Philosophy of Science: Volume 2, From Explanation to Justification

by Mario Bunge

Originally published as Scientific Research, this pair of volumes constitutes a fundamental treatise on the strategy of science. Mario Bunge, one of the major figures of the century in the development of a scientific epistemology, describes and analyzes scientific philosophy, as well as discloses its philosophical presuppositions. This work may be used as a map to identify the various stages in the road to scientific knowledge.Philosophy of Science is divided into two volumes, each with two parts. Part 1 offers a preview of the scheme of science and the logical and semantical took that will be used throughout the work. The account of scientific research begins with part 2, where Bunge discusses formulating the problem to be solved, hypothesis, scientific law, and theory.The second volume opens with part 3, which deals with the application of theories to explanation, prediction, and action. This section is graced by an outstanding discussion of the philosophy of technology. Part 4 begins with measurement and experiment. It then examines risks in jumping to conclusions from data to hypotheses as well as the converse procedure.Bunge begins this mammoth work with a section entitled "How to Use This Book." He writes that it is intended for both independent reading and reference as well as for use in courses on scientific method and the philosophy of science. It suits a variety of purposes from introductory to advanced levels. Philosophy of Science is a versatile, informative, and useful text that will benefit professors, researchers, and students in a variety of disciplines, ranging from the behavioral and biological sciences to the physical sciences.

Genres: Science, Philosophy, Nonfiction

434 pages, Paperback

First published June 30, 1998

About the author

Mario Augusto Bunge fue un físico, filósofo, epistemólogo y humanista argentino; Bunge por encima de todo fue un filósofo materialista, defensor del realismo científico y de la filosofía exacta. Fue conocido por expresar públicamente su postura contraria a las pseudociencias, entre las que incluye al psicoanálisis, la praxeología, la homeopatía, la microeconomía neoclásica (u ortodoxa) entre otras, además de sus críticas contra corrientes filosóficas como el existencialismo (y, especialmente, la obra de Martin Heidegger), la fenomenología, el posmodernismo, la hermenéutica, y el feminismo filosófico.

Reviews

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

The same can be said for this volume as I said for Volume 1 (this one seems to be edited a little better, though.) In the afterword, Bunge provides a good summary of the way in which he wrote these two volumes, and I think it's worth quoting at length.

"[P]hilosophers have traditionally adopted either of two methods: the direct of looking at science, and the indirect of looking at the philosophy of science. The approach adopted in this work is direct rather than the usual one of discussing the views of other philosophers of science. No doubt, many of these opinions are interesting and worth examining. But I suggest that such examination falls to the historian of the philosophy of science rather than to the philosopher of science.

"To understand how science works, one must look at it in the face--to indulge in metaphor. Otherwise one will not contribute anything new, let alone original, to the knowledge of scientific knowledge. Moreover, one will be unable to help scientists tackle or even recognize the philosophical problems that raise their head at critical junctions.

"The direct look is rewarding because it can reveal the way scientists actually work, and what drives them in addition to peer recognition. It confirms certain elementary truths that often get lost in the rarefied heights of philosophy . . ."