This volume brings together six published and two new essays by the noted philosopher of science, Peter Achinstein. It represents the culmination of his examination of methodological issues that arise in nineteenth-century physics. He focuses on the philosophical problem of how, if at all, it is possible to confirm scientific hypotheses that postulate `unobservables'' such as light waves, molecules, and electrons. This question is one that not only was of great interest to nineteenth-century physicists and methodologists, but continues to occupy philosophers of science up to the present day.The essays in this volume deal with this vexing problem as it arose in actual scientific practice in three nineteenth-century episodes: the debate between particle and wave theorists of light, Maxwell''s kinetic theory of gases, and J.J. Thomson''s discovery of the electron. Achinstein shows that the most important issue raised by these three cases concerns the legitimacy of introducing hypotheses that invoke "unobservables". If science is to be empirical, can such hypotheses be employed? How, if at all, is it possible to confirm them? Achinstein here assesses the philosophical validity of nineteenth-century and modern answers to these questions and presents and defends his own solutions.
Industry Reviews
"The Book of Evidence is ambitious in aim and thorough in detail: it seeks to show what is faulty about the major definitions of evidence that hale been on offer and develops a novel view that relates evidence to explanation and realism. This book has a rare combination of analytical clarity and historical sensibility and could only have been written by someone who has been thinking about these issues for several decades."--SIS
"Clearly written and persuasively argued....The conception of scientific method that emerges from this excellent study...is a much more subtle, varied, and complex one than usually depicted....This work should prove to be a landmark in the continuing study of the evolution of scientific methodologies."--Review of Metaphysics
"A first-rate contribution to the history of nineteenth-century physics. . . . breaks new ground . . . will prove to be an important source of new information. Further, physicists NEED to read this book." --Foundations of Physics
"It is valuable to have all the essays in one volume and especially valuable to have the introductory essays to tie the others together....A welcome addition to the literature; recommended for all college libraries."--Choice
"A thoughtful consideration of a broad range of factors affecting rational credibility....Informative and thought-provoking....The book is one which any student of the logic of science would find well worth reading."--The Modern Schoolman
"A terrific book. Rarely has such outstanding history of science been coupled with such subtle and penetrating philosophical analysis....Instead of the usual arm-waving argumentation one associates with historical work in philosophy of science, Particles and Waves deploys the analytical rigor Achinstein is justly famous for. Out of that examination emerges Achinstein's carefully worked-out replacement analysis. Judged against the recent spate of
very good historico-philosophical arguments, Achinstein's book stands out as making the most penetrating and profound philosophical contributions."--Frederick Suppe, University of Maryland
"Clearly written and persuasively argued....The conception of scientific method that emerges from this excellent study...is a much more subtle, varied, and complex one than usually depicted....This work should prove to be a landmark in the continuing study of the evolution of scientific methodologies."--Review of Metaphysics
"A first-rate contribution to the history of nineteenth-century physics. . . . breaks new ground . . . will prove to be an important source of new information. Further, physicists NEED to read this book." --Foundations of Physics
"It is valuable to have all the essays in one volume and especially valuable to have the introductory essays to tie the others together....A welcome addition to the literature; recommended for all college libraries."--Choice
"A thoughtful consideration of a broad range of factors affecting rational credibility....Informative and thought-provoking....The book is one which any student of the logic of science would find well worth reading."--The Modern Schoolman
"A terrific book. Rarely has such outstanding history of science been coupled with such subtle and penetrating philosophical analysis....Instead of the usual arm-waving argumentation one associates with historical work in philosophy of science, Particles and Waves deploys the analytical rigor Achinstein is justly famous for. Out of that examination emerges Achinstein's carefully worked-out replacement analysis. Judged against the recent spate of
very good historico-philosophical arguments, Achinstein's book stands out as making the most penetrating and profound philosophical contributions."--Frederick Suppe, University of Maryland
"A thoughtful, interpretive reading of several important episodes in the history of physics." --Historical Studies in the Physical and Biological Sciences
"A valuable treatment of the method of hypothesis by a leading philosopher of science who is responsive to historical problems." --Mathematical Reviews
"[Achinstein] is sensible to issues in the history of methodology, and his book would not be out of place on the reading list of (an honors level) course on that subject. Although most of the essays have already been published elsewhere, they hang together well and Achinstein has provided good instructions to each part. I wish all collections were as thoughtful as this one." --Metascience
