Joseph C. Pitt – författare
Visar alla böcker från författaren Joseph C. Pitt. Handla med fri frakt och snabb leverans.
22 produkter
22 produkter
1 820 kr
Skickas inom 3-6 vardagar
Since the publication of Carl Hempel and Paul Oppenheim's pioneering work Studies in the Logic of Explanation, the theory of explanation has remained a major topic in the philosophy of science. This volume makes available some of the classic essays on the theory of explanation along with the best examples of the most recent work on the subject. In addition to the original Hempel and Oppenheim paper, the book includes Scriven's critical reaction to it, Wilfrid Sellars's discussion of the problem of theoretical explanation, and pieces by Salmon, Railton, van Fraasen, Friedman, Kitcher, and Achinstein which extend the scope of the discussion.
3 357 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Focused on mapping out contemporary and future domains in philosophy of technology, this volume serves as an excellent, forward-looking resource in the field and in cognate areas of study. The 32 chapters, all of them appearing in print here for the first time, were written by both established scholars and fresh voices. They cover topics ranging from data discrimination and engineering design, to art and technology, space junk, and beyond. Spaces for the Future: A Companion to Philosophy of Technology is structured in six parts: (1) Ethical Space and Experience; (2) Political Space and Agency; (3) Virtual Space and Property; (4) Personal Space and Design; (5) Inner Space and Environment; and (6) Outer Space and Imagination. The organization maps out current and emerging spaces of activity in the field and anticipates the big issues that we soon will face.
1 069 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
In this collection we finally find the philosophy of technology, a young and rapidly developing area of scholarly interest, making contact with history of science and technology, and mainstream epistemological and metaphysical issues. The sophistication of these papers indicates the maturity of the field as it moves away from the advocacy of anti-technology ideological posturing toward a deeper understanding of the options and restraints technological developments provide. The papers presented here take us over a threshold into the real world of complicated social and technological interactions where science and art are shown to be integral to our understanding of technological change, and technological innovations are seen as configuring our knowledge of the world and opening up new possibilities for human development. With its rich historical base, this volume will be of interest to all students concerned about the interactions among technology, society, and philosophy.
Production and Diffusion of Public Choice Political Economy
Reflections on the VPI Center
Inbunden, Engelska, 2004
1 319 kr
Skickas
This book is about is more than a subdiscipline within the field of economics---it is about a new field named "public choice political economy" that gradually evolved during the 1970s and 1980s at Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia. What is the field Public Choice Political Economy all about? How did it originate? Who were the main architects and builders? What values and work habits motivated the work? Finally, how did the facts about the development of public choice political economy stack up against what we know about science in general and how it has developed?The authors of the essays included in this volume, originally came together in May of 2000 in Blacksburg to celebrate their scientific achievements and take pride in the regimen of research and the processes that brewed at the legendary Public Choice center in Virginia. This location provided what turned out to be a fortuitous combination of obscurity and rustic quiet for original thoughts and concentrated debates. Inspired by the pioneer attitudes of the Virginians and the dedication and work ethic of James Buchanan and Gordon Tullock, a core group of renegade social scientists broke new ground and started a revolution in thought.The big questions about economizing behavior, constitutional limitations on an overreaching bureaucracy and the possible design and redesign of institutions to harness self-interested behavior for the benefit of all are touched on and placed in historical context. The resulting public choice movement occurred first in economics and later extended to political science and beyond. This may have been one of the most important developments in twentieth century social science.The book concludes with Nobel laureate, James Buchanan's thoughts about what had transpired largely but not exclusively under his guidance. Other contributors include, Richard B. McKenzie, Geoffrey Brennan, Stephen Medema and Robert Sugden. Professors Pitt, Salehi-Isfahani and Eckel provide a useful introduction to this collection.These essays and comments were originally published in The American Journal of Economics and Sociology in January of 2004 as an "invited volume." The book should be of great interest to historians of economics and the social sciences.
