fragmentation and alienation that is so characteristic of our time.'-- Fritjof Capra, author of The Tao of Physics and The Web of Life'Rethinking the foundations of a subject as fundamental to our culture as physics is a bold and challenging initiative... The alternative proposed by the authors could help to heal our alienation from nature -- which we are destroying -- without losing anything of value from science itself.' -- Brian Goodwin, author of How the Leopard Changed Its Spots and Nature's Due'This little book opens many important avenues for further research and development. It stands as an invitation to join the project of reimagining science.'-- Arthur Zajonc, author of Meditation as Contemplative Inquiry: When Knowing Becomes Love
£14.99
Imprint Academic A Hospitable Universe: Addressing Ethical and
Book SynopsisThis book argues that new developments in the sciences, in particular twentieth-century physics and twenty-first-century biology, suggest revising several pessimistic outlooks for the development of a scientific understanding of the relationship of humans with the universe in particular, implications for the development of a natural religiousness. In the new vision a universe which is friendly to life and consciousness naturally emerges.
£999.99
Kuperard The Quest For Speed - Simple Guides
Book SynopsisMan s quest for speed is driven by two ambitions. One is the competitive urge to excel to go as fast as possible by any available means, and preferably to go faster than anybody else. The other, more practical, aim is to make travel and transport as swift and efficient as possible. This guide will appeal to readers with no specific scientific knowledge, yet with a thirst to know more about the world we live in.
£10.53
Eyewear Publishing The Virtuous Cyborg
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£10.44
Bellevue Literary Press The World Itself: Consciousness and the
Book SynopsisThere is a wonderfully weird but real world out there, and we are a part of it. It is time for physics to take life seriously.Can we ever truly comprehend the universe before we fully understand consciousness and the wonders, and limits, of the mind? Ulf Danielsson, an acclaimed theoretical physicist who has dedicated his career to probing the deepest mysteries of nature, thinks not. As he dismantles the arguments of esteemed mathematicians and scientists, who would substitute their mathematical models for reality and equate the mind to a computer, he makes a lucid and passionate case that it is nature, full of beauty and meaning, which must compel us. In challenging established worldviews, he also takes a fresh look at major philosophical debates, including the notion of free will.Fearless, provocative, and witty, The World Itself is essential reading for anyone curious about the profound questions surrounding life, the universe, and everything.Trade Review“[A] thought-provoking treatment of an array of issues at the frontier of science and philosophy. . . . Well worth our attention.” —PopMatters“Engaging and varied. . . . Books like this invite us to direct our curiosities—both as groups and individuals—in useful ways.” —North of Oxford“Engrossing. . . . Danielsson’s clarity of thought and expression and his use of illuminating literary and historical references are equal to the quality of his writing. Science ‘popularizing’ doesn’t get much more comprehensible, or provocative, than this.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Danielsson takes readers on an odyssey through the width and depth of his field, and it is truly a fascinating journey. Touching on subjects as diverse as evolutionary biology, philosophy, and even popular culture, Danielsson makes his topics both appreciably substantial and approachable.” —Library Journal (starred review)“There are some mind-bending ideas and the philosophical reflections on math and physics are stimulating. . . . This pensive take on physics has much to offer.” —Publishers Weekly“The World Itself offers a bold perspective on mathematics, physics, and the nature of reality. There’s much I agree with and less that I don’t, but Ulf Danielsson, a leading theoretical physicist, proves himself an insightful and patient guide through some of the universe’s deepest mysteries.” —Brian Greene, author of The Fabric of the Cosmos and Until the End of Time“Danielsson is Sweden’s most important public writer on the implications of natural science. His lucid, powerful, passionate, and engaging work advances original arguments of great importance. The World Itself is destined to become a modern classic as it upends many of the received wisdoms about the scientific worldview.” —Martin Hägglund, author of This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom“Danielsson displays a remarkably broad understanding of science and philosophy, and dispenses with false notions about the world in this brief, yet provocative book. I hope it stimulates lots of discussion and debate, as it should. For those who have thought about these issues, there is much of interest here. For those who haven’t, this is a great place to start.” —Lawrence M. Krauss, author of A Universe from Nothing and The Known Unknowns“In this accessible and beautifully written book, Danielsson argues for views diametrically opposite to mine on the nature of intelligence, consciousness, and physical reality—I highly recommend it!” —Max Tegmark, author of Our Mathematical Universe and Life 3.0: Being Human In the Age of Artificial Intelligence
£13.99
Hermits United Mnemosyne
Book SynopsisOlivier returns from New York to Paris to find his sister Constance in pieces. Trying to fulfil his brotherly duty, he discovers a world beyond his imagination. What has an ancient diagram got to do with it all? Why is colour a metaphor for our existence? Why is divination a science?
