Larry Laudan 
Science and Values 
The Aims of Science and Their Role in Scientific Debate

Laudan constructs a fresh approach to a longtime problem for the philosopher of science: how to explain the simultaneous and widespread presence of both agreement and disagreement in science. Laudan critiques the logical empiricists and the post-positivists as he stresses the need for centrality and values and the interdependence of values, methods, and facts as prerequisites to solving the problems of consensus and dissent in science.

Tabela de Conteúdo

Acknowledgments 

Preface 

One 

Two Puzzles about Science: Reflections on Some Crises in Philosophy and Sociology of Science 

The Consensual View and the Puzzle of Agreement 

The ‘New Wave’ Preoccupation with Dissensus 

Two 

The Hierarchical Structure of Scientific Debates 

Factual Consensus Formation 

Methodological Consensus Formation 

Three 

Closing the Evaluative Circle: Resolving Disagreements about Cognitive Values 

The Covariance Fallacy 

The Reticulated Model and the Mechanics of Goal Evaluation 

The Reticulated Model of Scientific Rationality 

Four 

Dissecting the Holist Picture of Scientific Change 

Kuhn on the Units of Scientific Change

Kuhn’s Critique of Methodology

Five 

A Reticulational Critique of Realist Axiology

and Methodology

Epilogue

References

Index