ABSTRACT

This title was first published in 2002.Science and humanity are usually seen as very different: the sciences of nature aim at explanations whereas the sciences of man seek meaning and understanding. This book shows how these contrasting descriptions fail to fit into a modern philosophical account of the sciences and the arts. Presenting some of the major ideas within the philosophy of science on facts, explanation, interpretation, methods, laws, and theories, Jan Faye compares various approaches, including his own. Arguing that the sciences of nature and the sciences of man share a common practice of acquiring knowledge, this book offers a unique introduction to key aspects in the philosophy of science.

chapter 1|10 pages

The Unity of the Sciences

chapter 2|13 pages

Reductionism, Emergentism, and Holism

chapter 3|23 pages

Explanation

chapter 4|17 pages

Interpretation

chapter 5|19 pages

Facts

chapter 6|31 pages

Methods

chapter 7|28 pages

Laws and Rules

chapter 8|26 pages

Theories and Models

chapter 9|33 pages

Realism and Antirealism

chapter 10|14 pages

Beyond the Sciences