Characterizing The Robustness Of Science

Author : Léna Soler,Emiliano Trizio,Thomas Nickles,William Wimsatt
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 377 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2012-03-23
Category : Science
ISBN : 9789400727588

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Characterizing the Robustness of Science by Léna Soler,Emiliano Trizio,Thomas Nickles,William Wimsatt Pdf

Mature sciences have been long been characterized in terms of the “successfulness”, “reliability” or “trustworthiness” of their theoretical, experimental or technical accomplishments. Today many philosophers of science talk of “robustness”, often without specifying in a precise way the meaning of this term. This lack of clarity is the cause of frequent misunderstandings, since all these notions, and that of robustness in particular, are connected to fundamental issues, which concern nothing less than the very nature of science and its specificity with respect to other human practices, the nature of rationality and of scientific progress; and science’s claim to be a truth-conducive activity. This book offers for the first time a comprehensive analysis of the problem of robustness, and in general, that of the reliability of science, based on several detailed case studies and on philosophical essays inspired by the so-called practical turn in philosophy of science.

Author : Léna Soler,Sjoerd Zwart,Michael Lynch,Vincent Israel-Jost
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 346 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2014-03-21
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9781317935353

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Science after the Practice Turn in the Philosophy, History, and Social Studies of Science by Léna Soler,Sjoerd Zwart,Michael Lynch,Vincent Israel-Jost Pdf

In the 1980s, philosophical, historical and social studies of science underwent a change which later evolved into a turn to practice. Analysts of science were asked to pay attention to scientific practices in meticulous detail and along multiple dimensions, including the material, social and psychological. Following this turn, the interest in scientific practices continued to increase and had an indelible influence in the various fields of science studies. No doubt, the practice turn changed our conceptions and approaches of science, but what did it really teach us? What does it mean to study scientific practices? What are the general lessons, implications, and new challenges? This volume explores questions about the practice turn using both case studies and theoretical analysis. The case studies examine empirical and mathematical sciences, including the engineering sciences. The volume promotes interactions between acknowledged experts from different, often thought of as conflicting, orientations. It presents contributions in conjunction with critical commentaries that put the theses and assumptions of the former in perspective. Overall, the book offers a unique and diverse range of perspectives on the meanings, methods, lessons, and challenges associated with the practice turn.

Author : Marta Bertolaso,Silvia Caianiello,Emanuele Serrelli
Publisher : Springer
Page : 258 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2019-01-04
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9783030011987

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Biological Robustness by Marta Bertolaso,Silvia Caianiello,Emanuele Serrelli Pdf

This volume reviews examples and notions of robustness at several levels of biological organization. It tackles many philosophical and conceptual issues and casts an outlook on the future challenges of robustness studies in the context of a practice-oriented philosophy of science. The focus of discussion is on concrete case studies. These highlight the necessity of a level-dependent description of robust biological behaviors.Experts from the neurosciences, biochemistry, ecology, biology, and the history and the philosophy of life sciences provide a multiplex perspective on the topic. Contributions span from protein folding, to cell-level robustness, to organismal and developmental robustness, to sensorimotor systems, up to the robustness of ecological systems.Several chapters detail neurobiological case-studies. The brain, the poster child of plasticity in biology, offers multiple examples of robustness. Neurobiology explores the importance of temporal organization and multiscalarity in making this robustness-with-plasticity possible. The discussion also includes structures well beyond the brain, such as muscles and the complex feedback loops involved in the peculiar robustness of music perception. Overall, the volume grounds general reflections upon concrete case studies, opening to all the life sciences but also to non-biological and bio-inspired fields such as post-modern engineering. It will appeal to researchers, students, as well as non-expert readers.

