What Is Philosophy of Science?

Philosophy of science puts science itself under the microscope: What exactly is science? How do its explanations of the world differ from those of other subjects, including so-called “pseudo-sciences”? How should we understand and evaluate scientific methods? What, if anything, can science tell us about the nature of physical reality?

Dean Rickles guides beginners through the central topics in philosophy of science. He looks at the origins and evolution of the field, the issues that arise when distinguishing between science and non-science, the concepts of logic and associated problems, scientific realism and anti-realism, and the nature of scientific models and representing. Rickles brings the subject to sparkling life with a user-friendly tone and rich, real-world examples.

What is Philosophy of Science? is the must-have primer for students getting to grips with this broad-ranging and important topic.

Dean Rickles is Professor of History and Philosophy of Modern Physics at the University of Sydney.

Preface

1 Philosophy, Science, and History
2 Logic and Philosophy of Science
3 Demarcation and the Scientific Method
4 The Nature of Scientific Theories

Index