Production and Diffusion of Public Choice Political Economy
Reflections on the VPI Center
Häftad, Engelska, 2004
703 kr
Skickas inom 5-8 vardagar
This book is about is more than a subdiscipline within the field of economics---it is about a new field named "public choice political economy" that gradually evolved during the 1970s and 1980s at Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg, Virginia. What is the field Public Choice Political Economy all about? How did it originate? Who were the main architects and builders? What values and work habits motivated the work? Finally, how did the facts about the development of public choice political economy stack up against what we know about science in general and how it has developed?The authors of the essays included in this volume, originally came together in May of 2000 in Blacksburg to celebrate their scientific achievements and take pride in the regimen of research and the processes that brewed at the legendary Public Choice center in Virginia. This location provided what turned out to be a fortuitous combination of obscurity and rustic quiet for original thoughts and concentrated debates. Inspired by the pioneer attitudes of the Virginians and the dedication and work ethic of James Buchanan and Gordon Tullock, a core group of renegade social scientists broke new ground and started a revolution in thought.The big questions about economizing behavior, constitutional limitations on an overreaching bureaucracy and the possible design and redesign of institutions to harness self-interested behavior for the benefit of all are touched on and placed in historical context. The resulting public choice movement occurred first in economics and later extended to political science and beyond. This may have been one of the most important developments in twentieth century social science.The book concludes with Nobel laureate, James Buchanan's thoughts about what had transpired largely but not exclusively under his guidance. Other contributors include, Richard B. McKenzie, Geoffrey Brennan, Stephen Medema and Robert Sugden. Professors Pitt, Salehi-Isfahani and Eckel provide a useful introduction to this collection.These essays and comments were originally published in The American Journal of Economics and Sociology in January of 2004 as an "invited volume." The book should be of great interest to historians of economics and the social sciences.
1 572 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Scientific change is often a function of technological innovation – new instruments show us new things we could not see before and we then need new theories to explain them. One of the results of this process is that what counts as scientific evidence changes, and how we do our science changes. Hitherto the technologies which make contemporary science possible have been ignored. This book aims to correct that omission and to spell out the consequences of taking the technologies behind the doing of science seriously.
New Perspectives on Galileo
Papers Deriving from and Related to a Workshop on Galileo held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1975
Inbunden, Engelska, 1978
1 600 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The essays in this volume (except for the contribution of Dr. Le Grand) are extremely revised versions of papers originally delivered at a workshop on Galileo held in Blacksburg, Virginia in October, 1975. The meeting was organized by Professor Joseph Pitt and sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and Religion, The College of Arts and Sciences, and the Division of Research of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The papers that follow deal with problems OIf Galileo's philosophy of science, specific and general problems connected with his methodology, and with historical and conceptual questions concerning the relationship of his work to that of contemporaries and both earlier and later scientists. New perspectives take many forms. In this book the 'newness' has, for the most part, two forms. First, in the papers by Wisan, Shea, Le Grand and Wallace (the concerns will also appear in some of the other contributions), greatly enriched historical discoveries of how Galileo's science and its method ology developed are provided. It should be stressed that these papers are attempts to recapture a deep sense of the kind of science Galileo was creating. Other papers in the volume, for example, those by McMullin, Machamer, Butts and Pitt, underscore the importance of this historical venture by discussing various aspects of the philosophical background of Galileo's thought. The historical and philosophical evaluations and analyses compliment one another.
New Perspectives on Galileo
Papers Deriving from and Related to a Workshop on Galileo held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1975
Häftad, Engelska, 1978
1 600 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The essays in this volume (except for the contribution of Dr. Le Grand) are extremely revised versions of papers originally delivered at a workshop on Galileo held in Blacksburg, Virginia in October, 1975. The meeting was organized by Professor Joseph Pitt and sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and Religion, The College of Arts and Sciences, and the Division of Research of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The papers that follow deal with problems OIf Galileo's philosophy of science, specific and general problems connected with his methodology, and with historical and conceptual questions concerning the relationship of his work to that of contemporaries and both earlier and later scientists. New perspectives take many forms. In this book the 'newness' has, for the most part, two forms. First, in the papers by Wisan, Shea, Le Grand and Wallace (the concerns will also appear in some of the other contributions), greatly enriched historical discoveries of how Galileo's science and its method ology developed are provided. It should be stressed that these papers are attempts to recapture a deep sense of the kind of science Galileo was creating. Other papers in the volume, for example, those by McMullin, Machamer, Butts and Pitt, underscore the importance of this historical venture by discussing various aspects of the philosophical background of Galileo's thought. The historical and philosophical evaluations and analyses compliment one another.