Author : John Bickle,Carl F. Craver,Ann-Sophie Barwich
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 363 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2021-12-31
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781000531763

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The Tools of Neuroscience Experiment by John Bickle,Carl F. Craver,Ann-Sophie Barwich Pdf

This volume establishes the conceptual foundation for sustained investigation into tool development in neuroscience. Neuroscience relies on diverse and sophisticated experimental tools, and its ultimate explanatory target—our brains and hence the organ driving our behaviors—catapults the investigation of these research tools into a philosophical spotlight. The chapters in this volume integrate the currently scattered work on tool development in neuroscience into the broader philosophy of science community. They also present an accessible compendium for neuroscientists interested in the broader theoretical dimensions of their experimental practices. The chapters are divided into five thematic sections. Section 1 discusses the development of revolutionary research tools across neuroscience’s history and argues to various conclusions concerning the relationship between new research tools and theory progress in neuroscience. Section 2 shows how a focus on research tools and their development in neuroscience transforms some traditional epistemological issues and questions about knowledge production in philosophy of science. Section 3 speaks to the most general questions about the way we characterize the nature of the portion of the world that this science addresses. Section 4 discusses hybrid research tools that integrate laboratory and computational methods in exciting new ways. Finally, Section 5 extends research on tool development to the related science of genetics. The Tools of Neuroscience Experiment will be of interest to philosophers and philosophically minded scientists working at the intersection of philosophy and neuroscience.

Author : Eric Scerri,Grant Fisher
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 128 pages
File Size : 40,5 Mb
Release : 2016-04-10
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780190631543

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Essays in the Philosophy of Chemistry by Eric Scerri,Grant Fisher Pdf

The philosophy of chemistry has emerged in recent years as a new and autonomous field within the Anglo-American philosophical tradition. With the development of this new discipline, Eric Scerri and Grant Fisher's "Essays in the Philosophy of Chemistry" is a timely and definitive guide to all current thought in this field. This edited volume will serve to map out the distinctive features of the field and its connections to the philosophies of the natural sciences and general philosophy of science more broadly. It will be a reference for students and professional alike. Both the philosophy of chemistry and philosophies of scientific practice alike reflect the splitting of analytical and continental scholastic traditions, and some philosophers are turning for inspiration from the familiar resources of analytical philosophy to influences from the continental tradition and pragmatism. While philosophy of chemistry is practiced very much within the familiar analytical tradition, it is also capable of trail-blazing new philosophical approaches. In such a way, the seemingly disparate disciplines such as the "hard sciences" and philosophy become much more linked.

Author : Emily Herring,Kevin Matthew Jones,Konstantin S. Kiprijanov,Laura M Sellers
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 256 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2019-05-14
Category : History
ISBN : 9781351214810

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The Past, Present, and Future of Integrated History and Philosophy of Science by Emily Herring,Kevin Matthew Jones,Konstantin S. Kiprijanov,Laura M Sellers Pdf

Integrated History and Philosophy of Science (iHPS) is commonly understood as the study of science from a combined historical and philosophical perspective. Yet, since its gradual formation as a research field, the question of how to suitably integrate both perspectives remains open. This volume presents cutting edge research from junior iHPS scholars, and in doing so provides a snapshot of current developments within the field, explores the connection between iHPS and other academic disciplines, and demonstrates some of the topics that are attracting the attention of scholars who will help define the future of iHPS.

Author : William C. Bausman,Janella K. Baxter,Oliver M. Lean
Publisher : U of Minnesota Press
Page : 312 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2024-01-09
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781452970554

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From Biological Practice to Scientific Metaphysics by William C. Bausman,Janella K. Baxter,Oliver M. Lean Pdf

How analyzing scientific practices can alter debates on the relationship between science and reality Numerous scholarly works focus solely on scientific metaphysics or biological practice, but few attempt to bridge the two subjects. This volume, the latest in the Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science series, explores what a scientific metaphysics grounded in biological practices could look like and how it might impact the way we investigate the world around us. From Biological Practice to Scientific Metaphysics examines how to reconcile the methods of biological practice with the methods of metaphysical cosmology, notably regarding the origins of life. The contributors take up a wide range of traditional metaphysics and philosophy of science topics, including natural kinds, medicine, ecology, genetics, scientific pluralism, reductionism, operationalism, mechanisms, the nature of information, and more. Many of the chapters represent the first philosophical treatments of significant biological practices. From causality and complexity to niche constructions and inference, the contributors review and discuss long-held objections to metaphysics by natural scientists. They illuminate how, in order to learn about the world as it truly is, we must look not only at what scientists say but also what they do: for ontology cannot be read directly from scientific claims. Contributors: Richard Creath, Arizona State U; Marc Ereshefsky, U of Calgary; Marie I. Kaiser, Bielefeld U; Thomas A. C. Reydon, Leibniz U Hannover and Michigan State U; Lauren N. Ross, U of California, Irvine; Rose Trappes, U of Exeter; Marcel Weber, U of Geneva; William C. Wimsatt, U of Chicago. Retail e-book files for this title are screen-reader friendly with images accompanied by short alt text and/or extended descriptions.

