Books in the Handbook of the Philosophy of Science series

Part of the Handbook of the Philosophy of Science Series edited by: Dov M. Gabbay King's College, London, UK;Paul Thagard University of Waterloo, Canada; and John Woods University of British Columbia, Canada. Philosophy of Economics investigates the foundational concepts and methods of economics, the social science that analyzes the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. This groundbreaking collection, the most thorough treatment of the philosophy of economics ever published, brings together philosophers, scientists and historians to map out the central topics in the field. The articles are divided into two groups. Chapters in the first group deal with various philosophical issues characteristic of economics in general, including realism and Lakatos, explanation and testing, modeling and mathematics, political ideology and feminist epistemology. Chapters in the second group discuss particular methods, theories and branches of economics, including forecasting and measurement, econometrics and experimentation, rational choice and agency issues, game theory and social choice, behavioral economics and public choice, geographical economics and evolutionary economics, and finally the economics of scientific knowledge. This volume serves as a detailed introduction for those new to the field as well as a rich source of new insights and potential research agendas for those already engaged with the philosophy of economics.

Psychology is the study of thinking, and cognitive science is the interdisciplinary investigation of mind and intelligence that also includes philosophy, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, linguistics, and anthropology. This book illuminates the nature of the theories and explanations used in the investigation of minds.

The domain of nonlinear dynamical systems and its mathematical underpinnings has been developing exponentially. This book presents a comprehensive picture of the manifold philosophically interesting impacts of the developments in understanding nonlinear systems and the unique aspects of their complexity.

Scientists use concepts and principles that are partly specific for their subject matter, but they also share part of them with colleagues working in different fields. This title includes comprehensive coverage of the philosophy of science written by leading philosophers in this field.

Concerned with explanatory concepts in evolution, genetics, and ecology, this book contains a collection of 25 essays which provide an overview of the state of the field. It demonstrates how philosophical analysis has been able to contribute to sometimes contested areas of scientific theory making.