Explanation, Prediction, and Confirmation

Explanation, Prediction, and Confirmation
Author: Dennis Dieks
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 525
Release: 2011-03-24
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9400711808

This volume, the second in the Springer series Philosophy of Science in a European Perspective, contains selected papers from the workshops organised by the ESF Research Networking Programme PSE (The Philosophy of Science in a European Perspective) in 2009. Five general topics are addressed: 1. Formal Methods in the Philosophy of Science; 2. Philosophy of the Natural and Life Sciences; 3. Philosophy of the Cultural and Social Sciences; 4. Philosophy of the Physical Sciences; 5. History of the Philosophy of Science. This volume is accordingly divided in five sections, each section containing papers coming from the meetings focussing on one of these five themes. However, these sections are not completely independent and detached from each other. For example, an important connecting thread running through a substantial number of papers in this volume is the concept of probability: probability plays a central role in present-day discussions in formal epistemology, in the philosophy of the physical sciences, and in general methodological debates---it is central in discussions concerning explanation, prediction and confirmation. The volume thus also attempts to represent the intellectual exchange between the various fields in the philosophy of science that was central in the ESF workshops.

Philosophico-Methodological Analysis of Prediction and its Role in Economics

Philosophico-Methodological Analysis of Prediction and its Role in Economics
Author: Wenceslao J. Gonzalez
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 375
Release: 2015-02-19
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 3319088858

This book develops a philosophico-methodological analysis of prediction and its role in economics. Prediction plays a key role in economics in various ways. It can be seen as a basic science, as an applied science and in the application of this science. First, it is used by economic theory in order to test the available knowledge. In this regard, prediction has been presented as the scientific test for economics as a science. Second, prediction provides a content regarding the possible future that can be used for prescription in applied economics. Thus, it can be used as a guide for economic policy, i.e., as knowledge concerning the future to be employed for the resolution of specific problems. Third, prediction also has a role in the application of this science in the public arena. This is through the decision-making of the agents — individuals or organizations — in quite different settings, both in the realm of microeconomics and macroeconomics. Within this context, the research is organized in five parts, which discuss relevant aspects of the role of prediction in economics: I) The problem of prediction as a test for a science; II) The general orientation in methodology of science and the problem of prediction as a scientific test; III) The methodological framework of social sciences and economics: Incidence for prediction as a test; IV) Epistemology and methodology of economic prediction: Rationality and empirical approaches and V) Methodological aspects of economic prediction: From description to prescription. Thus, the book is of interest for philosophers and economists as well as policy-makers seeking to ascertain the roots of their performance. The style used lends itself to a wide audience.

Reductive Explanation in the Biological Sciences

Reductive Explanation in the Biological Sciences
Author: Marie I. Kaiser
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 284
Release: 2015-12-16
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319253107

This book develops a philosophical account that reveals the major characteristics that make an explanation in the life sciences reductive and distinguish them from non-reductive explanations. Understanding what reductive explanations are enables one to assess the conditions under which reductive explanations are adequate and thus enhances debates about explanatory reductionism. The account of reductive explanation presented in this book has three major characteristics. First, it emerges from a critical reconstruction of the explanatory practice of the life sciences itself. Second, the account is monistic since it specifies one set of criteria that apply to explanations in the life sciences in general. Finally, the account is ontic in that it traces the reductivity of an explanation back to certain relations that exist between objects in the world (such as part-whole relations and level relations), rather than to the logical relations between sentences. Beginning with a disclosure of the meta-philosophical assumptions that underlie the author’s analysis of reductive explanation, the book leads into the debate about reduction(ism) in the philosophy of biology and continues with a discussion on the two perspectives on explanatory reduction that have been proposed in the philosophy of biology so far. The author scrutinizes how the issue of reduction becomes entangled with explanation and analyzes two concepts, the concept of a biological part and the concept of a level of organization. The results of these five chapters constitute the ground on which the author bases her final chapter, developing her ontic account of reductive explanation.

Evidence, Explanation, and Realism

Evidence, Explanation, and Realism
Author: Peter Achinstein
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 344
Release: 2010-05-28
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0199755736

The essays in this volume address three fundamental questions in the philosophy of science: What is required for some fact to be evidence for a scientific hypothesis? What does it mean to say that a scientist or a theory explains a phenomenon? Should scientific theories that postulate "unobservable" entities such as electrons be construed realistically as aiming to correctly describe a world underlying what is directly observable, or should such theories be understood as aiming to correctly describe only the observable world? Distinguished philosopher of science Peter Achinstein provides answers to each of these questions in essays written over a period of more than 40 years. The present volume brings together his important previously published essays, allowing the reader to confront some of the most basic and challenging issues in the philosophy of science, and to consider Achinstein's many influential contributions to the solution of these issues. He presents a theory of evidence that relates this concept to probability and explanation; a theory of explanation that relates this concept to an explaining act as well as to the different ways in which explanations are to be evaluated; and an empirical defense of scientific realism that invokes both the concept of evidence and that of explanation.

