Images of Science: Essays on Realism and Empiricism, with a Reply from Bas C. Van Fraassen

"Churchland and Hooker have collected ten papers by prominent philosophers of science which challenge van Fraassen's thesis from a variety of realist perspectives. Together with van Fraassen's extensive reply . . . these articles provide a comprehensive picture of the current debate in philosophy of science between realists and anti-realists."—Jeffrey Bub and David MacCallum, Foundations of Physics Letters

Preface

Part I. Essays Addressed to Bas C. van Fraassen

1. Lex Orandi est Lex Credendi

Richard N. Boyd

2. The Ontological Status of Observables: In Praise of the Superempirical Virtues

Paul M. Churchfield

3. What Science Aims to Do

Brian Ellis

4. Constructive Realism

Ronald N. Giere

5. Explanation and Realism

Clark Glymour

6. Scientific Realism versus Constructive Empiricism: A Dialogue

Gary Gutting

7. Do We See through a Microscope?

Ian Hacking

8. Surface Dazzle, Ghostly Depths: An Exposition and Critical Evaluation of van Fraassen's Vindication of Empiricism against Realism

Clifford A. Hooker

9. Realism versus Constructive Empiricism

Alan Musgrave

10. What Can Theory Tell Us about Observation?

Mark Wilson

Part II. Bas C. van Fraassen Replies to His Critics

11. Empiricism in the Philosophy of Science

Bas C. van Fraassen

List of Contributors