Discovery and Explanation in Biology and Medicine

摘要: Kenneth F. Schaffner compares the practice of biological and medical research shows how traditional topics in philosophy science-- such as nature theories explanation--can illuminate life sciences. While pays some attention to conceptual questions evolutionary biology, his chief focus is on examples that immunology, human genetics, neuroscience, internal medicine provide for examinations way scientists develop, examine, test, apply theories. Although science has regarded scientific discovery--the creativity science--as a subject psychological rather than philosophical study, argues recent work cognitive artificial intelligence enables researchers rationally analyze discovery. As philosopher who holds an M.D., he examined biomedical from inside uses detailed entire range sciences support semantic approach theories, addressing whether there are "laws" physical Schaffner's novel use tools deal with all its complexity provides distinctive angle basic evaluation explanation. University Professor Medical Humanities at George Washington University, History Philosophy Science Research Medicine Pittsburgh. He received Ph.D. Columbia M.D. His previous booksinclude "Nineteenth-century Aether Theories" "Logic Discovery Diagnosis Medicine."