الصفحة 1
الصفحة 1
The Metaphysics of Science : An Account of Modern Science in Terms of Principles, Laws and Theories
The roots of this work lie in my earlier book, Scientific Progress, which first appeared in 1981. One of its topics, the distinction - tween scientific laws and theories, is there treated with reference to the same distinction as drawn by N. R. Campbell in his Physics: The Elements. Shortly after completing Scientific Progress, I read Rom Harré’s The Principles of Scientific Thinking, in which the concept of theory is even more clearly delineated than in Campbell, being directly connected to the notion of a model – as it was in my book. In subsequent considerations regarding science, Harré’s work thus - came my main source of inspiration with regard to theories, while Campbell’s remained my main source with respect to empirical laws. Around the same time I also read William Whewell’s Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences.
Semiconductor Optics ; 2nd ed.
The book on Semiconductor Optics has been favourably received by the s- dents and the scientific community worldwide. After the ?rst edition, which appeared in 1995 several reprints became necessary starting from 1997, one of them for the Chinese market. They contained only rather limited updates of the material and corrections. In the meantime scientific progress brought a lot of new results, which necessitate a new, seriously revised edition. This progress includes bulk se- conductors, but especially structures of reduced dimensionality. These new trends and results are partly included in existing chapters e. g. for phonons or for time-resolved spectroscopy, partly new chapters have been introduced like the ones on cavity polaritons and photonic structures. We based the description of the optical properties againon the simple and intuitively clear model ofthe Lorentz-oscillatorsandthe concept of polaritons asthequantaoflightinmatter. But since there is presently at rend to describe at least the optical properties of the electronic system of semiconductors by the optical or the semiconductor Bloch equations, a chapter has been added on this topic written by Prof. Dr. R. v. Baltz (Karlsruhe) to familiarize the reader with this concept, too, which needs a bit more quantum mechanics compared the approach used here.
Scientific Progress : A Study Concerning the Nature of the Relation Between Successive Scientific Theories
In this book, Craig Dilworth answers all the questions raised by the incommensurability thesis. Logical empiricism cannot account for theory conflict. Popperianism cannot account for how one theory is a progression beyond another. Dilworth’s Perspectivist conception of science does both.
Rethinking Scientific Change and Theory Comparison : Stabilities, Ruptures, Incommensurabilities?
The volume is a collection of essays devoted to the analysis of scientific change and stability. It explores the balance and tension that exists between commensurability and continuity on the one hand, and incommensurability and discontinuity on the other. And it discusses some central epistemological consequences regarding the nature of scientific progress, rationality and realism. In relation to these topics, it investigates a number of new avenues and revisits some familiar issues, with a focus on the history and philosophy of physics, and an emphasis on developments in cognitive sciences as well as on the claims of "new experimentalists".
QCD and Numerical Analysis III ; Proceedings of the 3rd International Workshop on Numerical Analysis and Lattice QCD, Edinburgh, June-July 2003
It promoted scientific progress in lattice QCD as an e-Science activity that encourages close collaboration between the core sciences of physics, mathematics, and computer science. In order to achieve more realistic computations in lattice quantum ?eld theory substantial progress is required in the exploitation of numerical methods. Recently, there has been much progress in the formulation of lattice chiral symmetry satisfying the Ginsparg-Wilson relation.
Nanotechnology : Assessment and Perspectives
A new definition of Nanotechnology by the authors is used as an anchor for the various sections of the book. This leads to an integrated text reflecting the multidimensional challenges occurring around Nanotechnology. The most important results of the study are transferred into acting recommendations concerning scientific progress, industrial relevance, economic potential, educational needs, potential adverse health effects and philosophical aspects of Nanotechnology.