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Springer Nature Switzerland AG Information—Consciousness—Reality: How a New Understanding of the Universe Can Help Answer Age-Old Questions of Existence
Book SynopsisThis open access book chronicles the rise of a new scientific paradigm offering novel insights into the age-old enigmas of existence. Over 300 years ago, the human mind discovered the machine code of reality: mathematics. By utilizing abstract thought systems, humans began to decode the workings of the cosmos. From this understanding, the current scientific paradigm emerged, ultimately discovering the gift of technology. Today, however, our island of knowledge is surrounded by ever longer shores of ignorance. Science appears to have hit a dead end when confronted with the nature of reality and consciousness. In this fascinating and accessible volume, James Glattfelder explores a radical paradigm shift uncovering the ontology of reality. It is found to be information-theoretic and participatory, yielding a computational and programmable universe.Table of ContentsPart I Climbing to the Summit.- Deciphering the Rules of Nature.- The Simplicity of Complexity.- Crafting Technology.- Part II The Downfall.- The Truth about Reality.- The Missing Foundations of Science.- Problems with Consciousness.- Part III A New Horizon.- So, How Can You Be Sure?.- A Universe Built of Information.- Fabricating Reality.
£35.99
de Gruyter Wissenschaftsleugnung
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£999.99
Palgrave Macmillan STEM for humanities scholars
Book SynopsisFrom natural science to STEM.- Modern Physics for Humanities Scholars.- Information as the second independent pillar.- The world model.-The scientific aspect in natural sciences and humanities.- Science, Philosophy, and Computers.- The interaction between natural sciences and humanities.
£999.99
Springer Mythos Determinismus
Book SynopsisStreit um Gehirn und Geist.- Das Buch der Natur entziffern.- Befunde der Hirnforschung.- Das Bewusstsein im Versuchslabor.- Das Rätsel Zeit.- Ursachen und was sie erklären.- Wieviel erklärt uns die Hirnforschung?.- Naturverständnis und Menschenbild.
£23.74
Universitatsverlag Winter Am Anfang Schuf Gott Himmel Und Erde: Grundfragen
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£43.20
transcript Trust Responsibility and Digital Governance
£41.24
transcript The Making of Scientific Knowledge
£46.49
Brill Vices of the Learned
£108.30
Springer The Logical Foundations of the Marxian Theory of Value
Book SynopsisMter the impressive collapseoftheSovietUnionand the Eastern European socialist countries, it is more pertinent than ever to recover the scientific legacy ofKarl Marx. This legacy is mainly (if not exclusively) constituted by his work in the field of eco- nomic theory. Marx's economic theory was intended by his au- thor as a scientific objective theory about the nature ofcapitalist economies, a theory that was going to serve as the foundation ofthe critique ofbourgeois political economy. His "laws" about the demise ofcapitalism, like the tendency ofthe profit rate to fall or the lawofthe cyclical crises, have been shown to hold un- der certain conditions but not in general. At any rate, it is likely that had not the industrialized countries changed the situation ofthe working class, and allowed some intervention ofthe State in the economy (especially after the Great Depression), capital- ism would have hardly survived, even though it is impossible to guess what kind of regime would have been instaurated in its place. The present book is concerned with the very foundations of Marx's economics, hence with the very foundations ofhis scien- tific legacy. I hope that after reading the book the reader will be convinced that Marx's scientific work was indeed serious and that this is the time to recover it as an important paradigm in INTRODUCTION 2 scientific research. I think that the reader will be convinced that Marx's economic theory is no less serious and mathematically tractable than, say, general equilibrium theory.Table of ContentsIntroduction. 1. The Prototype of Marx's Theory of Value. 2. The Problem of Foundations. 3. Structures and Representation. 4. The Dialectical Method. 5. Abstract Labor. 6. The General Axioms of the Theory. 7. General Reproducibility. 8. The Prototype Revisited. Notes. Bibliography. Name Index. Subject Index.
