The fundamental principles of the scientific method are essential for enhancing perspective, increasing productivity, and stimulating innovation. These principles include deductive and inductive logic, probability, parsimony and hypothesis testing, as well as science's presuppositions, limitations, ethics and bold claims of rationality and truth. The examples and case studies drawn upon in this book span the physical, biological and social sciences; include applications in agriculture, engineering and medicine; and also explore science's interrelationships with disciplines in the humanities such as philosophy and law. Informed by position papers on science from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Academy of Sciences and National Science Foundation, this book aligns with a distinctively mainstream vision of science. It is an ideal resource for anyone undertaking a systematic study of scientific method for the first time, from undergraduates to professionals in both the sciences and the humanities.
• The examples used span the physical, biological and social sciences, as well as humanities fields such as philosophy and law, to engage students from a broad range of backgrounds • The author draws on position papers from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, National Academy of Sciences and National Science Foundation • Each chapter includes detailed study questions, making this is an ideal tool for undergraduate and graduate students
Contents
Foreword James R. Miller; Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. Four bold claims; 3. A brief history of truth; 4. Science's contested rationality; 5. Science's presuppositions; 6. Science's powers and limits; 7. Deductive logic; 8. Probability; 9. Inductive logic and statistics; 10. Parsimony and efficiency; 11. Case studies; 12. Ethics and responsibilities; 13. Science education; 14. Conclusions; References; Index.
Reviews
'A welcome, and well-informed, introduction for budding scientists to the general principles undergirding the rationality of science. The book draws powerful attention to the fact that future scientific advance itself depends on a proper understanding of scientific method.' Roger Trigg, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Warwick, Senior Research Fellow, University of Oxford, and founding chair of the British Philosophical Association
'There is a detailed table of contents, a thorough list of references, and a good index. This detailed explanation of scientific method is laid out so as to be useful as a text for educational courses. To this end, each chapter concludes with a summary and a set of study questions. However, the book is also a thorough and practical description of scientific philosophy and method, which will be useful to practitioners as well.' David B. Henderson, Computing Reviews
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