Description
Book SynopsisWhat is meant by scientific evidence, and how can a definition of this concept be applied in the sciences to determine whether observed facts constitute evidence that a given theory is true?In this book, Peter Achinstein proposes and defends several objective concepts of evidence. He then explores the question of whether a scientific method, such as that represented in the four Rules for the Study of Natural Philosophy that Isaac Newton invoked in proving his law of gravity, can be employed in demonstrating how the proposed definitions of evidence are to be applied to real scientific cases. In answering this question, he offers a new interpretation of Newton''s controversial rules. Contrary to what many methodologists assume, whether the rules, so interpreted, can be used to determine whether observed phenomena provide evidence for a theory is an empirical question, not an a priori one. Finally, in order to deal with numerous cases in which evidence is insufficient to establish a theor
Trade Review[T]he renowned philosopher of science Peter Achinstein focuses on the question whether observed phenomena constitute evidence that a theory is true. ...The book is clearly written, aims at a general audience and provides valuable insights into the works of these two icons of modern science. Thus, it is warmly recommended for the readers of Science & Education. * Science & Education *
a significant contribution to what philosophers of science can learn from the methodologies of Newton and Maxwell. * William L. Harper, Metascience *
Table of ContentsPreface ; Chapter 1: A Problem about Evidence ; Chapter 2: Newton's Rules ; Chapter 3: Newtonian Extensions, a Rival, Justifying Induction, and Evidence ; Chapter 4: What to Do If You Cannot Establish a Theory: Maxwell's Three Methods
