Science at Century's End: Philosophical Questions on the Progress and Limits of Science (The Pittsburgh-Konstanz Series in the Philosophy and History of Science)

Most scientists and laypersons believe science and progress go hand in hand, yet philosophers and historians of science have long questioned this link. In this study, 20 essays explore and debate the limits of scientific inquiry and their presumed consequences for science in the 21st century. A Collection Of 20 Essays By Prominent Philosophers And Historians Who Explore And Debate Limits Of Scientific Inquiry And Their Consequences For Science In The 21st Century. Constraints Are Addressed That Are Relevant For The Whole Of Science, And Possible Limitations Of Specific Branches Of Science Are Considered. Subjects Discussed Include Reconciling Scientific Realism With Unending Progress, Limits To Self-observation, And Models Of Error And Limits Of Experimental Testing. Introduction, Science At The End Of The Century : Prospects And Limits Of Science / Martin Carrier, Gerald J. Massey, And Laura Ruetsche -- Extending Ourselves / Paul Humphreys's -- Limits Of Generative Atomism : Comments On Paul Humphrey's Extending Ourselves / Peter Mclaughlin -- Limits Of Natural Science : Rescher's View / Robert Almeder -- Toward The Pale : Cosmological Darwinism And The Limits Of Science / Laura Ruetsche -- Nicholas Rescher On The Limits Of Science / Jürgen Mittelstrass -- Limits Of Science : Replies And Comments / Nicholas Rescher -- How To Pile Up Fundamental Truths Incessantly : On The Prospect Of Reconciling Scientific Realism With Unending Progress / Martin Carrier -- Can Computers Overcome Our Limitations? / Nicholas Rescher -- Limits To Self-observation / Thomas Breuer -- Blinded To History? : Science And The Constancy Of Nature / Alfred Nordmann -- On Kinds Of Timelessnes : Comments On Nordmann / Richard Raatzsch. Metaphors And Theoretical Terms : Problems In Referring To The Mental / Hans Julius Schneider -- Unity And The Limits Of Science / Margaret Morrison -- Limits And The Future Of Quantum Theory / Gordon N. Fleming -- Limits To Biological Knowledge / Alex Rosenberg -- Physicist's Comment To Rosenberg / Michael Stöltzner -- Limits Of Experimental Method : Experimenting On An Entangled System : The Case Of Biophysics / Giora Hon -- On Some Alleged Differences Between Physics And Biology / Andreas Hüttemann -- Models Of Error And The Limits Of Experimental Testing / Deborah G. Mayo -- Inductive Logic And The Growth Of Methodological Knowledge : Comment On Mayo / Bernd Buldt -- On Modeling And Simulations As Instruments For The Study Of Complex Systems / Manfred Stöckler. Edited By Martin Carrier, Gerald J. Massey, And Laura Ruetsche. Fourth Pittsburgh-konstanz Colloquium Held In Pittsburgh, October 3-7, 1997--pref. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. To most laypersons and scientists, science and progress appear to go hand in hand, yet philosophers and historians of science have long questioned the inevitability of this pairing. As we take leave of a century acclaimed for scientific advances and progress, Science at Century's End, the eighth volume of the Pittsburgh-Konstanz Series in the Philosophy and History of Science, takes the reader to the heart of this important matter. Subtitled Philosophical Questions on the Progress and Limits of Science, this timely volume contains twenty penetrating essays by prominent philosophers and historians who explore and debate the limits of scientific inquiry and their presumed consequences for science in the 21st century. With the publication of Philosophical Problems of the Internal and External Worlds in 1992, two major centers of research in the philosophy and history of science -- at the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Konstanz -- began collaboration on the Pittsburgh-Konstanz Series in the Philosophy and History of Science.The volumes in this acclaimed series (shown in its entirety on this page and page 25) explore a diverse range of topics -- from the neurosciences and psychoanalysis to quantum mechanics and relativity.