Author : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,Policy and Global Affairs,Committee on Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Public Policy,Board on Research Data and Information,Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences,Committee on Applied and Theoretical Statistics,Board on Mathematical Sciences and Analytics,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Committee on National Statistics,Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences,Committee on Reproducibility and Replicability in Science
Publisher : National Academies Press
Page : 257 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2019-10-20
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780309486163

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Reproducibility and Replicability in Science by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,Policy and Global Affairs,Committee on Science, Engineering, Medicine, and Public Policy,Board on Research Data and Information,Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences,Committee on Applied and Theoretical Statistics,Board on Mathematical Sciences and Analytics,Division on Earth and Life Studies,Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Committee on National Statistics,Board on Behavioral, Cognitive, and Sensory Sciences,Committee on Reproducibility and Replicability in Science Pdf

One of the pathways by which the scientific community confirms the validity of a new scientific discovery is by repeating the research that produced it. When a scientific effort fails to independently confirm the computations or results of a previous study, some fear that it may be a symptom of a lack of rigor in science, while others argue that such an observed inconsistency can be an important precursor to new discovery. Concerns about reproducibility and replicability have been expressed in both scientific and popular media. As these concerns came to light, Congress requested that the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine conduct a study to assess the extent of issues related to reproducibility and replicability and to offer recommendations for improving rigor and transparency in scientific research. Reproducibility and Replicability in Science defines reproducibility and replicability and examines the factors that may lead to non-reproducibility and non-replicability in research. Unlike the typical expectation of reproducibility between two computations, expectations about replicability are more nuanced, and in some cases a lack of replicability can aid the process of scientific discovery. This report provides recommendations to researchers, academic institutions, journals, and funders on steps they can take to improve reproducibility and replicability in science.

Author : Shyam Wuppuluri,A. C. Grayling
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 590 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2022-05-30
Category : Philosophy
ISBN : 9783030906887

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Metaphors and Analogies in Sciences and Humanities by Shyam Wuppuluri,A. C. Grayling Pdf

In this highly-interdisciplinary volume, we systematically study the role of metaphors and analogies in (mis)shaping our understanding of the world. Metaphors and Analogies occupy a prominent place in scientific discourses, as they do in literature, humanities and at the very level of our thinking itself. But when misused they can lead us astray, blinding our understanding inexorably. How can metaphors aid us in our understanding of the world? What role do they play in our scientific discourses and in humanities? How do they help us understand and skillfully deal with our complex socio-political scenarios? Where is the dividing line between their use and abuse? Join us as we explore some of these questions in this volume.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 96 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2009
Category : Atmospheric ozone
ISBN : PURD:32754081344446

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Best Practice Approaches for Characterizing, Communicating and Incorporating Scientific Uncertainty in Climate Decision Making : Synthesis and Assessment Product 5.2 Report by Anonim Pdf

Author : Terje Aven
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 316 pages
File Size : 46,6 Mb
Release : 2019-06-21
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780429642722

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The Science of Risk Analysis by Terje Aven Pdf

This book provides a comprehensive demonstration of risk analysis as a distinct science covering risk understanding, assessment, perception, communication, management, governance and policy. It presents and discusses the key pillars of this science, and provides guidance on how to conduct high-quality risk analysis. The Science of Risk Analysis seeks to strengthen risk analysis as a field and science by summarizing and extending current work on the topic. It presents the foundation for a distinct risk field and science based on recent research, and explains the difference between applied risk analysis (to provide risk knowledge and tackle risk problems in relation to for example medicine, engineering, business or climate change) and generic risk analysis (on concepts, theories, frameworks, approaches, principles, methods and models to understand, assess, characterise, communicate, manage and govern risk). The book clarifies and describes key risk science concepts, and builds on recent foundational work conducted by the Society for Risk Analysis in order to provide new perspectives on science and risk analysis. The topics covered are accompanied by cases and examples relating to current issues throughout. This book is essential reading for risk analysis professionals, scientists, students and practitioners, and will also be of interest to scientists and practitioners from other fields who apply risk analysis in their work.

