Scientists cannot devise theories, construct models, propose explanations, make predictions, or even carry out observations, without first classifying their subject matter. The goal of scientific taxonomy is to come up with classification schemes that conform to nature's own. Another way of putting this is that science aims to devise categories that correspond to 'natural kinds.' The interest in ascertaining the real kinds of things in nature is as old as philosophy itself, but it takes on a different guise when one adopts a naturalist stance in philosophy, that is when one looks closely at scientific practice and takes it as a guide for identifying natural kinds and investigating their general features. This Element surveys existing philosophical accounts of natural kinds, defends a naturalist alternative, and applies it to case studies in a diverse set of sciences. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
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1. The metaphysics of kinds; 2. Theories of natural kinds; 3. Kinds of kinds; 4. Applications: kinds across the sciences; References.
This Element surveys philosophical accounts of natural kinds and defends a naturalist alternative to case studies from diverse sciences.
Product details
ISBN
9781009005067
Published
2023-09-14
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Weight
140 gr
Height
230 mm
Width
152 mm
Thickness
5 mm
Age
G, 01
Language
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Number of pages
82
Author