£85.49
Springer VS Auf dem Weg zu einer Philosophie des kosmischen Lebens
Book SynopsisEinführung.- Kosmisches Leben.- Die unaufhebbaren Verbindungen mit dem Kosmos anerkennen.- Der kosmische Lebensinstinkt weist den Weg zu einer gesunden ökologischen Zivilisation.- Holographische Philosophie als philosophische Grundlage der Theorie des kosmischen Lebens.
£999.99
Oxford University Press Richard Rufus of Cornwall In Aristotelis De generatione et corruptione
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£76.00
Oxford University Press Geoffrey of Aspall Part 1
Book SynopsisGeoffrey of Aspall, who died in 1287 and was master of Arts by 1262, was active at Oxford in the years 1255 to1265. He wrote commentaries on several Aristotelian works, and was certainly a major protagonist of the introduction of Aristotelian learning to Oxford. In particular, he produced a very extensive question-style commentary on Aristotle''s Physics, which contains important discussions of the fundamental topics of Aristotle''s natural philosophy, like matter, form, natural agency, causes, change, the infinite and the continuum, time, the eternity of the world, self-movers. Aspall''s Physics commentary shows the influence of Grosseteste''s metaphysics of light and of Roger Bacon''s view on the physical role of intentional species, as well as a strong inclination to ontological realism.Aspall''s commentary on Aristotle''s Physics is edited here in two volumes, which together form the first critical edition of this work. The Latin text is accompanied by a facing English translation,Trade ReviewThis is an accurate, erudite and stringent translation of Geoffrey of Aspall's question-style commentary of Aristotle's Physics. * Jason Wakefield, Avello Publishing Journal *...a rich and interesting book...This excellent Latin edition and lucid accompanying English translation will undoubtedly serve researchers fro generations to come. * Boaz Faraday Schuman, The Journal of Medieval Latin *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: Life and works of Geoffrey of Aspall 2: The Questions on the Physics 3: Manuscript tradition and editorial principles 4: Presentation of the text 5: The main doctrinal points of Geoffrey of Aspall's Questions on the Physics Bibliography QUAESTIONES SUPER PHYSICAM, LIBRI I-IV, VIII (Recensio O) Tabula quaestionum / List of questions LIBER I / BOOK I LIBER II / BOOK II LIBER IV / BOOK IV LIBER III / BOOK III LIBER VIII / BOOK VIII
£128.25
Oxford University Press Geoffrey of Aspall Part 2
Book SynopsisGeoffrey of Aspall, who died in 1287 and was master of Arts by 1262, was active at Oxford in the years 1255 to1265. He wrote commentaries on several Aristotelian works, and was certainly a major protagonist of the introduction of Aristotelian learning to Oxford. In particular, he produced a very extensive question-style commentary on Aristotle''s Physics, which contains important discussions of the fundamental topics of Aristotle''s natural philosophy, like matter, form, natural agency, causes, change, the infinite and the continuum, time, the eternity of the world, self-movers. Aspall''s Physics commentary shows the influence of Grosseteste''s metaphysics of light and of Roger Bacon''s view on the physical role of intentional species, as well as a strong inclination to ontological realism.Aspall''s commentary on Aristotle''s Physics is edited here in two volumes, which together form the first critical edition of this work. The Latin text is accompanied by a facing English translation,Trade Review...a rich and interesting book...This excellent Latin edition and lucid accompanying English translation will undoubtedly serve researchers fro generations to come. * Boaz Faraday Schuman, The Journal of Medieval Latin *Table of ContentsAPENDIX