Author : Xavier J.R. Avula,Rudolf E. Kalman,Anthanasios I. Liapis
Publisher : Elsevier
Page : 1023 pages
File Size : 41,8 Mb
Release : 2014-05-09
Category : Mathematics
ISBN : 9781483190594

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Mathematical Modelling in Science and Technology by Xavier J.R. Avula,Rudolf E. Kalman,Anthanasios I. Liapis Pdf

Mathematical Modelling in Science and Technology: The Fourth International Conference covers the proceedings of the Fourth International Conference by the same title, held at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland on August 15-17, 1983. Mathematical modeling is a powerful tool to solve many complex problems presented by scientific and technological developments. This book is organized into 20 parts encompassing 180 chapters. The first parts present the basic principles, methodology, systems theory, parameter estimation, system identification, and optimization of mathematical modeling. The succeeding parts discuss the features of stochastic and numerical modeling and simulation languages. Considerable parts deal with the application areas of mathematical modeling, such as in chemical engineering, solid and fluid mechanics, water resources, medicine, economics, transportation, and industry. The last parts tackle the application of mathematical modeling in student management and other academic cases. This book will prove useful to researchers in various science and technology fields.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 1028 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 1994
Category : Aeronautics
ISBN : UOM:39015030249083

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Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports by Anonim Pdf

Lists citations with abstracts for aerospace related reports obtained from world wide sources and announces documents that have recently been entered into the NASA Scientific and Technical Information Database.

Author : S. Butenko,E.L. Pasiliao,Volodymyr Shylo,V. Shylo
Publisher : IOS Press
Page : 320 pages
File Size : 40,8 Mb
Release : 2014-06-19
Category : Computers
ISBN : 9781614993919

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Examining Robustness and Vulnerability of Networked Systems by S. Butenko,E.L. Pasiliao,Volodymyr Shylo,V. Shylo Pdf

Modern critical infrastructure is characterized by complex, heterogeneous and dynamically evolving networks. But these can be vulnerable to component failure, and this is a problem which must be addressed by realistic mathematical models. This book presents papers from the NATO Advanced Research Workshop (ARW), Examining Robustness and Vulnerability of Critical Infrastructure Networks, held in Kiev, Ukraine, in June 2013. Contributions were from workshop participants as well as invited experts in the field, and cover topics including: mathematical models; probability-based risk measures; algorithms for the design and detection of robust structures; identification of critical network components and case studies. This book will be of interest to researchers, practitioners and graduate students in the fields of mathematics, computer science and engineering.

Author : Peter Achinstein
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 300 pages
File Size : 50,8 Mb
Release : 2001-09-20
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780198032915

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The Book of Evidence by Peter Achinstein Pdf

What is required for something to be evidence for a hypothesis? In this fascinating, elegantly written work, distinguished philosopher of science Peter Achinstein explores this question, rejecting typical philosophical and statistical theories of evidence. He claims these theories are much too weak to give scientists what they want--a good reason to believe--and, in some cases, they furnish concepts that mistakenly make all evidential claims a priori. Achinstein introduces four concepts of evidence, defines three of them by reference to "potential" evidence, and characterizes the latter using a novel epistemic interpretation of probability. The resulting theory is then applied to philosophical and historical issues. Solutions are provided to the "grue," "ravens," "lottery," and "old-evidence" paradoxes, and to a series of questions. These include whether explanations or predictions furnish more evidential weight, whether individual hypotheses or entire theoretical systems can receive evidential support, what counts as a scientific discovery, and what sort of evidence is required for it. The historical questions include whether Jean Perrin had non-circular evidence for the existence of molecules, what type of evidence J. J. Thomson offered for the existence of the electron, and whether, as is usually supposed, he really discovered the electron. Achinstein proposes answers in terms of the concepts of evidence introduced. As the premier book in the fabulous new series Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Science, this volume is essential for philosophers of science and historians of science, as well as for statisticians, scientists with philosophical interests, and anyone curious about scientific reasoning.