Science, Truth, and Democracy (Oxford Studies in the Philosophy of Science) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE SCIENCES in a democratic society?..." (more)
Key Phrases: permanent underdetermination, ideal deliberators, ideal atlas, New York, Science-The Endless Frontier, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Outstandingly good, flashes with the steel of reason." -- The New York Times Book Review

Review

"In Science, Truth, and Democracy, this philosopher of science at Columbia University revises and builds on his earlier account to debunk what he refers to as the theology of science-the idea that science is a high calling dedicated to ends that transcend all others-and to oppose the demonization of science...thought-provoking." -- Lewis Wolpert, Science
"Science, Truth, and Democracy is an outstandingly good book; it flashes with the steel of reason."--New York Times Book Review
"Mr Kitcher holds that the democratic way of doing this is better than any alternative....But could it, he asks, serve us better? Does it ignore opportunities for the advancement of knowledge and the betterment of humankind? Yes, he suggests, on both counts. Thanks to [Kitcher, et. al.], such questions are being asked again in a serious and responsible way. Science can only be richer and healthier for it."--The Economist
"Philip Kitcher's Science, Truth and Democracy joins generosity to argument. Throughout, Kitcher remains engaged with reason as he tries to understand, critically, the positions of realists, creationists, empiricists, and constructivists."--Peter Galison, Harvard University
"Kitcher's navigates very skillfully between the extremes of positivistic science-worship and Foucauldian distrust of 'regimes of truth'. His novel and plausible answer to the question 'Why seek scientific truth?' will help bring the increasingly tedious Science Wars to a close. His argument that we need what he calls 'well-ordered science' is an important contribution to political thought."--Richard Rorty, Brandeis University
"Kitcher is one of the leading figures in contemporary philosophy of science, and [this book] expounds some significant developments in his general view of the sciences, as well as original treatments of some fundamentally important and increasingly topical issues...it will certainly be widely read and discussed by philosophers of science and a good number of scientists and other students of scientists."--John Dupre, University of Exeter

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; illustrated edition edition (November 8, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195145836
• ISBN-13: 978-0195145830
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,002,403 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well written, engaging, but with a fundamental oversight, December 4, 2002

By	Keith Douglas (Ottawa, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Philip Kitcher again shines as a well informed philosopher of science. This book can be regarded as a sequel to his magnum opus _The Advancement of Science_. It deals with the relativists and antirealists quite well, though does presuppose some familiarity with these debates.

However, I find that Kitcher's new position on the nature of science and its relations to society at large suffers from an apparently glaring oversight. He tells us that those who have a stake in the outcome of scientific research should have a say in how it should proceed, be funded, etc.

Since we have long known (and Kitcher himself is aware of the fact) that the outcome of basic scientific research is unknown, i.e. we do not know what position (if any) it will affect, we cannot realistically adopt Kitcher's suggestion. His proposal is emmently sensible in technology, where the goal is not to know but to change or prevent change. But the history of science shows that the proposal of making basic science sensitive to people's interests _that_ way will not work. Further, it is vague, even if it could be done: how do we determine the effect? Christian conservatives like Philip Johnson would curtail or slow research into evolution because he feels it is socially undermining; biologists and
other scientists (rightly) regard this as distressing. Science *should* puncture illusions, as Kitcher points out happens. On the other hand, if the "say" is simply to be a sort of "gripe session" where people can say their piece to scientists, this is a recipe for squabble, or worse, just ignoring people, which is the (perceived) problem in the management of science now.
(I think actually that the insistence from some that science is alienating because it is undemocratic is wrong, but that's another story.)

One should not read this book, however, without a grasp of some of the issues this review sort of brings up. As another reviewer said it is sort of for the academic. I wish that weren't so: but sometimes we academics have to debate amongst ourselves a bit first, before popularizations come out. Of course this is just some of the same concerns again ... and around we go.

5.0 out of 5 stars logic book, August 1, 2009

By	Brian B. Hargraves "CHRISTIAN PSY" (TEXAS) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Science, Truth, and Democracy (Oxford Studies in the Philosophy of Science) (Paperback)

I recieved everything it said it would be... on time !

the book was a logic book... be warned...

13 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What the world needs now is this book., January 20, 2002

By	C. Porter - See all my reviews

I am impressed with Kitcher, actually stunned. This book needs to be read by every politician in office. The fact that our government does in fact function much better than middle east gov's is due to separation of church and state, but now what we need is to really incorporate that idea, especially with a little more truth. The science of life is accepted as Kitcher mentions as irrefutable by all, but the truth of it is jet lag, not really here. I say yes, read this book, to anyone. I want to recommend another book very similar to this but in entertaining format which puts this subject across well, SB 1 or God By Karl Maddox.