Philosophy of Science: Very Short Introduction [Paperback]

How much faith should we place in what scientists tell us? Is it possible for scientific knowledge to be fully objective? What, really, can be defined as science? In the second edition of thisVery Short Introduction, Samir Okasha explores the main themes and theories of contemporary philosophy of science, and investigates fascinating, challenging questions such as these.

Starting at the very beginning, with a concise overview of the history of science, Okasha examines the nature of fundamental practices such as reasoning, causation, and explanation. Looking at scientific revolutions and the issue of scientific change, he asks whether there is a discernible pattern to the way scientific ideas change over time, and discusses realist versus anti-realist attitudes towards science. He finishes by considering science today, and the social and ethical philosophical questions surrounding modern science.

ABOUT THE SERIES:TheVery Short Introductionsseries from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

1. What is science?
2. Scientific Inference
3. Explanation in science
4. Realism and anti-realism
5. Scientific change and scientific revolutions
7. Science and its critics
Further reading
Index

The 2nd Edition of Samir Okasha'sPhilosophy of Science: A Very Short
Introduction is a fantastic entry point for all those who would like to get an
overview of the issues philosophers of science grapple with. The book is written in a
highly accessible and clear fashion, and manages to cover an impressively wide - and I would say, representative - range of topics on a mere 130 pages. - Samuel Schindler,Metasciencelƒ+