Counterfactuals and Scientific Realism
The author attempts to show that scientific realism is compatible with the presence of idealization in the sciences. His main contention is that idealized theories can be treated as counterfactuals about how things are in worlds that are similar to but si
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New Directions in the Philosophy of Science Series Editor: Steven French, Philosophy, University of Leeds, UK The philosophy of science is going through exciting times. New and productive relationships are being sought with the history of science. Illuminating and innovative comparisons are being developed between the philosophy of science and the philosophy of art. The role of mathematics in science is being opened up to renewed scrutiny in the light of original case studies. The philosophies of particular sciences are both drawing on and feeding into new work in metaphysics and the relationships between science, metaphysics and the philosophy of science in general are being re-examined and reconfigured. The intention behind this new series from Palgrave Macmillan is to offer a new, dedicated, publishing forum for the kind of exciting new work in the philosophy of science that embraces novel directions and fresh perspectives. To this end, our aim is to publish books that address issues in the philosophy of science in the light of these new developments, including those that attempt to initiate a dialogue between various perspectives, offer constructive and insightful critiques, or bring new areas of science under philosophical scrutiny. Titles include: Sorin Bangu THE APPLICABILITY OF MATHEMATICS IN SCIENCE Indispensability and Ontology Melinda Fagan PHILOSOPHY OF STEM CELL BIOLOGY Knowledge in Flesh and Blood P.D. Magnus SCIENTIFIC ENQUIRY AND NATURAL KINDS From Planets to Mallards Michael J. Shaffer COUNTERFACTUALS AND SCIENTIFIC REALISM Adam Toon MODELS AS MAKE-BELIEVE Imagination, Fiction and Scientific Representation Forthcoming titles include: Alex Broadbent THE PHILOSOPHY OF EPIDEMIOLOGY Gabriele Contessa SCIENTIFIC MODELS AND REPRESENTATION Douglas Kutach CAUSATION AND ITS BASIS IN FUNDAMENTAL PHYSICS Matteo Morganti BETWEEN SCIENCE, METAPHYSICS AND COMMON SENSE Matthew Slater ARE SPECIES REAL? John S. Wilkins and Malte C. Ebach THE NATURE OF CLASSIFICATION
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Counterfactuals and Scientific Realism Michael J. Shaffer St. Cloud State University, USA
© Michael J. Shaffer 2012 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2012 978-0-230-30845-9 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by
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