ABSTRACT

The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science is an indispensable reference source and guide to the major themes, debates, problems and topics in philosophy of science. It contains sixty-two specially commissioned entries by a leading team of international contributors. Organized into four parts it covers:

  • historical and philosophical context
  • debates
  • concepts
  • the individual sciences.

The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science addresses all of the essential topics that students of philosophy of science need to know - from empiricism, explanation and experiment to causation, observation, prediction and more - and contains many helpful features including chapters on individual sciences (such as biology, chemistry, physics and psychology), further reading and cross-referencing at the end of each chapter.

Expanded and revised throughout, this second edition includes new chapters on Conventionalism, Social Epistemology, Computer Simulation, Thought Experiments, Pseudoscience, Species and Taxonomy, and Cosmology.

Introduction Martin Curd and Stathis Psillos  Part 1: Historical and Philosophical Context  1. Conventionalism Robert DiSalle  2. The Epistemology of Science after Quine Paul A. Roth  3. The History of Philosophy and Philosophy of Science Joanne Waugh and Roger Ariew  4. Metaphysics Stephen Mumford  5. Philosophy of Language Rod Bertolet  6. The Role of Logic in Philosophy of Science Diderik Batens  7. Critical Rationalism Gürol Irzik  8. The Historical Turn in the Philosophy of Science Alexander Bird  9. Logical Empiricism Thomas Uebel  10. Pragmatism and Science Robert Almeder  11. Social Epistemology K. Brad Wray  Part 2: Debates  12. Bayesianism Colin Howson  13. Computer Simulation Wendy S. Parker  14. Confirmation Alan Hájek and James M. Joyce  15. Empiricism Elliott Sober  16. Essentialism and Natural Kinds Brian Ellis  17. Ethics of Science David B. Resnik  18. Experiment Theodore Arabatzis  19. Explanation Jim Woodward  20. Feminist Approach to the Philosophy of Science Cassandra L. Pinnick  20. Inference to the Best Explanation Peter Lipton  22. Laws of Nature Marc Lange  23. Naturalism Ronald N. Giere  24. Realism/Anti-Realism Michael Devitt  25. Relativism about Science Maria Baghramian  26. Scientific Method Howard Sankey  27. Social Studies of Science Robert Nola  28. The Structure of Theories Steven French  29. Theory-Change John Worrall  30. Thought Experiments James Robert Brown  31. Underdetermination Igor Douven  32. Values in Science Gerald Doppelt  Part 3: Concepts  33. Causation Christopher Hitchcock  34. Determinism Barry Loewer  35. Evidence Peter Achinstein  36. Function Denis Walsh  37. Idealization James Ladyman  38. Measurement Hasok Chang and Nancy Cartwright  39. Mechanisms Stuart Glennan  40. Models Demetris Portides  41. Observation André Kukla  42. Prediction Malcolm Forster  43. Probability Maria-Carla Galavotti  44. Pseudoscience Bradley Monton  45. Reduction Sahotra Sarkar  46. Representation in Science Paul Teller  47. Scientific Discovery Thomas Nickles  48. Space and Time Oliver Pooley  49. Species and Taxonomy Marc Ereshefsky  50. Symmetry Margaret Morrison  51. Truthlikeness Graham Oddie  52. Unification Todd Jones  53. The Virtues of a Good Theory Ernan McMullin  Part 4: The Individual Sciences  54. Biology Alexander Rosenberg  55. Chemistry Robin Findlay Hendry  56. Cognitive Science Paul Thagard  57. Cosmology Chris Smeenk  58. Economics Uskali Maki  59. Mathematics Peter Clark  60. Physics Simon Saunders  61. Psychology Richard Samuels  62. Social Sciences Harold Kincaid.  Index