Science and Modernity: Toward an Integral Theory of ScienceScience is a multifaceted, natural and historical phenomenon. It consists of five elements, that is, it happens in five distinct media: biological, linguistic, technological, social, and historical. None of these alone provides an indubitable basis for the truth of scientific knowledge, but combined together they compose a solid ground for our trust in its reliability. The composition, however, is uniquely related to our modern mode of living. Science did not exist before modernity, and it will cease to exist in this form if our way of life should change. The book presents a thorough analysis of all these dimensions and their relations, and thus lays the path for an integral theory of science. Because of this it can be used as a textbook for general courses in the theory of science at both the undergraduate and graduate level. |
Contents
IV | 3 |
V | 4 |
VI | 8 |
VII | 10 |
VIII | 12 |
IX | 14 |
X | 17 |
XI | 19 |
XL | 135 |
XLI | 139 |
XLII | 143 |
XLIII | 149 |
XLIV | 150 |
XLV | 152 |
XLVI | 155 |
XLVII | 157 |
XII | 22 |
XIII | 32 |
XIV | 34 |
XV | 37 |
XVI | 40 |
XVII | 42 |
XVIII | 47 |
XIX | 49 |
XX | 50 |
XXI | 55 |
XXII | 59 |
XXIII | 64 |
XXIV | 65 |
XXV | 72 |
XXVI | 77 |
XXVII | 80 |
XXVIII | 88 |
XXIX | 93 |
XXX | 97 |
XXXI | 99 |
XXXII | 100 |
XXXIII | 102 |
XXXIV | 104 |
XXXV | 106 |
XXXVI | 115 |
XXXVIII | 132 |
XXXIX | 133 |
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Common terms and phrases
actants action activity allopoiesis artefact autopoiesis autopoietic become behaviour biological body brain chapter claim closed coherent components concept context culture Descartes described divine effectors elements energy entities environment evolution evolutionary epistemology existence experiment experimental external world functions generalised genetic genotype Heidegger hermeneutic historical human cognition Ibid independent individual instruments interaction internal interpretation ISBN knowing subject Latour layer linguistic logical empiricism mathematical Maxwell's demon means mechanics mediation metaphors metaphysical mind mode of living modern science naturalistic epistemology nervous system neuron object observation organised organism particular phenomena phenomenon Philosophy of Science philosophy of technology physical possible pragmatic principle production quantum mechanics R.S. Cohen rational reality reason receptors reconstruction relation representation reproduce role scepticism scientific language scientific realism scientific theories scientists semantic sense social specialised specific statements structure survival Synthese Library theoretical thereby traditional transformed truth Vienna Circle Wartofsky whole