Philosophies of the Sciences: A Guide Hardcover - 2010 - 2nd Edition

From the rear cover

"A collection of clearly written, very informative, high-quality chapters that provide readers with good samples of what the philosophies of the various sciences have to offer." Acta Biotheoretica

"Gone are the days when it seemed reasonable to regard philosophy of science as a monolithic enterprise. The various sciences give rise to their own distinctive philosophical problems, frustrating attempts at unified treatments. This excellent volume recognizes the diversity of philosophical concerns and approaches that the sciences demand. It offers both an aerial view of the relevant intellectual terrain, and a number of close-up surveys - a state-of-the-art resource for students and researchers alike." Alan Hjek, Australian National University

"This welcome addition to the philosophy of science literature will introduce readers to the fertile ground lying between philosophy and real scientific practice." Colin Allen, Indiana University-Bloomington

Philosophies of the Sciences: A Guide is a collection of twelve original essays by leading philosophers associated with various scientific disciplines. Recognizing that much current research within the philosophy of science takes place through the lens of one particular science, this volume argues that the various scientific fields and investigations have much that they can learn from one another. Rather than discussing each science in isolation, they are presented here collectively to encourage a greater understanding of their associative theoretical foundations and a sharing of ideas.

Covering a wide range of scientific disciplines, contributors explore central debates in the areas of traditional philosophy of science, such as philosophy of physics and of biology, and also fields outside of the traditional mainstream, such as philosophies of psychology, sociology, chemistry, economics, and other individual sciences. An introductory essay covering philosophy of science more generally is included as a background to the subject; the book then moves beyond general methodological issues to offer a new and unique approach to the study and thought of philosophy of science. This breadth of topics and interdisciplinary coverage make this a valuable text for courses at the undergraduate or graduate level and for researchers in philosophy and related fields.

Fritz Allhoff, J.D., Ph.D. is Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Philosophy at Western Michigan University and Fellow in the Center for Law and Biosciences at Stanford Law School.

He has edited and authored over twenty books, including Philosophy of Science: An Historical Anthology, (co-edited with Timothy McGrew and Marc Alspector-Kelly, (Wiley Blackwell, 2009)., and is the Editor of the Wiley Blackwell series Philosophy for Everyone.

Media reviews

Citations

• Scitech Book News, 06/01/2010, Page 13