Pragmatic Idealism and Scientific Prediction

Pragmatic Idealism and Scientific Prediction
Author: Amanda Guillán
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2017-08-30
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3319630431

This monograph analyzes Nicholas Rescher’s system of pragmatic idealism. It also looks at his approach to prediction in science. Coverage highlights a prominent contribution to a central topic in the philosophy and methodology of science. The author offers a full characterization of Rescher’s system of philosophy. She presents readers with a comprehensive philosophico-methodological analysis of this important work. Her research takes into account different thematic realms: semantic, logical, epistemological, methodological, ontological, axiological, and ethical. The book features three, thematic-parts: I) General Coordinates, Semantic Features and Logical Components of Scientific Prediction; II) Predictive Knowledge and Predictive Processes in Rescher’s Methodological Pragmatism; and III) From Reality to Values: Ontological Features, Axiological Elements, and Ethical Aspects of Scientific Prediction. This insightful analysis offers a critical reconstruction of Rescher’s philosophy. The system he created is often characterized as pragmatic idealism that is open to some realist elements. He is a prominent representative of contemporary pragmatism who has made a great deal of contributions to the study of this topic. This area is crucial for science and it has been little considered in the philosophy of science.

The Present Situation in the Philosophy of Science

The Present Situation in the Philosophy of Science
Author: Friedrich Stadler
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 403
Release: 2010-05-19
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9048191157

This volume is a serious attempt to open up the subject of European philosophy of science to real thought, and provide the structural basis for the interdisciplinary development of its specialist fields, but also to provoke reflection on the idea of ‘European philosophy of science’. This efforts should foster a contemporaneous reflection on what might be meant by philosophy of science in Europe and European philosophy of science, and how in fact awareness of it could assist philosophers interpret and motivate their research through a stronger collective identity.The overarching aim is to set the background for a collaborative project organising, systematising, and ultimately forging an identity for, European philosophy of science by creating research structures and developing research networks across Europe to promote its development.

MENC Handbook of Research Methodologies

MENC Handbook of Research Methodologies
Author: Richard Colwell
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 417
Release: 2006-02-23
Genre: Music
ISBN: 0199724415

Combining key selections from the classic MENC Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning (Schirmer, 1992) and the widely acclaimed New Handbook of Research on Music Teaching and Learning (Oxford, 2002), the MENC Handbook of Research Methodologies presents comprehensive coverage of the most important issues in music education research in a handy and accessible format. A distinguished team of internationally recognized experts offers cogent and concise insights that provide readers with up-to-date information and references. The volume covers the most important topics in this field, including the role of research in music education, philosophical, historical, qualitative, and quantitative research, as well as assessment and its relationship to research. Practical and affordable, this volume will prove essential for students and scholars of music education. It is both an excellent starting point for those looking to gain an orientation to the field, and an up-to-date reference guide to the most effective strategies for experienced researchers, instructors, and pedagogues.

Body of Knowledge for Modeling and Simulation

Body of Knowledge for Modeling and Simulation
Author: Tuncer Ören
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 549
Release: 2023-01-27
Genre: Computers
ISBN: 3031110854

Commissioned by the Society for Modeling and Simulation International (SCS), this needed, useful new ‘Body of Knowledge’ (BoK) collects and organizes the common understanding of a wide collection of professionals and professional associations. Modeling and simulation (M&S) is a ubiquitous discipline that lays the computational foundation for real and virtual experimentation, clearly stating boundaries—and interactions—of systems, data, and representations. The field is well known, too, for its training support via simulations and simulators. Indeed, with computers increasingly influencing the activities of today’s world, M&S is the third pillar of scientific understanding, taking its place along with theory building and empirical observation. This valuable new handbook provides intellectual support for all disciplines in analysis, design and optimization. It contributes increasingly to the growing number of computational disciplines, addressing the broad variety of contributing as well as supported disciplines and application domains. Further, each of its sections provide numerous references for further information. Highly comprehensive, the BoK represents many viewpoints and facets, captured under such topics as: Mathematical and Systems Theory Foundations Simulation Formalisms and Paradigms Synergies with Systems Engineering and Artificial Intelligence Multidisciplinary Challenges Ethics and Philosophy Historical Perspectives Examining theoretical as well as practical challenges, this unique volume addresses the many facets of M&S for scholars, students, and practitioners. As such, it affords readers from all science, engineering, and arts disciplines a comprehensive and concise representation of concepts, terms, and activities needed to explain the M&S discipline. Tuncer Ören is Professor Emeritus at the University of Ottawa. Bernard Zeigler is Professor Emeritus at the University of Arizona. Andreas Tolk is Chief Scientist at The MITRE Corporation. All three editors are long-time members and Fellows of the Society for Modeling and Simulation International. Under the leadership of three SCS Fellows, Dr. Ören, University of Ottawa, Dr. Zeigler, The University of Arizona, and Dr. Tolk, The MITRE Corporation, more than 50 international scholars from 15 countries provided insights and experience to compile this initial M&S Body of Knowledge.

Analysis and Management of Animal Populations

Analysis and Management of Animal Populations
Author: Byron K. Williams
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 837
Release: 2002-05-16
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0080574726

Analysis and Management of Animal Populations deals with the processes involved in making informed decisions about the management of animal populations. It covers the modeling of population responses to management actions, the estimation of quantities needed in the modeling effort, and the application of these estimates and models to the development of sound management decisions. The book synthesizes and integrates in a single volume the methods associated with these themes, as they apply to ecological assessment and conservation of animal populations. - Integrates population modeling, parameter estimation and decision-theoretic approaches to management in a single, cohesive framework - Provides authoritative, state-of-the-art descriptions of quantitative approaches to modeling, estimation and decision-making - Emphasizes the role of mathematical modeling in the conduct of science and management - Utilizes a unifying biological context, consistent mathematical notation, and numerous biological examples