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What are the features of a good scientific theory? Samuel Schindler's book revisits this classical question in the philosophy of science and develops new answers to it. Theoretical virtues matter not only for choosing theories 'to work with', but also for what we are justified in believing: only if the theories we possess are good ones (qua virtues) can we be confident that our theories' claims about nature are actually correct. Recent debates have focussed rather narrowly on a theory's capacity to predict new phenomena successfully, but Schindler argues that the justification for this focus is thin. He discusses several other theory properties such as testability, accuracy, and consistency, and highlights the importance of simplicity and coherence. Using detailed historical case studies and careful philosophical analysis, Schindler challenges the received view of theoretical virtues and advances arguments for the view that science uncovers reality through theory.

Science --- Sciences --- Philosophie des sciences. --- Methodology. --- Philosophy. --- Méthodologie --- Méthodologie. --- Science - Methodology --- Science - Philosophy --- Normal science --- Philosophy of science --- Scientific method --- Logic, Symbolic and mathematical --- Méthodologie.

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Science is knowledge gained and justified methodically. It is achieved by research and theory formation. But what is a methodical procedure and what are methodically established justifications? What kind of principles must be observed in order to obtain the degree of objectivity that is generally claimed by science? What is the relation between science in the research mode and science in presentation mode, i.e., in its theoretical form? Do the same principles hold here? And how are they justified? Is it even possible to speak of justification in a theoretical sense? Or do we have to be content with less - with corroboration and confirmation? Is the distinction between the context of discovery and the context of justification the last word in methodical and theoretical matters? And how does this distinction relate to that between research and presentation - the constitution of (scientific) objects on the one hand and (theoretical) propositions about them on the other? The analyses and constructions in this book take up these questions. They are explicitly intended as philosophical contributions, not only in the sense implied by the disciplinary use of the term philosophy of science, but also in the sense of a reflection on science that, alongside more technical aspects of methodologies and elements of theories, also has an eye for anthropological and cultural aspects.

Science --- Scientific method --- Logic, Symbolic and mathematical --- Normal science --- Philosophy of science --- Philosophy. --- Methodology. --- Newton, Isaac. --- Philosophy, ethics and history of science.

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This monograph develops a new way of justifying the claims made by science about phenomenon not directly observable by humans, such as atoms and black holes. It details a way of making inferences to the existence and properties of unobservable entities and states of affairs that can be given a probabilistic justification. The inferences used to establish realist claims are not a form of, and neither do they rely on, inference to the best explanation. Scientific Realism maintains that scientific theories and hypotheses refer to real entities, forces, and relations, even if one cannot examine them. But, there are those who doubt these claims. The author develops a novel way of defending Scientific Realism against a range of influential attacks. He argues that in some cases, at least, we can make probabilistically justifiable inferences from observed data to claims about unobservable, theoretical entities. He shows how this enables us to place some scientific realist claims on a firmer epistemological footing than has previously been the case. This also makes it possible to give a unified set of replies to the most common objections to Scientific Realism. The final chapters apply the developed conceptual apparatus to key cases from the history of science and from recent science. One example concerns realism with respect to atoms. Another looks at inferences from recent astronomical data to conclusions about the size and shape of those parts of the universe lying beyond that which we can observe.

Science --- Methodology. --- Scientific method --- Logic, Symbolic and mathematical --- Chemistry. --- Philosophy of Science. --- Theoretical, Mathematical and Computational Physics. --- Theoretical and Computational Chemistry. --- Physical sciences --- Normal science --- Philosophy of science --- Philosophy. --- Philosophy and science. --- Mathematical physics. --- Chemistry, Physical and theoretical. --- Chemistry, Theoretical --- Physical chemistry --- Theoretical chemistry --- Chemistry --- Physical mathematics --- Physics --- Science and philosophy --- Mathematics

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Places that Matter asks the reader to identify a place that matters in their life-their home, a place of worship, a park, or some other site that acts as an emotional and physical anchor and connects them to a neighborhood. Then readers are asked: In what ways do I currently support-or fail to support-that neighborhood? Should support be increased? If so, in what ways? Joan Ferrante guides students through a learning experience that engages qualitative and quantitative research and culminates in writing a meaningful plan of action or research brief. Students are introduced to basic concepts of research and are exposed to the experiences of gathering and drawing on data related to something immediate and personal. The class-tested exercises are perfect for courses that emphasize action-based research and social responsibility. The book's overarching goal is to help students assess their neighborhood's needs and strengths and then create a concrete plan that supports that neighborhood and promotes its prosperity. Accompanying the book is a facilitator's companion website to guide action-based research experiences, which includes rubrics that are aligned to common learning objectives and are also designed to make tracking and reporting easier.

Communities --- Research --- Methodology. --- activism. --- activist. --- area. --- classroom. --- educational. --- emotions. --- exercises. --- gathering data. --- happy place. --- learning objectives. --- neighborhood. --- place. --- plan of action. --- qualitative research. --- qualitative. --- quantitative research. --- quantitative. --- region. --- research brief. --- research skills. --- research. --- scientific method. --- social responsibility. --- social studies. --- students. --- support system. --- support. --- teacher. --- writing skills. --- writing.

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The Greco-Roman mathematician Claudius Ptolemy is one of the most significant figures in the history of science. He is remembered today for his astronomy, but his philosophy is almost entirely lost to history. This groundbreaking book is the first to reconstruct Ptolemy's general philosophical system-including his metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics-and to explore its relationship to astronomy, harmonics, element theory, astrology, cosmology, psychology, and theology.In this stimulating intellectual history, Jacqueline Feke uncovers references to a complex and sophisticated philosophical agenda scattered among Ptolemy's technical studies in the physical and mathematical sciences. She shows how he developed a philosophy that was radical and even subversive, appropriating ideas and turning them against the very philosophers from whom he drew influence. Feke reveals how Ptolemy's unique system is at once a critique of prevailing philosophical trends and a conception of the world in which mathematics reigns supreme.A compelling work of scholarship, Ptolemy's Philosophy demonstrates how Ptolemy situated mathematics at the very foundation of all philosophy-theoretical and practical-and advanced the mathematical way of life as the true path to human perfection.

Neoplatonism. --- Alexandrian school. --- Neoplatonism --- Alexandrian school --- Church history --- Hellenism --- Philosophy --- Philosophy, Ancient --- Platonists --- Theosophy --- Ptolemy, --- Ptolémée --- Tolomeo, Claudio --- Baṭlamyūs, --- Ptholomeus, --- Ptolemaeus, Claudius, --- Ptolemaios, Klaudios, --- Ptolemaus, Claudius, --- Ptolémée, Claude, --- Ptolemeĭ, Klavdiĭ, --- Ptolemy, Claudius, --- Tolemeo, Claudio, --- Tolomeo, Claudio, --- بطليموس --- بطلميوس --- Mathematics - Philosophy --- Ptolemaeus, Claudius, - 0100?-0170? --- Almagest 1.1. --- Ammonius Saccas. --- Antiochus of Ascalon. --- Aristotelian philosophy. --- Aristotle. --- Claudius Ptolemy. --- Harmonics. --- On the Kritêrion. --- Planetary Hypotheses. --- Platonic philosophy. --- Tetrabiblos. --- astrology. --- astronomy. --- cosmology. --- element theory. --- empiricism. --- epistemology. --- ethics. --- harmonia. --- harmonic ratios. --- harmonics. --- heavens. --- human soul. --- mathematics. --- metaphysics. --- middle Platonism. --- practical philosophy. --- psychological theory. --- scientific method. --- soul. --- theoretical philosophy. --- virtues.