Copernicus, Darwin, and Freud: Revolutions in the History and Philosophy of Science

Using Copernicanism, Darwinism, and Freudianism as examples of scientific traditions, Copernicus, Darwin and Freud takes a philosophical look at these three revolutions in thought to illustrate the connections between science and philosophy.Shows how these revolutions in thought lead to philosophical consequencesProvides extended case studies of Copernicanism, Darwinism, and FreudianismIntegrates the history of science and the philosophy of science like no other textCovers both the philosophy of natural and social science in one volume Scientific Ideas Change The Way We Think About The World And Our Place In It. Nicolaus Copernicus Developed A Heliocentric View Of The Cosmos That Displaced Humans From The Physical Center Of The Universe. Charles Darwin Developed An Evolutionary Theory That Placed Humans Firmly Within The Organismic Order Of Nature. It Was Sigmund Freud Who Saw Himself As Completing This Cycle Of Disparagement By Destroying The Belief That Humans Were 'masters In Their Own House'. Copernicus, Darwin And Freud: Revolutions In The History And Philosophy Of Science Deals With Issues In The Area Of Intersection Between History And Philosophy Of Natural And Social Science. Using Copernicanism, Darwinism And Freudianism As Extended Case Studies, Friedel Weinert Illustrates The Profound Connections Between Science And Philosophy And Shows How Scientific Theories Invariably Have Philosophical Consequences. Philosophical Controversies Surrounding Ideas Of Human Nature, Realism And Instrumentalism, Models And Theories, Laws Of Nature And Scientific Method Are All Examined Within The Context Of Concrete Problem Situations In The History Of Science. Copernicus, Darwin And Freud Is An Engaging And Versatile Text Suitable For A Variety Of Courses In The History And Philosophy Of Science Or For Individual Study.--jacket. I. Nicolaus Copernicus : The Loss Of Centrality -- 1. Ptolemy And Copernicus -- 2. A Clash Of Two Worldviews -- 3. The Heliocentric Worldview -- 4. Copernicus Was Not A Scientific Revolutionary -- 5. The Transition To Newton -- 6. Some Philosophical Lessons -- 7. Copernicus And Scientific Revolutions -- 8. The Anthropic Principle : A Reversal Of The Copernican Turn? -- Ii. Charles Darwin : The Loss Of Rational Design -- 1. Darwin And Copernicus -- 2. Views Of Organic Life -- 3. Fossil Discoveries -- 4. Darwin's Revolution -- 5. Philosophical Matters -- 6. A Question Of Method -- Iii. Sigmund Freud : The Loss Of Transparency -- 1. Copernicus, Darwin, And Freud -- 2. Some Views Of Humankind -- 3. Scientism And The Freudian Model Of Personality -- 4. The Social Sciences Beyond Freud -- 5. Evolution And The Social Sciences -- 6. Freud And Revolutions In Thought. Friedel Weinert. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Copernicus, Darwin, & Freud Why is Darwin less the Copernicus than the Kepler of biology? What are good criteria for scientific revolutions? Shift of perspective? Replacement of paradigms? Reweaving conceptual networks? Explanatory gain? Restructuring the constraint space? Threatening worldviews? Whoever wants to learn more about these and many other important issues of history and philosophy of science will have to read on! Klaus Hentschel, University of Stuttgart Friedel Weinert has done a rare and excellent thing in this book: he has shown how the philosophy of science is intimately connected with the development of physical, biological, and social sciences and that argument concerning the foundations of these sciences cannot be advanced without reference to philosophy. It is a clearly written and engaging book that will be informative for teachers, students, and the lay public alike. Robert Nola, University of Auckland