Exploring Humans Revised Edition

Science is the most powerful generator of knowledge. No one seems to doubt that scientists steadily reveal the secrets of the world and human behaviour. But what exactly is the scientific method? Does science really offer insight into the nature of the world and the interactions of humans? This revised edition of Exploring Humans examines how philosophers struggled with these questions. This book highlights their influence on thinking about social sciences like economics, psychology and sociology. By presenting cases and reassessing the traditions of pragmatism and naturalism, it explores and defends the idea that science indeed offers the best view on humans and the world. ‘This impressive book prepares students to appreciate and critique the contemporary social sciences through illuminating exposition and analysis of the major contributors to our modern understanding of science.’ William Bechtel University of California, San Diego ‘This is the best synthetic introduction to the philosophy of science now available in the English language.’ Ronald Giere, Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities ‘Exploring Humans is amazingly exhaustive for a textbook, and goes quite far beyond the philosophy of the social sciences.’ Bas van Fraassen, San Francisco State University and professor emeritus at Princeton University