Niklas Janz is a professor in evolutionary insect ecology at Stockholm University, Sweden. His research has mainly focussed on the evolutionary association between insects and plants. He has taught extensively on ecology, evolutionary biology, and the philosophy of science. He has also published two novels for young adults. Sören Nylin is a professor of animal ecology at Stockholm University, Sweden, where he also teaches theoretical and practical aspects of science. He has published a large number of scientific articles, primarily on insect evolutionary ecology, and is an elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

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• Preface; 1. What's so special about science?; 1.1 'I Could be wrong'; 1.2 Is there anything out there?; 1.3 Making the subjective objective; 1.4 Facts and theory; 1.5 'Follow the science'; 1.6 Understanding science; 2. Observation-driven science; 2.1 Mary's butterflies; 2.2 Early empiricism: Francis Bacon; 2.3 Later empiricism: the positivists; 2.4 The limitations of empiricism; 2.5 The place of empiricism in science; 3. Hypothesis-driven science: Falsificationism; 3.1 Mary's butterflies; 3.2 Karl Popper and falsificationism; 3.3 Mechanisms and change; 3.4 Ad hoc hypotheses; 4. Hypothesis-driven science: limitations and alternatives; 4.1 The limitations of hypothesis-testing; 4.2 The place of hypothesis-testing in science; 5. Paradigm-driven science; 5.1 Mary's butterflies; 5.2 The philosophy of paradigms: Thomas Kuhn; 5.3 The limitations of paradigms; 5.4 The place of paradigms in science; 6. Science as a social activity; 6.1 Mary's butterflies; 6.2 Public knowledge; 6.3 A social definition of science; 7. Synthesis; 7.1 What do you mean by 'science'?; 7.2 Search for consensus as a line of demarcation; 7.3 Being scientific; 7.4 The web of trust; 8. Science in practice: publishing; 8.1 The publication process; 8.2 Citations and impact factors: bibliometrics; 9. Science in practice: data; 9. 1 Scientific data in the light of philosophy; 9.2 Dealing with variation; 9.3 Reviews and meta-analyses; 9.4 Combining evidence: an example; 10. Science in practice: academia; 10.1 Academia and the competent researcher; 10.2 Academic freedom; 10.3 Funding; 10.4 Ethics in science; 10.5 Science outside of the academy; 11. Epilogue; Index; References.

Niklas Janz is a professor in evolutionary insect ecology at Stockholm University, Sweden. His research has mainly focussed on the evolutionary association between insects and plants. He has taught extensively on ecology, evolutionary biology, and the philosophy of science. He has also published two novels for young adults. Sören Nylin is a professor of animal ecology at Stockholm University, Sweden, where he also teaches theoretical and practical aspects of science. He has published a large number of scientific articles, primarily on insect evolutionary ecology, and is an elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Select Guide Rating

• Preface; 1. What's so special about science?; 1.1 'I Could be wrong'; 1.2 Is there anything out there?; 1.3 Making the subjective objective; 1.4 Facts and theory; 1.5 'Follow the science'; 1.6 Understanding science; 2. Observation-driven science; 2.1 Mary's butterflies; 2.2 Early empiricism: Francis Bacon; 2.3 Later empiricism: the positivists; 2.4 The limitations of empiricism; 2.5 The place of empiricism in science; 3. Hypothesis-driven science: Falsificationism; 3.1 Mary's butterflies; 3.2 Karl Popper and falsificationism; 3.3 Mechanisms and change; 3.4 Ad hoc hypotheses; 4. Hypothesis-driven science: limitations and alternatives; 4.1 The limitations of hypothesis-testing; 4.2 The place of hypothesis-testing in science; 5. Paradigm-driven science; 5.1 Mary's butterflies; 5.2 The philosophy of paradigms: Thomas Kuhn; 5.3 The limitations of paradigms; 5.4 The place of paradigms in science; 6. Science as a social activity; 6.1 Mary's butterflies; 6.2 Public knowledge; 6.3 A social definition of science; 7. Synthesis; 7.1 What do you mean by 'science'?; 7.2 Search for consensus as a line of demarcation; 7.3 Being scientific; 7.4 The web of trust; 8. Science in practice: publishing; 8.1 The publication process; 8.2 Citations and impact factors: bibliometrics; 9. Science in practice: data; 9. 1 Scientific data in the light of philosophy; 9.2 Dealing with variation; 9.3 Reviews and meta-analyses; 9.4 Combining evidence: an example; 10. Science in practice: academia; 10.1 Academia and the competent researcher; 10.2 Academic freedom; 10.3 Funding; 10.4 Ethics in science; 10.5 Science outside of the academy; 11. Epilogue; Index; References.

Niklas Janz is a professor in evolutionary insect ecology at Stockholm University, Sweden. His research has mainly focussed on the evolutionary association between insects and plants. He has taught extensively on ecology, evolutionary biology, and the philosophy of science. He has also published two novels for young adults. Sören Nylin is a professor of animal ecology at Stockholm University, Sweden, where he also teaches theoretical and practical aspects of science. He has published a large number of scientific articles, primarily on insect evolutionary ecology, and is an elected member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Select Guide Rating

• Preface; 1. What's so special about science?; 1.1 'I Could be wrong'; 1.2 Is there anything out there?; 1.3 Making the subjective objective; 1.4 Facts and theory; 1.5 'Follow the science'; 1.6 Understanding science; 2. Observation-driven science; 2.1 Mary's butterflies; 2.2 Early empiricism: Francis Bacon; 2.3 Later empiricism: the positivists; 2.4 The limitations of empiricism; 2.5 The place of empiricism in science; 3. Hypothesis-driven science: Falsificationism; 3.1 Mary's butterflies; 3.2 Karl Popper and falsificationism; 3.3 Mechanisms and change; 3.4 Ad hoc hypotheses; 4. Hypothesis-driven science: limitations and alternatives; 4.1 The limitations of hypothesis-testing; 4.2 The place of hypothesis-testing in science; 5. Paradigm-driven science; 5.1 Mary's butterflies; 5.2 The philosophy of paradigms: Thomas Kuhn; 5.3 The limitations of paradigms; 5.4 The place of paradigms in science; 6. Science as a social activity; 6.1 Mary's butterflies; 6.2 Public knowledge; 6.3 A social definition of science; 7. Synthesis; 7.1 What do you mean by 'science'?; 7.2 Search for consensus as a line of demarcation; 7.3 Being scientific; 7.4 The web of trust; 8. Science in practice: publishing; 8.1 The publication process; 8.2 Citations and impact factors: bibliometrics; 9. Science in practice: data; 9. 1 Scientific data in the light of philosophy; 9.2 Dealing with variation; 9.3 Reviews and meta-analyses; 9.4 Combining evidence: an example; 10. Science in practice: academia; 10.1 Academia and the competent researcher; 10.2 Academic freedom; 10.3 Funding; 10.4 Ethics in science; 10.5 Science outside of the academy; 11. Epilogue; Index; References.