What is science? Is there a real difference between science and myth? Is science objective? Can science explain everything? This Very Short Introduction provides a concise overview of the main themes of contemporary philosophy of science. Beginning with a short history of science to set the scene, Samir Okasha goes on to investigate the nature of scientific reasoning, scientific explanation, revolutions in science, and theories such as realism and anti-realism. He also looks at philosophical issues in particular sciences, including the problem of classification in biology, and the nature of space and time in physics. The final chapter touches on the conflicts between science and religion, and explores whether science is ultimately a good thing.
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作为20世纪一位颇有影响的科学哲学家,卡尔・波普尔认为科学理论的基本特征是它应具有可证伪性。称一个理论是可证伪的并不是说它是错的。而是说,它意味着该理论能够作出一些可以用经验进行检验的特定预测。如果这些预测被发现是错误的,这理论就被证伪了,或者说被否证了。因此一个可证伪的理论是指我们能够发现它是错的一一它不能和每一个可能的经验过程相容。
科学哲学的部分工作就是去质疑科学家认为理所当然的假设。但如果我们暗示科学家自己从来都不讨论哲学问题,就有失偏颇了。
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