Focuses on one point of difference regarding the distinction between scientific and everyday theorizing that fundamentally separates the approaches of differing scientists. Discusses the increasingly popular term "model." (Author/CCM)

Criticizes Allchin's article about Lawson's analysis of Galileo's discovery of Jupiter's moons. Suggests that a careful analysis of the way humans spontaneously process information and reason supports a general hypothetico-deductive theory of human information processing, reasoning, and scientific discovery. (SOE)

Argues that, although naturalized philosophy of science points to important aspects of the scientific process that have not attracted the attention they deserve, it is not an acceptable philosophy. Claims that the basic theses of full-fledged naturalized philosophy of science simply cannot be true since they end up either in logical circles or in…

Examines recent developments in Nancy Cartwright's philosophy of science against the background of her earlier ideas. Argues that Cartwright's views fall within the broad empiricist tradition. Contains 19 references. (Author/WRM)

Discusses interactions between experimental systems and modes of interpretation. Uses the discovery of the 'base pairing principle' by Erwin Chargaff as an example to show how established laboratory routines and their development interact with the underlying theoretical framework and the 'Denkstil' (style of thought) of a collective of researchers…

Discusses the philosophical strengths and weaknesses of Laudan's normative naturalism, which understands the principles of scientific method to be akin to scientific hypotheses, and therefore open to test like any principle of science. Contains 19 references. (Author/WRM)

Argues that a broadly inductivist view of science, including its observational base, is the most appropriate approach to the philosophy of science. (Author/WRM)

If students are restricted to making educational experiments only, they might acquire incorrect ideas concerning the nature and role of the experimental method because the educational experiment differs greatly from the scientific experiment by its tasks, complexity, number and variability of experiments and devices used, measurements, and…

Argues that science teaching has suffered because science has been frequently presented as ready-made knowledge with subject matter of facts and laws, rather than as an effective method of inquiry into any subject matter. Reprint of 1910 address to the 1909 American Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference. (JRH)

Philosophers' attempts to convincingly explicate the received view of an ad hoc hypothesis--that it accounts for only the observations it was designed to account for--have been unsuccessful. Familiar and firmer criteria for evaluating the hypotheses or modified theories so classified are characteristically available. Contains 41 references.…

Discusses the evolution of science through historical accounts. History should become an integral part of science teaching at all levels as it is through history of science that students can become aware of the open nature of science, and more importantly, of the open nature of methods by which science can be done. (Author/SAH)

Addresses Lawson's (2002) interpretations of Galileo's discovery of the moons of Jupiter and other cases that exhibit historical errors. Suggests that such cases can distort history and lessons about the nature of science. (SOE)

Criticizes the account of observation given by Alan Chalmers in "What Is This Thing Called Science?" and provides an alternative based on direct realist approaches to perception. Contains 15 references. (Author/WRM)

Describes the process of transforming the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and Arts into a national research center. Discusses the political and legal aspects of its transformation. Contains 17 references. (DDR)

Given that hypothetico-deductive reasoning has played a role in other important scientific discoveries, asks the question whether it plays a role in all important scientific discoveries. Explores and rejects as viable alternatives possible alternative scientific methods such as Baconian induction and combinatorial analysis. Discusses the…