Science: Key Concepts in Philosophy

Science: Key Concepts in Philosophy

by StevenFrench (Author)

Synopsis

The philosophical questions raised by the history and practice of science are among the most complex and stimulating. The philosophy of science inquires into such matters as scientific reasoning, scientific explanation, the nature and value of scientific knowledge, progress in science, and the debate between realist and anti-realist views of science. Science: Key Concepts in Philosophy is the ideal first stop for the student wishing to get to grips with this challenging subject. Written with the specific needs of students new to the discipline in mind, it covers the work of key thinkers and outlines clearly the central questions, problems and arguments encountered in studying the philosophy of science. The book considers such fundamentals as discovery, evidence, verification and falsification, realism and objectivity. It also draws on specific examples from the history of science to further illuminate the philosophical questions addressed. This is a practical and informative introduction to a major component of the undergraduate philosophy curriculum, as well as being a support to ongoing study.

$34.98

Quantity

10 in stock

More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 172
Publisher: Continuum
Published: 31 Aug 2007

ISBN 10: 082648655X
ISBN 13: 9780826486554

Media Reviews
'The book consists of ten chapters, each of which segues clearly into the next...There are four Study Exercises which probe students' understanding of the material and challenge them to think about further issues associated with the material. These questions could serve as a starting point for a classroom discussion, or even as potential topics for student essays...French takes a conversational and light-hearted tone, so that the prose is more engaging for non-scholars than many other introductions to philosophy of science...For graduate students in other philosophical fields, this text could prove useful as a quick introduction to or refresher for some core ideas in philosophy of science.'
Holly Andersen, University of Pittsburgh, Metascience
The author provides a succinct and approachable introduction to the field of philosophy of science...Casual, with plenty of examples and humor yet, importantly, Science gets across the technical details of some of the most central and influential philosophical positions, concepts, and arguments of the field.
-Robert Rosenberger, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 84, Sept. 2009
Author Bio
Steven French is Professor of the Philosophy of Science at the University of Leeds, UK. He is the author of Science and Partial Truth (OUP, 2003) and numerous articles on the philosophy of science.