Authors of introductory texts in philosophy of science usually organize the content of their books either thematically or chronologically. The two approaches are not mutually exclusive, but often the choice reflects an author's view of how best to give an overview of the field. Ruey-Lin Chen's book Philosophy of Science: A Theoretical and Historical Introduction belongs to the second group. The organization reflects Chen's assessment of Thomas S. Kuhn's impact on the field. Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolution divides the book into three periods: pre-Kuhn, Kuhn, and post-Kuhn. The first section surveys the field while considering logical empiricism and falsificationism. The second section discusses Kuhn and other philosophers' interpretations and refinements of his ideas. Ontological issues and their sociological and political reverberations (such as the science wars, as well as the “naturalistic approach,” the view that philosophy of science should be researched...

© National Science Council, Taiwan 2011
2011
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