Scientific Method: From Bacon to Popper, The
Philosopher Ian Hacking talks about the impact of Sir Francis Bacon and Karl Popper on scientific inquiry. Ultimately, Professor Hacking concludes, science is neither all theory nor all experiment but, rather, an intimate interaction between what we...
Inner Self and External World
Philosopher Hubert Dreyfus talks about the views of multiple philosophers concerning how the inner self encounters the every day reality of the external world.
Quantum Mechanics
Philosopher Hilary Putnam talks about the challenge philosophers face in trying to interpret scientific functions --such as quantum mechanics-- when the effects are observable, but the function itself is not.
Scientific Theories and Realism
Philosopher Hilary Putnam argues that it is futile for philosophers of science to try to come up with a single, one-size-fits-all model that can be used to validate all scientific theories.
Rationalism
Philosopher Stephen Toulmin talks about rationalism, concluding that there have always been two driving forces behind it. On one hand, Professor Toulmin says, it comes from the desire to make theories as elegant as possible, which leads people to ma...
Is Reason the Source of Knowledge?: Reason, the Source of Knowledge
Seventeenth century rationalists like Descartes and Leibniz believe that knowledge comes from reason alone. It is not necessary to see examples in the physical world;truth can be grasped entirely in the mind. This is a period in which science is mak...
Theoreticians and Experimenters
Philosopher Ian Hacking talks about the differences in approach and skill sets between those who practice science primarily as theoreticians, and others who are primarily experimenters. Professor Hacking points out that theoreticians get most of the...
Does Science Give Us Truth?: Single Truth?, A
What is truth? Both philosophy and science seek to find the answer to that question, and although each theory proposed contributes a vital perspective, none can cover each and every situation. It is important not to get hung up on Truth with a capit...
Mathematics and Change
Philosopher Stephen Toulmin explains that contrary to what many believe, mathematics and mathematical assumptions can change "deeply" over time. Professor Toulmin notes that, "...you will find that, beyond a certain point, the link with what we had ...