Mathematics, Science and Epistemology: Volume 2, Philosophical Papers

by Imre Lakatos, John Worrall (Editor), Gregory Currie (Editor)

Overview

Imre Lakatos' philosophical and scientific papers are published here in two volumes. Volume I brings together his very influential but scattered papers on the philosophy of the physical sciences, and includes one important unpublished essay on the effect of Newton's scientific achievement. Volume 2 presents his work on the philosophy of mathematics (much of it unpublished), together with some critical essays on contemporary philosophers of science and some famous polemical writings on political and educational issues.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521280303
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	10/16/1980
Series:	Philosophical Papers (Cambridge) , #2
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 8.98(h) x 0.87(d)

Table of Contents

Editors' introduction; Part I. Philosophy of Mathematics: 1. Infinite regress and foundations of mathematics; 2. A renaissance of empiricism in the recent philosophy of mathematics?; 3. Cauchy and the continuum: the significance of non-standard analysis for the history and philosophy of mathematics; 4. What does a mathematical proof prove?; 5. The method of analysis-synthesis; Part II. Critical Papers: 6. The problem of appraising scientific theories: three approaches; 7. Necessity, Kineale and Popper; 8. Changes in the problem of inductive logic; 9. On Popperian historiography; 10. Anomalies versus 'crucial experiments'; 11. Understanding Toulmin; Part III. Science and Education: 12. A letter to the director of the London School of Economics; 13. The teaching of the history of science; 14. The social responsibility of science; References; Lakatos bibliography; Indexes.

Editorial Reviews

' … there is an essential unity of theme and purpose running through all the papers collected in these volumes. Many of the papers, even though they have been previously published, are not fully self-contained and can be understood only by reference to others. Their collection and the editors' cross-referencing thus serves the useful purpose of facilitating an assessment of Lakatos' contribution to philosophy.' Philosophical Books

' … a well-produced book that every philosopher of science or mathematics will wish to have.' Philosophy

From the Publisher