Del 12 - Philosophical Studies Series
Philosophy of Wilfrid Sellars: Queries and Extensions
Papers Deriving from and Related to a Workshop on the Philosophy of Wilfrid Sellars held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 1976
Inbunden, Engelska, 1978
1 600 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
In early November 1976 a workshop on the Philosophy of Wilfrid Sellars was held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacks burg, Virginia. Sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and Religion, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Research Division of the University and organized by Professor Joseph C. Pitt, its aim was to provide a forum in which views of Professor Sellars could be discussed by a group of scholars fully acquainted with this work. Aside from the twelve invited participants, the workshop was attended by interested parties from as far away as Canada. The papers contained in the volume rep resent the results of the discussions held that weekend. With two excep tions the contents are extensively rewritten and revised versions of infor mal talks and presentations. (Rosenberg's paper is here in its original complete version. Rottschaefer was unable to attend. ) This collection is not then the proceedings but the final product derived from work initiated that weekend. The papers reftect both the spirit of the workshop and the work of Professor Sellars in that they represent the fruits of an intense and multi-faceted dialogue. Professor Sellar~' presence and whole hearted participation left us all with more than enough food for thought and a deepened appreciation of both the man and his philosophy. Special thanks are due Thomas Gilmer, Associate Dean of Research for The College of Arts and Sciences and Randal M.
Philosophy in Economics
Papers Deriving from and Related to a Workshop on Testability and Explanation in Economics held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1979
Inbunden, Engelska, 1981
1 069 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The essays in this volume are the result of a workshop held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in April, 1979. The assembled group was diverse, comprised of philosophers, economists, and statisticians. But it was not the complete group on which we had initially planned. Richard Rudner was in France on sabbatical and was unable to fly back for the occa sion. His untimely death the following summer saddened us all, for we lost not just a colleague but a friend. This book is dedicated to him out of the spirit of friendship and in appreciation for the ground breaking work he did in the philosophy of the social sciences. In addition to the participants, a number of people worked very hard to make our gathering possible. We are especially indebted to Dean Henry Bauer, Dean Ernie Stout and Dean John Ballweg of the College of Arts and Sciences at Virginia Tech for their good will and support, both moral and substantive. We would also like to thank Professor Guy Hammond, Head, Department of Philosophy and Religion, for his council and assistance. Our special thanks to Jeanne Keister and Betty Davis for their patience with unending typing and reservations, and finally to Barbara Kersey, always at hand, ever helpful. Without them nothing would have transpired.
Pictures, Images, and Conceptual Change
An Analysis of Wilfrid Sellars’ Philosophy of Science
Inbunden, Engelska, 1981
1 069 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
In this essay I am concerned with the problem of conceptual change. There are, needless to say, many ways to approach the issue. But, as I see it, the problem reduces to showing how present and future systems of thought are the rational extensions of prior ones. This goal may not be attainable. Kuhn, for example, suggests that change is mainly a function of socio-economic pressures (taken broadly). But there are some who believe that a case can be made for the rationality of change, especially in science. Wilfrid Sellars is one of those. While Sellars has developed a full account of the issues involved in solving the problem of conceptual change, he is also a very difficult philosopher to discuss. The difficulty stems from the fact that he is a philosopher in the very best sense of the word. First, he performs the tasks of analyzing alternative views with both finesse and insight, dialectically laying bare the essentials of problems and the inadequacies of previous proposals. Secondly, he is a systematic philosopher. That is, he is concerned to elaborate a system of philosophical thought in the grand tradition stretching from Plato to White head. Now with all of this to his credit, it would appear that there is no difficulty at all, one should simply treat him like all the others, if he indeed follows in the footsteps of past builders of philosophic systems.
