This indispensable reference source and guide to the major themes, debates, problems and topics in philosophy of science contains fifty-five 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 Companion covers everything 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: a section on the individual sciences, including chapters on the philosophy of biology, chemistry, physics and psychology, further reading and cross-referencing at the end of each chapter.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Historical and Philosophical Context 1. The Epistemology of Science after Quine Paul A. Roth 2. The History of Philosophy and Philosophy of Science Joanne Waugh and Roger Ariew 3. Metaphysics Stephen Mumford 4. Philosophy of Language Rod Bertolet 5. The Role of Logic in Philosophy of Science Diderik Batens 6. Critical Rationalism Gurol Irzik 7. The Historical Turn in the Philosophy of Science Alexander Bird 8. Logical Empiricism Thomas Uebel 9. Pragmatism and Science Robert Almeder Part 2: Debates 10. Bayesianism Colin Howson 11. Confirmation Alan Hajek and James M. Joyce 12. Empiricism Elliott Sober 13. Essentialism and Natural Kinds Brian Ellis 14. Ethics of Science David B. Resnik 15. Experiment Theodore Arabatzis 16. Explanation Jim Woodward 17. Feminist Approach to the Philosophy of Science Cassandra L. Pinnick 18. Inference to the Best Explanation Peter Lipton 19. Laws of Nature Marc Lange 20. Naturalism Ronald N. Giere 21. Realism/Anti-Realism Michael Devitt 22. Relativism about Science Maria Baghramian 23. Scientific Method Howard Sankey 24. Social Studies of Science Robert Nola 25. The Structure of Theories Steven French 26. Theory-Change John Worrall 27. Underdetermination Igor Douven 28. Values in Science Gerald Doppelt Part 3: Concepts 29. Causation Christopher Hitchcock 30. Determinism Barry Loewer 31. Evidence Peter Achinstein 32. Function Denis Walsh 33. Idealization James Ladyman 34. Measurement Hasok Chang and Nancy Cartwright 35. Mechanisms Stuart Glennan 36. Models Demetris Portides 37. Observation Andre Kukla 38. Prediction Malcolm Forster 39. Probability Maria-Carla Galavotti 40. Reduction Sahotra Sarkar 41. Representation in Science Paul Teller 42. Scientific Discovery Thomas Nickles 43. Space and Time Oliver Pooley 44. Symmetry Margaret Morrison 45. Truthlikeness Graham Oddie 46. Unification Todd Jones 47. The Virtues of a Good Theory Ernan McMullin Part 4: The Individual Sciences 48. Biology Alexander Rosenberg 49. Chemistry Robin Findlay Hendry 50. Cognitive Science Paul Thagard 51. Economics Uskali Maki 52. Mathematics Peter Clark 53. Physics Simon Saunders 54. Psychology Richard Samuels 55. Social Sciences Harold Kincaid. Figures. Index

Author Biography

University of Athens, Greece Purdue University, USA