Philosophy of science

What is Science? How do we as humans define it? Is it by the methods people use in investigation? Or is it how we apply concepts? In Okasha’s Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction (1) it attempts to force the reader to look at our own views of how science is defined and if it a satisfactory definition in the realm of Philosophy. The chapter provides several examples on how people determine science: “It is the attempt to understand, explain, and predict the world we live in,” or their defining methods that differentiate them from any other field (Okasha, 1-2). It further explains that these ideas, while not wrong, do not cover the entire spectrum. Religion, while not defined a science, attempts to explain the world we live in. Astrology,…

Positivism and post-positivism Positivism is a philosophy of social science that held facts could be rigidly separated from values, and that analysis could be value free. Logical positivism has played a major role in developing the concept of positivism at present time. Logical positivist, represented by Herbert Simon, holds to a narrower, natural science ideal for public administration. Positivist approach tries to justify the fact by definitions or verification with cases. However,…

For Ayer, philosophy had to be grounded in science. This could be achieved through empirical observation. Ayer believed that all knowledge comes from the senses, that everything I know is justified by my senses. Additionally, a process of elimination for Ayer is sufficient for anything that cannot be answered by science. These eliminations can be conducted by using evidence based on you senses. Ayer concluded, “the criterion which we use to test the genuineness of apparent statements of fact is…

The Puzzle Of Computer Science Philosophy A major in Computer Science has always been what I have wanted to achieve. My brain is constantly in a state of self imposed hyperactivity. I have excelled in creating new puzzles in order for my brain to get its daily dose of adrenaline. However the adrenaline rush i got from my first puzzle would last much longer than expected, becoming my own personal stalker. When I first got asked the question such as every other child is, what do you want…

Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn’s View on Truth and Science Science is the means of pursuing knowledge about the universe. It is collection of knowledge that is built on the testable predictions. Philosophy of science is a study concerned with fundamentals, techniques and consequences of science throughout time (The philosophy of science). There are several philosophers who tried to identify and differentiate between scientific and non-scientific theories throughout time using different philosophy.…

In order to conduct a discussion about philosophy of science we need to have a better understanding of what these terms encompass and mean. Philosophy represents the assumptions, believes, values and the worldview. Gortner tries to explain that nursing syntax builds on “the consequences of particular world views” and not even one, which is consistent with the idea of having a more accurate representation of reality. So, human being need to be viewed and analyzed from different perspective as…

on the explanation of the experimental means by which biological claims are deduced. This deepening gave me greater comfort in the acceptance of biological knowledge. And yet some unease still remained, a sort of cloud which is not so significant as to obscure the heavens in its totality, but at the same time blocks out the sun. In Ian Hacking’s 1981 essay “Do We See Through a Microscope”, Hacking explores the sort of concerns from which my cloud may have found its genesis. Specifically,…

Despite key differences in their solutions, both Karl Popper and Paul Feyerabend noticed issues with the positivist system of scientific discoveries and attempted to develop new methods for understanding science. Popper developed new understandings surrounding the theory dependence of observation, and the flaws of induction. His system of falsificationism was a key factor in the development of sociology of science as a whole and of Feyerabend’s system of Epistemological anarchism. Feyerabend…

Observation of a 5-year-old Purpose The purpose of this observational study is to gain perspective of the various theories of development that were taught in class. Also, to help the observer understand that observational research is complex and difficult to describe a five-year-old female child objectively. The observation took place in the child’s home for one hour while her parents were present during the study thus, the mother can sign the permission slip. Descriptive information The child…

The focus of this paper was an exercise designed to observe and explore nonverbal communication. In order to observe nonverbal communication, my husband and I went to eat dinner on a Saturday night at a local Applebee’s restaurant. We chose this restaurant because our daughter works there as a waitress and we could ask to sit in her section. I was not sure how a waiter/waitress who was not known to me would react to my observing and taking notes about my fellow diners. If the waiter/waitress had…