Pictures, Images, and Conceptual Change
An Analysis of Wilfrid Sellars’ Philosophy of Science
Häftad, Engelska, 1981
1 069 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
In this essay I am concerned with the problem of conceptual change. There are, needless to say, many ways to approach the issue. But, as I see it, the problem reduces to showing how present and future systems of thought are the rational extensions of prior ones. This goal may not be attainable. Kuhn, for example, suggests that change is mainly a function of socio-economic pressures (taken broadly). But there are some who believe that a case can be made for the rationality of change, especially in science. Wilfrid Sellars is one of those. While Sellars has developed a full account of the issues involved in solving the problem of conceptual change, he is also a very difficult philosopher to discuss. The difficulty stems from the fact that he is a philosopher in the very best sense of the word. First, he performs the tasks of analyzing alternative views with both finesse and insight, dialectically laying bare the essentials of problems and the inadequacies of previous proposals. Secondly, he is a systematic philosopher. That is, he is concerned to elaborate a system of philosophical thought in the grand tradition stretching from Plato to White head. Now with all of this to his credit, it would appear that there is no difficulty at all, one should simply treat him like all the others, if he indeed follows in the footsteps of past builders of philosophic systems.
Change and Progress in Modern Science
Papers related to and arising from the Fourth International Conference on History and Philosophy of Science, Blacksburg, Virginia, November 1982
Inbunden, Engelska, 1984
1 600 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The papers presented here derive from the 4th International Confe:--ence on History and Philosophy of Science held in Blacksburg, Virginia, U. S. A. , November 2-6, 1982. The Conference was sponsored by the I nternational Union of History and Philosophy of Science and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Particular thanks go to L. Jonathan Cohen, Secretary of the Union, as well as to Dean Henry Bauer of the College of Arts & Sciences, Wilfred Jewkes and the Center for Programs in the Humanities, Arthur Donovan and the Center for the Study of Science in Society and the Department of Philoso- phy and Religion at Virginia Tech. Not only did they come through with the necessat"y funds, but they were all always ready with a helping hand when things got confusing. Two additional groups of individuals require a special note of thanks. First, considerable appreciation is due the mem- bers of the Joint Commission of the I nternational Union of History and Philosophy of Science: Maurice Crosland, Risto Hilpinen and Vladimir Kirsanov. They were more than gen- erous in thei r advice and co-operation.The Local Organizing Committee (Kenneth Alpern, Roger Ariew, Arthur Donovan, Larry Laudan, Ann La Berge, Duncan Porter, Eleonore Stump and Dennis Welch) not only demon- strated efficiency and insured a pleasant stay for' all participants, but also went out of their way on numerous occasions to make everyone feel at home.
538 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The philosophical study of technology has acquired only recently a voice in academic conversation. This situation is due, in part, to the fact that technology obviously impacts on "the real world," whereas the favored stereotype of philosophy allegedly does not. Furthermore, in some circles it was assumed that philosophy ought not impinge on the world. This bias continues today in the form of a general dismissal of the growing area now referred to as "applied philosophy". By contrast, the academic scrutiny of science has for the most part been accepted as legitimate for some 30 years, primarily because it has been conducted in a somewhat ethereal manner. This is, in part, because it was believed that, science being pure, one could think (even philosophically) about science without jeopardizing one's intellectual purity. Since World War II, however, practitioners of the metascientific arts have come to ac knowledge that science also shows signs of having touched down on numerous occasions in what can only be identified as the real world. No longer able to keep this banal truth a secret, purists have sought to defuse its import by stressing the difference between pure and applied science; and, lest science be tainted by contact with the world through its applications, they have devoted additional energy to separating applied science somehow from technology.
1 069 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
In this collection we finally find the philosophy of technology, a young and rapidly developing area of scholarly interest, making contact with history of science and technology, and mainstream epistemological and metaphysical issues. The sophistication of these papers indicates the maturity of the field as it moves away from the advocacy of anti-technology ideological posturing toward a deeper understanding of the options and restraints technological developments provide. The papers presented here take us over a threshold into the real world of complicated social and technological interactions where science and art are shown to be integral to our understanding of technological change, and technological innovations are seen as configuring our knowledge of the world and opening up new possibilities for human development. With its rich historical base, this volume will be of interest to all students concerned about the interactions among technology, society, and philosophy.
