philosophy of science

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Learn how Austrian Catholic monk and botanist Gregor Mendel observed properties of heredity

Nicolaus Copernicus: heliocentric system

astronomers working with a quadrant and a telescope

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Aristotle (384-322 BC), Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist. One of the most influential philosophers in the history of Western thought, Aristotle established the foundations for the modern scientific method of enquiry. Statue

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Galaxy clusters like Abell 2744 can act as a natural cosmic lens, magnifying light from more distant, background objects through gravity. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope may be able to detect light from the first stars in the universe if they are gravitationally lensed by such clusters. (astronomy, space exploration, galaxies)

How Fast Is the Universe Expanding?

Illustration of molecules. (molecular, chemistry, science)

Why Is a Group of Molecules Called a Mole?

poem. A poet in a Heian period kimono writes Japanese poetry during the Kamo Kyokusui No En Ancient Festival at Jonan-gu shrine on April 29, 2013 in Kyoto, Japan. Festival of Kyokusui-no Utage orignated in 1,182, party Heian era (794-1192).

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Figure 13: A Maxim machine gun, belt-fed and water-cooled, operated by German infantrymen, World War I.

7 Deadliest Weapons in History

Why Doesn’t Arizona Observe Daylight Saving Time?

Marriage. A couple getting married during a church wedding ceremony. (religion, ceremony, bride, groom)

The Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic church

Still from the film Deliverance, 1919. The story of Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan. View shows Keller in the cockpit/front seat of an airplane.

How Did Helen Keller Fly a Plane?

American bison (Bison bison) also known as buffalo or plains buffalo on the prairie, western U.S.

What’s the Difference Between Bison and Buffalo?

Close up of a hand placing a ballot in a ballot box. Election vote voter voting

Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term?

Prayer beads on Quran or Koran written in Arabic Islam's sacred and liturgical language. text, words, Ramadan

Celebrating Ramadan

History & Society

philosophy of science

Written by Philip S. Kitcher

Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Mar 6, 2024 • Article History

Aristotle

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Category: History & Society

Key People:: Hilary Putnam; Werner Heisenberg; Auguste Comte; Rudolf Carnap; Henri Poincaré

Related Topics:: law of nature; unified science; metatheory; criterion of falsifiability; operationalism

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Mar. 5, 2024, 5:16 AM ET (The Atlantic)

We Need a New Philosophy of Science

philosophy of science, the study, from a philosophical perspective, of the elements of scientific inquiry. This article discusses metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical issues related to the practice and goals of modern science. For treatment of philosophical issues raised by the problems and concepts of specific sciences, see biology, philosophy of; and physics, philosophy of. The history of philosophy is intertwined with the history of the natural sciences. Long before the 19th century, when the term science began to be used with its modern meaning, those who are now counted among the major figures in the history of Western philosophy were ...(100 of 19563 words)

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