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eBook - ePub
About this book
Some people claim that evolution is "just a theory". Do you know what a scientific theory really is? Just a theory is an overview of the modern concepts of science. A clear understanding of the nature of science will enable you to distinguish science from pseudoscience (which illegitimately wraps itself in the mantle of science), and real social issues in science from the caricatures portrayed in postmodernist critiques.Prof. Ben-Ari''s style is light (even humorous) and easy to read, bringing the latest concepts of science to the general reader. Of particular interest is his analysis of the terminology of science (fact, law, proof, theory) in relation to the colloquial meaning of these terms.Between chapters are biographical vignettes of scientists - both familiar and unfamiliar - showing their common commitment to the enterprise of science, together with a diversity of backgrounds and personalities.This accessible, informative, and comprehensive work will give lay readers a good grasp of real science.
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Table of contents
- Preface
- 1. Naive Induction: What People Think Scientists Do
- 2. Just a Theory: What Scientists Do
- 3. Words Scientists Don’t Use: At Least Not the Way You Do
- 4. Falsificationism: If It Might Be Wrong, It’s Science
- 5. Pseudoscience: What Some People Do Isn’t Science
- 6. The Sociology of Science: Scientists Do It as a Group
- 7. Postmodernist Critiques of Science: Is Science Universal?
- 8. Science and Religion: Scientists Just Do Science
- 9. Reductionism: The Whole Is the Sum of Its Parts
- 10. Statistics: As Reliable as a Casino’s Profit
- 11. Logic and Mathematics: Scientists Like It Clear and Precise
- 12. Geology: Modern Science on the Rocks
- 13. The Future of Science: Surprises or Revolutions
- Notes
- Recommended Reading
- Bibliography
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Yes, you can access Just A Theory by Moti Ben-Ari in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Technology & Engineering & Science & Technology Biographies. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.