Overview
- Proposes an original conception of the structure and dynamics of scientific knowledge
- Analyzes mechanisms of the generation of scientific theories
- Demonstrates how socio-cultural factors are incorporated in the process of yielding new theories
- Based on the extensive literature on the history of natural and social sciences
- Displays three historical types of scientific rationality and shows features of their coexistence and interplay
- Presents authentic historical reconstructions of the processes of the development of classical and quantum electrodynamics, relativity, and conceptions of evolution in biology
Part of the book series: Synthese Library (SYLI, volume 326)
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About this book
In Theoretical Knowledge an original conception of a structure and dynamics of scientific knowledge is proposed. A detailed analysis of the foundations of science performed by the author allowed him to develop new ideas and approaches, to demonstrate how sociocultural factors are incorporated in the process of yielding of new theories. He shows direct and inverse links between foundations of science and new theories and empirical facts evolved from those, how among many potentially possible histories of science a culture selects just those directions which become a real history of science.
The author analyses mechanisms of the generation of scientific theories and shows that those are changed in the process of historical development of science. He displays three historical types of scientific rationality (classical, non-classical and post-non-classical, which appears in modern science) and shows features of their coexistence and interplay. It is shown that along with the emerging of post-non-classical rationality science increases the sphere of its worldview applications. Science begins to correlate not only with the basic values of technogenic civilization but also with some values and patterns of traditional cultures.
The investigation is based on the extensive literature on the history of natural and social sciences. The reader will find in the book authentic historical reconstructions of the processes of the development of classical and quantum electrodynamics, relativity, and conceptions of evolution in biology.
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Table of contents (8 chapters)
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Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Theoretical Knowledge
Authors: Vyacheslav Stepin
Series Title: Synthese Library
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-3046-0
Publisher: Springer Dordrecht
eBook Packages: Humanities, Social Sciences and Law, Philosophy and Religion (R0)
Copyright Information: Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2005
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4020-3045-1Published: 12 July 2005
Softcover ISBN: 978-90-481-6776-0Published: 28 October 2010
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4020-3046-8Published: 13 November 2005
Series ISSN: 0166-6991
Series E-ISSN: 2542-8292
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XVI, 412
Topics: Philosophy, general, Epistemology, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Technology