£95.00
The University of Chicago Press In Search of Mechanisms Discoveries Across the
Book SynopsisOffers an account of how biologists discover mechanisms. Drawing on examples from across the life sciences and through the centuries, the authors compile a toolbox of strategies that biologists have used and will use again to reveal the mechanisms that produce, underlie, or maintain the phenomena characteristic of living things.Trade Review"Carl F. Craver and Lindley Darden eloquently describe the discovery of mechanisms and reasoning about them and show how mechanisms provide an integrative way of understanding the unity of biology. This book ranges across many areas of biology and is highly readable, with rich examples and a minimum of philosophical jargon. It substantially advances the philosophy and history of science, and can seriously help biologists to understand their own work." (Paul Thagard, University of Waterloo)"
£76.00
University of Chicago Press In Search of Mechanisms
Book SynopsisOffers an account of how biologists discover mechanisms. Drawing on examples from across the life sciences and through the centuries, the authors compile a toolbox of strategies that biologists have used and will use again to reveal the mechanisms that produce, underlie, or maintain the phenomena characteristic of living things.Trade Review"Carl F. Craver and Lindley Darden eloquently describe the discovery of mechanisms and reasoning about them and show how mechanisms provide an integrative way of understanding the unity of biology. This book ranges across many areas of biology and is highly readable, with rich examples and a minimum of philosophical jargon. It substantially advances the philosophy and history of science, and can seriously help biologists to understand their own work." (Paul Thagard, University of Waterloo)"
£25.00
The University of Chicago Press Lifes Splendid Drama Evolutionary Biology the
Book SynopsisPeter J. Bowler seeks to recover some of the lost history of life on earth in this work, giving an account of evolutionary morphology and its relationships with palaeontology and biogeography.Table of ContentsList of Figures Preface Table of Geological Periods and Eras 1: The First Evolutionary Biology A New Biology A Revolution in Science? Transforming Traditions The Professional Framework 2: The Tree of Life Relationships Redefined Form and Function Convergence and Parallelism Ontogeny and Phylogeny The Base of the Tree 3: Are the Arthropoda a Natural Group? The Problem of Arthropod Origins The Genealogy of the Crustacea Peripatus and the Origin of the Tracheata Limulus an Arachnid The Debate Widens The Fossil Record 4: Vertebrate Origins The Ascidian Theory The Annelid Theory The Arthropod Theories Nemertines and the Actinozoa Balanoglossus and the Echinoderms The Environmental Trigger Later Developments 5: From Fish to Amphibian The Origin of Fish The Fin Problem The Origin of the Amphibians From Water to Land 6: The Origin of Birds and Mammals From Reptile to Bird Taking to the Air Monotremes, Marsupials, and Mammals The Mammal-like Reptiles 7: Patterns in the Past Putting Things Together Adaptive Radiation Laws and Trends Rise and Fall Mass Extinctions 8: The Geography of Life Zoological Provinces Lost Worlds Northern Origins Southern Continents 9: The Metaphors of Evolutions Trees and Ladders The Biology of Imperialism? Phylogeny and Modern Darwinism Biographical Appendix Bibliography Index
£76.00
The University of Chicago Press Evolution As Entropy Toward a Unified Theory of
Book SynopsisBy combining recent advances in the physical sciences with some of the novel ideas, techniques, and data of modern biology, this book attempts to achieve a new and different kind of evolutionary synthesis.
