Name: Worldviews By Richard DeWitt
SKU: 9781405116206
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Worldviews Summary

Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science by Richard DeWitt

Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science is an ideal text for those coming to the history and philosophy of science for the first time. It covers the key historical developments and philosophical themes and topics that have impacted upon our scientific view of the world around us. It introduces fundamental conceptual issues, including truth, empirical facts and philosophical/conceptual 'facts', falsifiability, and instrumentalism /realism. It analyzes the transition from the Aristotelian worldview to the Newtonian worldview. It explores challenges to our own western worldview brought on by developments in twentieth-century science, most notably relativity theory and quantum theory.

Worldviews Reviews

The author is to be commended for the rare clarity of his writing, and for the truly impressive, most useful diagrams exemplifying many abstruse concepts and theses of quantum and relativistic theories. Unlike many other introductions to philosophy of science, DeWitt's book is at once historically informative and philosophically thorough and rigorous. Chapter notes, suggested readings, and references enhance its value. Choice, October 2004 Quite simply, this is one of the most accessible - and teachable - introductions to the history and philosophy of science I've seen in over two decades of teaching. DeWitt's exposition and discussion - manifestly honed by extensive classroom teaching experience - are exceptionally clear, and helpfully complimented by some of the best diagrams I've seen. DeWitt thus makes complex ideas and developments cogent and straightforward, especially for undergraduates and those approaching the history and philosophy of science for the first time. Charles Ess, Drury University Richard DeWitt's Worldviews is a splendid introductory text. It is organized around themes - traditions and their overthrow - geared to engage undergraduates. It is historically informed and philosophically sensible. Best of all, it abounds in examples skillfully drawn from the physical sciences and made accessible to the non-specialist. The philosophy of science students encounter through Worldviews will strike them as the philosophy of real science - the science of Newton, Einstein, Copernicus, and Aristotle - and not some denatured surrogate for science concocted by philosophers so that it might succumb to the tools of their trade. Laura Ruetsche, University of Pittsburgh This is a brilliantly clear introduction (and indeed reframing) of the history and philosophy of science in terms of world-views and thier elements...In addition, the book is incredibly well-informed from both a scientific and philosophical angle. Highly recommended. Scientific and Medical Network Written in clear and comprehensible prose and supplemented by effective diagrams and examples, Worldviews is an ideal text for anyone new to the history and philosophy of science. As the reader will come to find out, DeWitt is a gifted writer with the unique ability to break down complex and technical concepts into digestible parts, making Worldviews a welcoming and not overwhelming book for the introductory reader. History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, vol. 28-2

About Richard DeWitt

Richard DeWitt is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Fairfield University. In addition to the history and philosophy of science, Professor DeWitt's research interests include mathematical and philosophical logic, and the philosophy of mind.

List of Figures.Acknoweldgments.Introduction.Part I: Fundamental Issues:.1. Worldviews.2. Truth.3. Empirical Facts and Philosophical/Conceptual Facts.4. Confirming and Disconfirming Evidence and Reasoning.5. The Quine-Duhem Thesis and Scientific Method.6. A Philosophical Interlude: Problems and Puzzles of Induction.7. Falsifiability.8. Instrumentalism/Realism.Part II: The Transition from the Aristotelian Worldview to the Newtonian Worldview:.9. The Structure of the University on the Aristotelian Worldview.10. The Preface to Ptolemy's Almagest.11. Astronomical Data: The Empirical Facts.12. Astronomical Data: The Philosophical/Conceptual Facts.13. The Ptolemaic System.14. The Copernican System.15. The Tychonic System.16. Kepler's System.17. Galileo and the Evidence from the Telescope.18. A Summary of Problems Facing the Aristotelian Worldview.19. Philosophical and Conceptual Connections in the Development of the New Science.20. Overview of the New Science and the Newtonian Worldview.Part III: 20th-Century Developments in Science and Worldviews:.21. The Development of the Newtonian Worldview, 1700 to 1900.22. The Special Theory of Relativity.23. The General Theory of Relativity.24. Introduction to Quantum Theory.25. Some Quantum Facts.26. Overview of the Mathematics of Quantum Theory.27. A Philosophical Issue: The Interpretation of Quantum Theory.28. EPR, Bell's Theorem, Aspect's Experiments, and the Locality Assumption.29. Worldviews: Concluding Thoughts.Chapter Notes and Suggested Reading.References.Index

Additional information

Sku

CIN140511620XA

ISBN 13

9781405116206

ISBN 10

140511620X

Title

Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science by Richard DeWitt

Author

Richard DeWitt

Condition

Used - Well Read

Binding type

Paperback

Publisher

John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Year published

20031203

Number of pages

344

Prizes

N/A

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Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.

Note

This is a used book. We do our best to provide good quality books for you to read, but there is no escaping the fact that it has been owned and read by someone else previously. Therefore it will show signs of wear and may be an ex library book

Worldviews Richard DeWitt

Worldviews by Richard DeWitt

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Worldviews Summary

Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science by Richard DeWitt

Worldviews Reviews

About Richard DeWitt

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