Theory and reality : an introduction to the philosophy of science

Cover......Page 1
Theory and reality : an introduction to the philosophy of science......Page 4
Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 12
A Note for Those Teaching with the Book......Page 14
1.1 Setting Out......Page 16
1.2 The Scope of the Theory......Page 17
1.3 What Kind of Theory?......Page 20
1.4 Three Answers, or Pieces of an Answer......Page 23
1.5 Historical Interlude: A Sketch of the Scientific Rvolution......Page 28
Further Reading......Page 33
2.1 The Empiricist Tradition......Page 34
2.2 The Vienna Circle......Page 37
2.3 Central Ideas of Logical Positivism......Page 40
2.4 Problems and Changes......Page 45
2.5 Logical Empiricism......Page 49
Further Reading......Page 52
3.1 The Mother of All Problems......Page 54
3.2 Induction, Deduction, Confirmation, and Explanatory Infeence......Page 55
3.3 The Ravens Problem......Page 61
3.4 Goodman’s “New Riddle of Induction”......Page 65
Further Reading......Page 71
4.2 Popper’s Theory of Science......Page 72
4.3 Popper on Scientific Chang......Page 76
4.4 Objections to Popper on Falsificatio......Page 78
4.5 Objections to Popper on Confirmatio......Page 82
4.6 Further Comments on the Demarcation Problem......Page 86
Further Reading......Page 89
5.1 “The Paradigm Has Shifted”......Page 90
5.2 Paradigms: A Closer Look......Page 92
5.3 Normal Science......Page 94
5.4 Anomaly and Crisis......Page 97
5.5 Wrap-up of Normal Science......Page 99
Further Reading......Page 101
6.1 Considerable Upset......Page 102
6.2 Revolutions and Their Aftermath......Page 103
6.3 Incommensurability, Relativism, and Progress......Page 106
6.4 The X-Rated “Chapter X”......Page 111
6.5 Final Thoughts on Kuhn......Page 113
Further Reading......Page 116
7.1 After......Page 117
7.2 Lakatos and Research Programs......Page 118
7.3 Laudan and Research Traditions......Page 123
7.4 Anything Goes......Page 125
7.5 An Argument from History That Haunts Philosophy......Page 128
7.6 Pluralism and the Ramblings of Madmen......Page 130
7.7 Taking Stock: Frameworks and Two-Process Theories of Science......Page 132
Further Reading......Page 136
8.2 Robert Merton and the “Old” Sociology of Science......Page 137
8.3 The Rise of the Strong Program......Page 140
8.4 Leviathan and Latour......Page 143
Further Reading......Page 150
9.1 “Science Is Political”......Page 151
9.2 The Man of Reason......Page 152
9.3 The Case of Primatology......Page 154
9.4 Feminist Epistemology......Page 156
9.5 Science Studies, the Science Wars, and the Sokal Hoax......Page 159
Further Reading......Page 163
10.1 What Is Naturalism?......Page 164
10.2 Quine, Dewey, and Others......Page 165
10.3 The Theory-Ladenness of Observation......Page 170
Further Reading......Page 177
11.1 Science as a Process......Page 178
11.2 Kitcher and the Division of Scientific Labo......Page 182
11.3 Social Structure and Empiricism......Page 184
Further Reading......Page 187
12.1 Strange Debates......Page 188
12.3 A Statement of Scientific Realis......Page 189
12.4 Challenges from Traditional Empiricism......Page 195
12.5 Metaphysical Constructivism......Page 196
12.6 Van Fraassen’s View......Page 198
12.7 Representation, Models, and Truth (Optional Section)......Page 201
Further Reading......Page 204
13.1 Knowing Why......Page 205
13.2 The Rise and Fall of the Covering Law Theory of Explanation......Page 206
13.3 Causation, Unification, and Moe......Page 209
13.4 Laws and Causes (Optional Section)......Page 215
Further Reading......Page 216
14.1 New Hope......Page 217
14.2 Understanding Evidence with Probability......Page 218
14.3 The Subjectivist Interpretation of Probability......Page 220
14.4 Assessing Bayesianism......Page 223
14.5 Scientific Realism and Theories f Evidence......Page 225
14.6 Procedural Naturalism (Optional Section)......Page 229
Further Reading......Page 232
15.1 A Muddy Paste?......Page 234
15.2 The Apparent Tensions......Page 235
15.3 Empiricism Reformed......Page 236
15.4 A Last Challenge......Page 242
15.5 The Future......Page 245
Glossary......Page 248
References......Page 258
Index......Page 270