£34.20
The University of Chicago Press Taking the Naturalistic Turn Or How Real
Book SynopsisPhilosophers of science traditionally have ignored the details of scientific research, and the result has often been theories that lack relevance either to science or to philosophy in general. In this volume, leading philosophers of biology discuss the limitations of this tradition and the advantages of the naturalistic turnthe idea that the study of science is itself a scientific enterprise and should be conducted accordingly. This innovative book presents candid, informal debates among scholars who examine the benefits and problems of studying science in the same way that scientists study the natural world. Callebaut achieves the effect of face-to-face engagement through separate interviews with participants. Contributors include William Bechtel, Robert Brandon, Richard M. Burian, Donald T. Campbell, Patricia Churchland, Jon Elster, Ronald N. Giere, David L. Hull, Philip Kitcher, Karin Knorr Cetina, Bruno Latour, Richard Levins, Richard C. Lewontin, Elisabeth Lloyd, Helen Longino, Th
£42.75
The University of Chicago Press Michael Polanyi and His Generation
Book SynopsisInvestigates the role that Michael Polanyi and several of his contemporaries played in the emergence of the social turn in the philosophy of science. This title reconstructs Polanyi's scientific and political milieus in Budapest, Berlin, and Manchester from the 1910s to the 1950s.Trade Review"There isn't a lot of current interest in who Polanyi was and how he came to hold the views he did. Mary Jo Nye's excellent and richly researched book aims to tell us and, along the way, uncovers a genealogy for the notion of tacit knowledge that situates it in the force fields shaping much twentieth-century thinking about politics and economics as well as science." (Steven Shapin, London Review of Books) "Mary Jo Nye's rich, impressive book recasts the science wars' barbs of the recent past by illuminating the searing politics, intellectual passions, and spirited debates that drove Polanyi and his generation to think about science in social terms." (David Kaiser, Science)"
£28.00
The University of Chicago Press Images of Science Essays on Realism and
Book SynopsisTen papers by prominent philosophers of science which challenge van Fraassen's thesis from a variety of realist perspectives. Together with van Fraassen's extensive reply, the articles provide a comprehensive picture of the current debate in philosophy of science between realists and anti-realists.
£34.20
The University of Chicago Press Subjects of the World
Book SynopsisBeing human while trying to scientifically study human nature confronts us with our most vexing problem. What we need to move forward in our understanding of human agency, this book argues, is a reform in the way we study ourselves and a long overdue break with traditional humanist thinking.Trade Review"In Davies's bracing book, we get a resounding manifesto for naturalism, in particular as it pertains to our perceived free will (Davies argues that this concept is otiose). His is not the first naturalistic manifesto, but it is arguably one of the most trenchant.... The gauntlet has been cast and it deserves being picked up. The author reminds us that being a coherent naturalist is a serious and difficult philosophical project; as such, this stimulating book should be read by all philosophers interested in the implications of naturalism." (Quarterly Review of Biology)"
£33.25
University of Chicago Press Reforming Philosophy
Book SynopsisBoth John Stuart Mill and William Whewell believed that by reforming philosophy - including the philosophy of science - they could effect social and political change. Situating their debate within the larger context of Victorian society and its concerns, this book shows how two very different men captured the intellectual spirit of the day.Trade Review"Snyder's account of this long-running debate is history of philosophy at its best." (Times Literary Supplement)"
£26.00
The University of Chicago Press Thomas Kuhn
Book SynopsisThis work discusses whether Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions was revolutionary. Steve Fuller argues that Kuhn held a profoundly conservative view of science and how one ought to study its history.
£76.00
The University of Chicago Press Kants Organicism
Book SynopsisOffers you an accessible portrait of Kant's scientific milieu in order to show that his standing interests in natural history and its questions regarding organic generation were critical for the development of his theoretical philosophy. The author provides a new understanding of much that has been otherwise obscure or misunderstood in it.Trade Review"A striking and radical rereading of the first Critique through the concept of 'epigenesis.'... Mensch's reading is bold and innovative, it deserves to be debated at length by Kant scholars." (Radical Philosophy Review)
£24.00
