Philosophy in Science - Heller, Michael

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Résumé :
The traditional topics of the philosophy of nature ? space, time, causality, the structure of the universe ? are overwhelmingly present in our modern scientific theories. This book traces the complex paths that discussion of these topics has followed, from Plato and Aristotle, through Descartes, Leibniz, Kant and other great thinkers, right up to the relativistic cosmologies and the grand unified theories of contemporary science. In the light of this historical development, it becomes clear that modern science gives us not only a technological power over the world, but also a deeper understanding of physical reality. In this sense, science could be regarded as an heir to the traditional philosophy of nature. Moreover, the reader will learn why science itself deserves to be the subject of philosophical reflection.

Biographie:
Prof. Michael Heller Birth date and place: March 12 1936, Tarn?w, Poland. 1966 Ph.D. - Catholic University of Lublin, Thesis in relativistic cosmology. 1969 docent degree (assistant professorship), Catholic University of Lublin. 1985 extraordinary professorship (professor extraordinarius), Pontifical Academy of Theology, Faculty of Philosophy, Cracow. 1990 Ordinary Professorship (professor ordinarius), Pontifical Academy of Theology, Faculty of Philosophy, Cracow. 1996 Doctor honoris causa - Thechnological University A.G.H. in Cracow. At present: professor at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Pontifical Academy of Theology, Cracow, Poland and the adjoined member of the Vatican Observatory (which is an astronomical observatory). Ordinary member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences (Rome), elected in 1991. Membership of: International Astronomical Union, International Society for General Relativity and Gravitation, European Physical Society, International Society for the Study of Time, Polskie Towarzystwo Fizyczne, Polskie Towarzystwo Astronomiczne and other societies Fields of scientific research: Relativistic physics, in particular relativistic cosmology...

Sommaire:
Chapter I. The First Task of the Philosophy of Nature-The Problem of Elementarity.-Chapter II. The Philosophical Myth of Creation-The Platonic Philosophy of Nature.-Chapter III. Aristotle's Physics.-Chapter IV. Aristotle's Method of Cosmological Speculation.-Chapter V. Descartes' Mechanism.-Chapter VI. Isaac Newton and The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy.-Chapter VII. The World of Leibniz: The Best of All Possible Worlds.-Chapter VIII. Immanuel Kant: The a priori Conditions of the Sciences.-Chapter IX. The Romantic Philosophy of Nature.-Chapter X. The Cosmology of Whitehead: The Universe as Process.- Chapter XI. Popper's Open Universe.-Chapter XII. Science as Philosophy.-Chapter XIII. Problems and Methods of the Philosophy of Nature.