Companion to the Philosophy of Science - (Blackwell Companions to Philosophy) by W H Newton-Smith (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Unmatched in the quality of its world-renowned contributors, this companion serves as both a course text and a reference book across the broad spectrum of issues of concern to the philosophy of science.

From the Back Cover

Unmatched in the quality of its world-renowned contributors, A Companion to the Philosophy of Science serves as both a course text and a reference book across the broad spectrum of issues of concern in the philosophy of science.

Taken as a whole, the volume provides an unparalleled survey of all the topical areas, major methods, and stances in the philosophy of science. With entries on important figures in the history of the philosophy of science, as well as a comprehensive account of areas of contemporary interest, this Companion is the most authoritative resource guide available in the philosophy of science.

Review Quotes

"This volume is a tremendous compendium of the topics that comprise philosophy of science. For almost any topic, the reader can find a brief up-to-date statement of the problems and current solutions. It is an invaluable reference book for students and scholars alike. It will be especially useful for those in other fields who wish to gain some quick, authoritative knowledge of what's going on in philosophy of science today." Peter Machamer, University of Pittsburgh

"This is everything that one looks for in a companion and much more. It covers the field fully, fairly, and concisely. The entries are well written and truly informative, with excellent guides to further reading. No one interested in the nature of science can afford to be without this volume." Michael Ruse, University of Guelph

"This Companion provides an impressive overview of the imposing geography in philosophy of science." Roy Sorensen, Dartmouth College

"This is an important reference work in the area." F. Wilson, University of Toronto

"Companion to the Philosophy of Science is an ambitious project given the rapid growth and specialisation of science in the past 50 years. The essays are naturally short but sweet, wide-ranging, mostly well referenced, and serve as excellent aperitifs. The book has many distinguished contributors. Companion to the Philosophy of Science is a delightful and clear book. It is highly recommended for critical undergraduate students and anyone with wide intellectual interests." Ray Scott Percival, THES, 6th April 2001

"This is an excellent volume to which anyone working in the field of philosophy of science will want to have access. The entries are of a high standard, and give expression to a considerable range of philosophical opinions - so there is both information and food for thought to be obtained from perusal of them." Graham Oppy, Monash University, Australasian Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 79, No. 2, June 2001

"This is a valuable resource for anyone who is interested in the philosophy of science, with up-to-date articles written by well-known philosophers reflecting the full range of issues and thinkers of concern to the contemporary discipline." The Journal of the Society for the History of Alchemy & Chemistry, Vol. 50, March 2003

About the Author

W.H. Newton-Smith is Fairfax Fellow and CUF Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at Balliol College, Oxford. He is an expert in the fields of philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, and logic, and has written several books and articles among which are Modeling the Mind (1990), The Rationality of Science (1991) and Popper in China (1992). Among the many universities around the world at which he has taught are the University of Malaya, the University of Nijmegen in the Netherlands, Wuhan University in China, Aarhus University in Denmark, Boconni University in Milan and Toronto, Trent, St Francis Xavier, and Queen's Universities in Canada.