Brown - Smoke and Mirrors.pdf - Science and Philosophy(1) - michalszasz121

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

‘This is a simply splendid book. Jim Brown argues with vigour

and wit for a strongly positive view of scientific realism. He puts

his own arguments fairly and openly, showing that no one should

lightly dismiss his case. In a comprehensive review, which itself

justifies the work, he presents the positions of those whom he

would refute with clarity and sympathy. Taking on a multitude

of recent advocates of scientific anti-realism, he shows their

weaknesses with a scalpel-like critical faculty. As one who is at

the receiving end of Brown’s attack, I very much hope that he is

wrong. I fear he may be right.’

Michael Ruse, University of Guelph

Realism is an enlightening story and wholly believable; yet

this wonderful picture of humanity’s best efforts at

knowledge has been badly bruised. Smoke and Mirrors fights

back. But this volume is not wholly devoted to combating

Rorty and others who blow smoke in our eyes; the second

half is concerned with arguing that there are some amazing

ways in which science mirrors the world; abstraction, abstract

objects, and a priori ways of getting at reality are the particular

focus of interest.

James Robert Brown is Professor of Philosophy at the University

of Toronto. His research interests include the philosophy of

mathematics, foundations of physics, social relations of science,

and thought experiments, as well as more general issues in the

philosophy of science. He is the author of two earlier books: The

Rational and the Social and The Laboratory of the Mind which are both

available from Routledge.

PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES IN SCIENCE SERIES

Edited by W.H.Newton-Smith

THE RATIONAL AND THE SOCIAL

James Robert Brown

THE NATURE OF DISEASE

Lawrie Reznek

THE PHILOSOPHICAL DEFENCE OF PSYCHIATRY

Lawrie Reznek

INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION

Peter Lipton

TIME, SPACE AND PHILOSOPHY

Christopher Ray

MATHEMATICS AND THE IMAGE OF REASON

Mary Tiles

METAPHYSICS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

William Seager

THE LABORATORY OF THE MIND

James Robert Brown

SMOKE

AND MIRRORS

How science reflects reality

James Robert Brown

London and New York

First published 1994

by Routledge

11 Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE

This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002.

Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada

by Routledge

29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001

reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic,

mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter

invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any

information storage or retrieval system, without permission in

writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Brown, James Robert.

Smoke and mirrors : how science reflects reality/James Robert Brown.

p. cm.—(Philosophical issues in science)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Realism. 2. Science—Philosophy. I. Title. II. Series.

B835.B86 1993

149’.2–dc20

93–25307

CIP

ISBN 0-203-05304-4 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN 0-203-16112-2 (Adobe eReader Format)

ISBN 0-415-09180-2 (Print Edition) 0-415-09181-0 (pbk)

Brown - Smoke and Mirrors.pdf

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