Model Reduction and Coarse-Graining Approaches for Multiscale Phenomena
Model reduction and coarse-graining are important in many areas of science and engineering. How does a system with many degrees of freedom become one with fewer? How can a reversible micro-description be adapted to the dissipative macroscopic model? These crucial questions, as well as many other related problems, are discussed in this book. Specific areas of study include dynamical systems, non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, kinetic theory, hydrodynamics and mechanics of continuous media, (bio)chemical kinetics, nonlinear dynamics, nonlinear control, nonlinear estimation, and particulate systems from various branches of engineering. The generic nature and the power of the pertinent conceptual, analytical and computational frameworks helps eliminate some of the traditional language barriers, which often unnecessarily impede scientific progress and the interaction of researchers between disciplines such as physics, chemistry, biology, applied mathematics and engineering. All contributions are authored by experts, whose specialities span a wide range of fields within science and engineering.
Doing integrated history and philosophy of science : A case study of the origin of genetics
offers an integrated historical and philosophical examination of the origin of genetics. The author contends that an integrated HPS analysis helps us to have a better understanding of the history of genetics, and sheds light on some general issues in the philosophy of science. consists of three parts. It begins with historical problems, revisiting the significance of the work of Mendel, de Vries, and Weldon. Then it turns to integrated HPS problems, developing an exemplar-based analysis of the development and the progress in early genetics. Finally, it discusses philosophical problems: conceptual change, evidence, and theory choice.
Making Ammonia : Fritz Haber, Walther Nernst, and the Nature of Scientific Discovery
This book discusses the progress of science and the transfer of scientific knowledge to technological application. It also identifies the factors necessary to achieve this progress. Based on a case study of the physical chemist Fritz Haber's discovery of ammonia synthesis between 1903 and 1909, the book places Haber's work in historical and scientific (physicochemical) context. The scientific developments of the preceding century are framed in a way that emphasizes the confluence of knowledge needed for Haber's success. Against this background, Haber's work is presented in detail along with the indispensable contributions of his colleague, the physical chemist, Walter Nernst, and their assistants. The detailed accounts of scientific advancement remind us of the physical basis on which our scientific theories and ideas are built. Without this reminder we often forget how complex, and how beautiful achievements in science can be.
Anatomical Imaging : Towards a New Morphology
This book presents selected works of contemporary evolutionary morphologists and includes such topics as broad scale reconstructions of the brain and ear of dinosaurs, inference of locomotor habits from cancellous bone architecture in fossil primates, and a comparison of the independently evolved manipulating apparatuses in the lesser and giant pandas. Insight is provided into the application of modern noninvasive technologies, including digital imaging techniques and virtual 3D reconstruction, to the investigation of complex anatomical features and coherences. In combination with traditional methods, this allows for the formulation of improved hypotheses on coordinated function and evolution. The creation of virtual translucent specimens makes it possible to realize the age-old dream of the classical anatomists: looking through the skin into the inner organization of an organism. On full display here is the dramatic and promising impact that modern imaging techniques have on scientific progress in evolutionary morphology.
Analysis and Numerics for Conservation Laws
The physical and chemical mechanisms as well as the sizes of these processes are quite different. So are the motivations for studying them scientifically.The super- 8 nova is a thermo-nuclear explosion on a scale of 10 cm. Astrophysicists try to understand them in order to get insight into fundamental properties of the universe. In hows around airfoils of commercial airliners at the scale of 3 10 cm shock waves occur that influence the stability of the wings as well as fuel consumption in ight. This requires appropriate design of the shape and structure of airfoils by engineers. Knocking occurs in combustion, a chemical 1 process, and must be avoided since it damages motors. The scale is 10 cm and these processes must be optimized for efficiency and environmental conside- tions. The common thread is that the underlying ?uid ?ows may at a certain scale of observation be described by basically the same type of hyperbolic s- tems of partial differential equations in divergence form, called conservation laws. Astrophysicists, engineers and mathematicians share a common interest in scientific progress on theory for these equations and the development of computational methods for solutions of the equations. Due to their wide applicability in modeling of continua. A substantial portion of mathematical research is related to the analysis and numerical approximation of solutions to such equations. Hyperbolic conservation laws in two or more space dimensions still poseone of the main challenges to modern mathematics.
