Product Description

This is an introductory textbook, organized conceptually, aimed at both philosophy students and science students taking philosophy of science courses.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #174138 in Books
• Published on: 1998-05-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 328 pages

From the Author
What academic reviewers have written (and what I think):
.What academic reviewers have written (and what I think):

"Alex Bird’s book gives philosophical textbooks a good name. Students studying philosophy of science will be in his debt; professionals will be stimulated and provoked."

(Professor Peter Lipton, Cambridge University, writing in The British Journal of the Philosophy of Science)

"This book is part of the Fundamentals of Philosophy series, edited by John Shand, offering introductions to core areas of philosophy which are "not mere bland expositions, and as such are original pieces of philosophy in their own right". Alexander Bird’s book meets this remit admirably. . . He provides a single line of argument that represents an excellent introduction to the current state of thinkng in one the chief areas of human thought."

(Dr Stephen Mumford, Nottingham University, writing in Mind)

My own comments:

As these reviewers suggest, my aim in writing this book was to give a critical overview of the philosophy of science as it is currently practiced in the English-speaking world, while at the same time providing my own, unified view of the subject.

Much of this is epistemology, looking at such questions as: What can we know in science? What is it rational to believe? How do scientists use probability in their thinking? Can we know about unobservable entities? Is there a scientific method? How and why do science and scientific theories change and develop?

But much is also concerned with metaphysics, and I think my book is unusual among philosophy of science texts in having more metaphysics than most. So the first half of the book discusses questions such as: What ere laws of nature? What is explanation? How does causation relate to laws and explanation? Are there any natural kinds? To what extent does science deal with an unobservable reality?

The book introduces these questions by looking at the recent, indeed current debate over the teaching of so-called ‘creation science’ in parts of the United States. Is it really a science? What makes something a science anyway?

As some of the reviewers on this page have noted, I do not deal with important questions such as the ethics of scientific research, or social problems of the application of science in technology. These are vital questions, but because they are so important they are better addressed by those with special expertise in moral and social philosophy. I hope my book will nonetheless help those who are interested in such questions by helping them see what science is about and to what extent claims to scientific knowledge are justified.

From the Back Cover
An up-to-date, clear but rigourous introduction to philosophy of science has long been needed, and this book at last presents to teacher and student alike the ideal text for the subject's exploration. The book offers an indispensible grounding in the philosophical understanding of science and its problems, and captures through astute illustration with real science the excitement of the exploration of the natural world.
Alexander Bird pays full heed to negleted but vital conceptual issues such as the nature of scientific laws, while balancing and linking this with a full coverage of epistemological problems such as our knowledge of those laws. Laws of nature, natural kinds, explaination, theories, realism, inference to the best explaination, induction and anti-inductivism, probability, scientific method and progress are all illuminated with keen insight and communicated skillfully to the reader who is furnished with a profound understanding of the issues raised by one of humankind's most ambitious and thrilling endeavours.

Customer Reviews

Wholesome
This book is good. I would like to take issue with Dr Goddard-Smith and say this book is not misleading. It is clear, well laid out and has some good use of examples from science to illustrate some usually complex topics. It *is* limited, and there is too little attention to morals, but this doesn't detract from it being a good little book which any student of philosophy will definitely benefit from reading.

reliable introduction to an often overtly technical field
This is an ideal textbook for any student of the philosophy of science who finds the traditionally dry and boring articles a little hard to tie together. While not really offering anything exciting (despite the rave review it received by Peter Lipton, Cambridge University) it is mostly reliable, if a little simplistic in parts. There are a few typographical errors which ought not to have crept into the final print, but this does not really detract from its user friendliness. Ideal if you wish to survey a complex subject, or revise for an exam.

However, it is let down by its conventional approach. Biology is not really dealt with in depth, and the ethics of scientific inquiry, surely one of the most pressing issues in the philosophy of science today, is sadly cast aside for the sake of traditional and less relevant discussions about the Kuhn/Popper debate on scientific revolutions.

A note of warning. Bird is very biased against the Sociology of Science programme proposed by a colleague at Edinburgh University, David Bloor. The section on him ought to be read with several shakes of salt.

In short, Bird has produced a worthy primer for the student of analytic philosophy of science who has a penchant for the epistemological problems thereby provoked.

a fantastic introduction for all undergraduates
This book explores all the current issues facing the philosophy of science. It tackles them in a clear manner, introducing new concepts in a lively way.

Whilst designed primarily for undergraduates, it also is excellent for those who wish to broaden their scientific knowledge or find out more about this field of science.

A great read.