50 Philosophy of Science Ideas You Really Need to Know

50 Philosophy of Science Ideas You Really Need to Know PDF

Author: Gareth Southwell

Publisher: Quercus Publishing

Published: 2013-09-26

Total Pages: 208

ISBN-13: 1782061428

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Science first began as a branch of philosophy, but it has since grown up and moved out of the family home, and its successes have put its parent in the shade. Thanks to scientific knowledge we have walked on the Moon, cured once-fatal illnesses, and even identified the very building blocks of life and the universe. But it is these very successes that underline the need for philosophy. How much should we trust the pronouncements of scientists that we read in the media? What are the ethical implications of our delving into the foundations of our DNA, reproductive treatments, or artificially prolonging life? And are there limits to what science can tell us about the world we think we know? In straightforward and accessible terms, 50 Philosophy of Science Ideas You Really Need to Know explains the key philosophical questions that continue to lie at the heart of the nature and practice of science today. The ideas explored include: Appearance and reality; Knowledge; Anti-realism; Metaphysics; Science and gender; Phenomenology and science.

50 Philosophy Ideas You Really Need to Know

50 Philosophy Ideas You Really Need to Know PDF

Author: Ben Dupre

Publisher: Quercus

Published: 2013-10-01

Total Pages: 290

ISBN-13: 1623651891

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Have you ever lain awake at night worried about how we can be sure of the reality of the external world? Perhaps we are in fact disembodied brains, floating in vats at the whim of some deranged puppetmaster. If so, you are not alone--and what's more, you are in exalted company--for this question and other ones like it have been the stuff of philosophical rumination from Plato to Popper. In a series of accessible and engagingly written essays, 50 Philosophy Ideas You Really Need to Know introduces and explains the problems of knowledge, consciousness, identity, ethics, belief, justice, and aesthetics that have engaged the attention of thinkers from the era of the ancient Greeks to the present day.

50 Psychology Ideas You Really Need to Know

50 Psychology Ideas You Really Need to Know PDF

Author: Adrian Furnham

Publisher: Quercus

Published: 2013-10-01

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 1623651921

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How different are men and women's brains? Does altruism really exist? Are our minds blank slates at birth? And do dreams reveal our unconscious desires? If you have you ever grappled with these concepts, or tried your hand as an amateur psychologist, 50 Psychology Ideas You Really Need to Know could be just the book for you. Not only providing the answers to these questions and many more, this series of engaging and accessible essays explores each of the central concepts, as well as the arguments of key thinkers. Author Adrian Furnham offers expert and concise introductions to emotional behavior, cognition, mentalconditions--from stress to schizophrenia--rationality and personality development, amongst many others. This is a fascinating introduction to psychology for anyone interested in understanding the human mind.

50 Big Ideas You Really Need to Know

50 Big Ideas You Really Need to Know PDF

Author: Ben Dupre

Publisher: Quercus

Published: 2013-11-05

Total Pages: 313

ISBN-13: 1623651808

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50 Big Ideas You Really Need to Know is a concise, accessible and popular guide to the central tenets of Western thought. Every important principle of philosophy, religion, politics, economics, the arts and the sciences is profiled in a series of short illustrated essays, complemented by an informative array of timelines and box features.

50 Quantum Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know

50 Quantum Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know PDF

Author: Joanne Baker

Publisher: Greenfinch

Published: 2013-07-04

Total Pages: 277

ISBN-13: 178206253X

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A guide to everything you need and want to know about quantum physics, how our universe works and our existence in it. Quantum physics is the most cutting-edge, important and fascinating area of modern science. We have all heard of Einstein's theory of relativity and Schrodinger's Cat - but do we really understand the mind-bending theories of our universe? In 50 concise chapters, Joanne Baker covers the foundation concepts of quantum physics and moves on to present clear explanations of complex theories and their advanced applications - from string theory to black holes, and quarks to quantum computing. With informative two-colour illustrations alongside key ideas in straightforward, bite-sized chunks, this book will teach you everything you need to know about quantum physics - and challenge the way you understand the world. The ideas explored include: Theory of relativity; Schrödinger's cat; Nuclear forces: fission and fusion; Antimatter; Superconductivity.

