Philosophy of Science| Philosophy of Science |
In General > s.a. philosophy.
* History: Founded by
Bacon and Comenius; Two main schools, foundationist and historicist.
* Issues: The problem
of nature (is it really out there?), of knowledge, of science.
* Relationship with science:
According to S Weinberg [@ NYRB(96)aug]
the results of physics per se have nothing to say about philosophy of science,
with a couple of exceptions; The counterparts of the big issues are fundamental
theory, foundations of quantum mechanics, and the study of the development of physics.
* Common dualism: Science deals
with universal, eternal, theory-independent questions; Everything cultural is
a transitory metaphor; May be changing, from a profound reinterpretation of
quantum field theory [@ Schweber PT(93)nov].
> Points of view:
see Structural Realism.
Critical Naturalism
* Idea: Mechanic yet
non-materialistic universe; Analysis of a small portion of universe is enough –
the rest can be done by extrapolation with mathematical and philosophical means.
Empiricism
* Idea: The meaning of a question is its means of verification.
@ References: Reichenbach PAAAS(51);
Salmon PhSc(99)sep [Hempel and logical empiricism];
Frost-Arnold PhSc(05)dec
[unification of science and elimination of metaphysics].
Logical Positivism
* Idea: The view (typified by
Ernst Mach), according to which only experimental observations are considered
satisfactory and reliable; The anti-positivist view (typified by Thomas Kuhn),
is much more willing to credit theoretical ideas in advancing and altering the
general consensus; The historical and philosophical view of physics over the
past century or so as oscillating between two poles (Galison).
Operationalism
Perspectivism
* Idea: The view
according to which there are many possible conceptual schemes or
perspectives in which scientific statements can be made.
@ References:
Karakostas & Zafiris a1806 [in quantum mechanics].
> Online resources:
see Wikipedia page.
Scientific Realism > s.a. realism.
@ General references: Harré 70;
Adler AJP(89)oct;
Gardner AJP(89)mar;
Hacking PhSc(89)dec [lensing];
Murphy BJPS(90);
Jones PhSc(91)jun,
discussion Musgrave PhSc(92)dec.
@ And astronomy: Shapere PhSc(93)mar.
Thematic Component of Science > s.a. Emergence;
physics paradigms [reductionism, etc].
* Idea: "It consists
of unverifiable, unfalsifiable, and yet non-quite-arbitrary hypotheses that
belong to a pool of specifically scientific ideas but spring from the more
general ground of the imagination".
* Example: Atomisms.
@ References: Holton 73,
Sci(75)apr,
78;
Misner PRD(78) ['use' in physics];
Holton Daed(96) [scientific imagination].
Other Issues > s.a. computation [artificial
intelligence]; philosophy of physics.
@ Spectrometer:
Rothbart & Slayden PhSc(94)mar.
@ Existence, truth: Ghins FP(00);
Ten Hagen HSNS(19)-a1906 [history of the concept of fact].
> Related topics:
see Beable; determinism;
Teleology; Zeno's Paradox.
References > s.a. physics teaching.
@ Overviews: Churchman PhSc(94)mar;
Wray SHPS(05) [status and Mirowski's analysis];
Psillos 07.
@ Books: Northrop 31;
Eddington 39;
Frank AJP(47)may;
Margenau 50;
Ayer 56;
Feyerabend 69;
Harré 72;
Rorty 79;
van Fraassen 80;
Bunge 83;
Home ed-83;
Pachner FP(84);
Munitz 86;
Galison 87;
Kourany ed-87;
Morris 87;
Giere 88;
Gjertsen 90;
Laudan 91;
Kosso 92;
Shimony 93;
Klee 96 [intro];
van Fraassen 08;
Dear 10;
Rosenberg 11;
Staley 14 [read];
Okasha 16 [short];
Dicken 18 [why philosophy of science matters,
r PT(18)];
Halvorson 19
[role of formal logic in addressing philosophical questions].
@ Books, II: Sanitt 96.
@ Books, history: Edmonds & Eidinow 01 [Wittgenstein and Popper].
@ Reference books: Durbin 88.
@ On concepts: Piccinini & Scott PhSc(06)oct,
Machery PhSc(06)oct [kinds of concepts];
Hefford et al a2004.
@ On explanation: Salmon 90;
Trout PhSc(02)jun [and understanding];
> s.a. Explanation [including
truth]; Understanding.
@ Computational: Thagard 88.
@ Related topics: Stone BJPS(91) [falsifiability];
Kelly et al PhSc(97)jun [and learning];
Sesardic PhSc(00)dec [and science];
Hodgson CP(00) [quantum];
Demopoulos BJPS(03)
[Carnap-Ramsey reconstruction of knowledge];
Kourany PhSc(03)jan [socially responsible program],
criticism Giere PhSc(03)jan,
reply PhSc(03)jan;
Cartwright PhSc(07)dec [useful science];
French Isis(08) [putative alternatives vs genuine possibilities];
Maxwell JBPC-a1103 [need for change];
Martínez & Huang PhSc(11) [epistemic groundings of abstraction];
Maxwell a1509 [aim-oriented empiricism];
Collins a1607 [interactional expertise and embodiment];
Ponce et al EJST-a1803 [and educational research];
Maxwell a1912 [task for philosophers of science].
Science and Philosophy
@ General references: Newman SHPSA(10) [history and philosophy of science].
@ And marxist philosophy: Haldane 38.
Online Resources > see PhilSci Archive.
"To expect a scientist to do philosophy of science is like expecting a fish to do hydrodynamics" – Imre Lakatos
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