Philosophy of Natural Science 1st Edition

by Carl Hempel (Author)

21 ratings

ISBN-13: 978-0136638230

ISBN-10: 0136638236

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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This volume explores the logic and methodology of scientific inquiry rather than its substantive results.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Prentice Hall; 1st edition (August 25, 1966)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 116 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0136638236
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0136638230
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.7 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.9 x 0.4 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,178,246 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,628 in Religious Philosophy (Books)
- #5,445 in Philosophy (Books)
- #5,993 in History & Philosophy of Science (Books)

Customer Reviews:
21 ratings

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Jerry B Schutz

Excellent Resource

Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2019

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I felt that the content of this book was applicable many decades after it was written. It was easy to follow, despite invented words that I had to look up on my phone. There were also references to other good books. My main problem with it was a lack of structure. The opening chapter is just over a page long and then it launches into content in Chapter 2. At the end, that's what it does; end. There is no summary and no conclusions. Basically it is a middle with no beginning and no end. Not unusual, I guess, for a scientist. One or more flow charts of the processes being discussed would have been helpful. One suggestion; read up on Semmelweis. Hempel does not tell us what happened to this unfortunate individual, but it tells a lot about the scientific field.

Helpful

Alexander R

Good short introduction to philosophy of science.

Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2015

Verified Purchase

Unfortunately the shortness of this text leaves me wanting to know more; seems like it only started to get technical around page 50 and then quickly died off again. But the writing is excellent and the examples are great.

One person found this helpful

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Mel B

Awesome price and great quality

Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2014

Verified Purchase

Awesome price and amazing quality almost brand new quality.
No torn pages or bent covers. I love buying used books.

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Maybach

Okay

Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2010

Verified Purchase

It was okay. I didn't think the author explained anything though. He just seemed to be ranting for most of it.

Helpful

Middle of the road

Relevant today

Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2018

Took an elective class during my senior year in engineering school in the late 1970s that used this book. I didn’t fully understand the thought process other than flowing with the book. However, after working in engineering for over 30 years to achieve the status of an advance project level engineer, and re-reading the book, it could not be more aligned with the nature of solving a problem. This book, with minor tweaks, can easily explain Lean Manufacturing. From identifying the problem, situation, the issues, analysis, solutions, implementation, and results. This book does a fine job in connecting this process and explaining it as a science.

One person found this helpful

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TiZ

A Classic

Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2006

Carl Hempel's "Philosophy of Natural Science" is an introduction to the philosophy of science by one of the twentieth century's finest philosophers of science. This book is one of the best in the popular "Foundations of Philosophy Series", and a classic in the philosophy of science.
The book is slim but quite comprehensive. It covers the structure of scientific hypotheses and their justification, the role of laws in scientific explanations, and the nature of scientific concepts and theoretical reduction, among many other topics.
Hempel is an excellent guide to a very difficult subject. He writes lucidly and argues carefully. Many of his claims are illustrated with examples from the history of science. The book also includes suggestions for further reading.
Some familiarity with analytic philosophy and the history of science will be helpful for readers of this book. But I don't think that this background is required. While those without this background may find some sections of this book difficult, I think that they'll understand a lot.
This book was published in 1966. Therefore, it does not cover some of the latest work in the philosophy of science. Needless to say, as a work of analytic philosophy, many of its claims are controversial. Nevertheless, it remains an excellent introduction to the philosophy of science.
For more recent, and sometimes easier, introductions to the philosophy of science, with some different coverage, I recommend Chalmer's "What Is This Thing Called Science?" or Hung's "The Nature of Science: Problems and Perspectives", though I have more gripes with these books than with Hempel's. I recommend these books not in place of Hempel's but in addition to it.

11 people found this helpful

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Jeremy W. Forstadt

modus tollens

Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2004

PHILOSOPHY OF NATURAL SCIENCE, by Carl G. Hempel is a classic exposition of the scientific method and should be considered required reading for all scientists as well as informed lay persons. Do not let the title of this book mislead you, among its most ardent supporters are the practitioners of the social sciences in addition to the expected audience of "hard" scientists (Though PHILOSOPHY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE is another volume in this "Foundations of Philosophy" series, it is nowhere near the classic that this volume is).

Far from just a theoretical work, Hempel skillfully injects easily understandable case studies and examples into his writing. Proceeding from the basic logical construction of the scientific method to more complex ideas challenging some of the classically held views, Hempel is always accessible, always clearly understandable.

This is a surprisingly enjoyable book to read and short enough that it shouldn't intimidate anyone. There are far too few people today who understand scientific explanation and I would recommend this indispensable book for anyone's library.

Jeremy W. Forstadt

11 people found this helpful

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Frank Bierbrauer

Worth every page.

Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2002

In this little book Carl Hempel lays out the basics of a philosophy of science, or in other words what a scientific theory must be in order to be science. This is an oversimplification in that not only does Hempel follow the well trodden track of such people as Karl Popper, but he goes much further in the way he looks at various `theories' proposed through the ages. He is not afraid to look at seemingly ludicrous theories such as vitalism but analyses them to locate what is and is not science within them. He never pre-judges anything but is willing ot give it a look no matter how strange or ridiculous. Hempel is a philosopher of science to be admired in his open views. Throughout the text he surprises the reader as he elucidates aspects of the philosophy of science which don't usually occur to a practising scientist or to many other philosophers who take much for granted.
Worth every page.

24 people found this helpful

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