50 Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know

50 Physics Ideas You Really Need to Know PDF

Author: Joanne Baker

Publisher: Quercus

Published: 2013-10-01

Total Pages: 316

ISBN-13: 1623651905

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In this, the second volume in an important new series presenting core concepts across a range of critical areas of human knowledge, author Joanne Baker unravels the complexities of 20th-century scientific theory for a general readership. From Hubble's law to the Pauli exclusion principle, and from Schrodinger's cat to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, she explains ideas at the cutting-edge of scientific enquiry, making them comprehensible and accessible to the layperson.

The Philosophy Book

The Philosophy Book PDF

Author: DK

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2015-03-02

Total Pages: 772

ISBN-13: 1465441069

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Discover how our big social, political and ethical ideas are formed with The Philosophy Book. Part of the fascinating Big Ideas series, this book tackles tricky topics and themes in a simple and easy to follow format. Learn about Philosophy in this overview guide to the subject, great for beginners looking to learn and experts wishing to refresh their knowledge alike! The Philosophy Book brings a fresh and vibrant take on the topic through eye-catching graphics and diagrams to immerse yourself in. This captivating book will broaden your understanding of Philosophy, with: - Key quotes from more than 100 of the great thinkers of philosophy - Packed with facts, charts, timelines and graphs to help explain core concepts - A visual approach to big subjects with striking illustrations and graphics throughout - Easy to follow text makes topics accessible for people at any level of understanding The Philosophy Book is the perfect introduction to philosophy, aimed at adults with an interest in the subject and students wanting to gain more of an overview. Here you'll discover how key concepts in philosophy have shaped our world, with authoritative articles that explore big ideas. Learn about everyone who's contributed to the flow of world philosophy, from antiquity to the modern age, through superb mind maps explaining the line of thought. Your Philosophical Questions, Simply Explained If you thought it was difficult to learn philosophy and its many concepts, The Philosophy Book presents the key ideas in a clear layout. Find out what philosophers thought about the nature of reality, and the fundamental questions we ask ourselves; What is the meaning of life? What is the Universe made of? And work your way through the different branches of philosophy such as metaphysics and ethics, from ancient and modern thinkers. The Big Ideas Series With millions of copies sold worldwide, The Philosophy Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas series from DK. The series uses striking graphics along with engaging writing, making big topics easy to understand.

Representing and Intervening

Representing and Intervening PDF

Author: Ian Hacking

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1983-10-20

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 110726815X

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This 1983 book is a lively and clearly written introduction to the philosophy of natural science, organized around the central theme of scientific realism. It has two parts. 'Representing' deals with the different philosophical accounts of scientific objectivity and the reality of scientific entities. The views of Kuhn, Feyerabend, Lakatos, Putnam, van Fraassen, and others, are all considered. 'Intervening' presents the first sustained treatment of experimental science for many years and uses it to give a new direction to debates about realism. Hacking illustrates how experimentation often has a life independent of theory. He argues that although the philosophical problems of scientific realism can not be resolved when put in terms of theory alone, a sound philosophy of experiment provides compelling grounds for a realistic attitude. A great many scientific examples are described in both parts of the book, which also includes lucid expositions of recent high energy physics and a remarkable chapter on the microscope in cell biology.

The Varieties of Scientific Experience

The Varieties of Scientific Experience PDF

Author: Carl Sagan

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2006-11-02

Total Pages: 316

ISBN-13: 1101201835

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“Ann Druyan has unearthed a treasure. It is a treasure of reason, compassion, and scientific awe. It should be the next book you read.” —Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith “A stunningly valuable legacy left to all of us by a great human being. I miss him so.” —Kurt Vonnegut Carl Sagan's prophetic vision of the tragic resurgence of fundamentalism and the hope-filled potential of the next great development in human spirituality The late great astronomer and astrophysicist describes his personal search to understand the nature of the sacred in the vastness of the cosmos. Exhibiting a breadth of intellect nothing short of astounding, Sagan presents his views on a wide range of topics, including the likelihood of intelligent life on other planets, creationism and so-called intelligent design, and a new concept of science as "informed worship." Originally presented at the centennial celebration of the famous Gifford Lectures in Scotland in 1985 but never published, this book offers a unique encounter with one of the most remarkable minds of the twentieth century.