1 069 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
As science becomes more deeply embedded in a complex technological infrastructure, has this changed the relationship between the sciences and the various technologies that support them? As our technologies help shrink our world, can we restrict our ethical concerns or must we find a way to face the fact that we are now one world? What do new forms of architecture say about whom we are? Is the design process the new epistemological paradigm? The answers to all of these is "yes" according to Joseph C. Pitt (VirginaTech). Doing Philosophy of Technology presents an updated and integrated overview of the most important thinking from this prominent philosopher of technology. Throughout his career Joseph C. Pitt has defended the view that to say anything meaningful about the value of a technology one must know something about that technology and how it functions in the world. This starting point leads naturally to a pragmatist philosophical stance, since it is the real world consequences of introducing a technology that must be the basis for any further normative judgements. In the book we find an extended set of arguments that challenge the idea that there are eternal philosophical issues that transcend the impacts that technologies make on human beings and their world. Rather, it is claimed that as our technologies transform our world they transform us and the kinds of questions we find important to answer.
1 069 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
As science becomes more deeply embedded in a complex technological infrastructure, has this changed the relationship between the sciences and the various technologies that support them? As our technologies help shrink our world, can we restrict our ethical concerns or must we find a way to face the fact that we are now one world? What do new forms of architecture say about whom we are? Is the design process the new epistemological paradigm? The answers to all of these is "yes" according to Joseph C. Pitt (VirginaTech). Doing Philosophy of Technology presents an updated and integrated overview of the most important thinking from this prominent philosopher of technology. Throughout his career Joseph C. Pitt has defended the view that to say anything meaningful about the value of a technology one must know something about that technology and how it functions in the world. This starting point leads naturally to a pragmatist philosophical stance, since it is the real world consequences of introducing a technology that must be the basis for any further normative judgements. In the book we find an extended set of arguments that challenge the idea that there are eternal philosophical issues that transcend the impacts that technologies make on human beings and their world. Rather, it is claimed that as our technologies transform our world they transform us and the kinds of questions we find important to answer.
Change and Progress in Modern Science
Papers related to and arising from the Fourth International Conference on History and Philosophy of Science, Blacksburg, Virginia, November 1982
Häftad, Engelska, 2011
1 648 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The papers presented here derive from the 4th International Confe:--ence on History and Philosophy of Science held in Blacksburg, Virginia, U. S. A. , November 2-6, 1982. The Conference was sponsored by the I nternational Union of History and Philosophy of Science and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). Particular thanks go to L. Jonathan Cohen, Secretary of the Union, as well as to Dean Henry Bauer of the College of Arts & Sciences, Wilfred Jewkes and the Center for Programs in the Humanities, Arthur Donovan and the Center for the Study of Science in Society and the Department of Philoso- phy and Religion at Virginia Tech. Not only did they come through with the necessat"y funds, but they were all always ready with a helping hand when things got confusing. Two additional groups of individuals require a special note of thanks. First, considerable appreciation is due the mem- bers of the Joint Commission of the I nternational Union of History and Philosophy of Science: Maurice Crosland, Risto Hilpinen and Vladimir Kirsanov. They were more than gen- erous in thei r advice and co-operation.The Local Organizing Committee (Kenneth Alpern, Roger Ariew, Arthur Donovan, Larry Laudan, Ann La Berge, Duncan Porter, Eleonore Stump and Dennis Welch) not only demon- strated efficiency and insured a pleasant stay for' all participants, but also went out of their way on numerous occasions to make everyone feel at home.
Philosophy in Economics
Papers Deriving from and Related to a Workshop on Testability and Explanation in Economics held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1979
Häftad, Engelska, 2011
1 069 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
The essays in this volume are the result of a workshop held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in April, 1979. The assembled group was diverse, comprised of philosophers, economists, and statisticians. But it was not the complete group on which we had initially planned. Richard Rudner was in France on sabbatical and was unable to fly back for the occa sion. His untimely death the following summer saddened us all, for we lost not just a colleague but a friend. This book is dedicated to him out of the spirit of friendship and in appreciation for the ground breaking work he did in the philosophy of the social sciences. In addition to the participants, a number of people worked very hard to make our gathering possible. We are especially indebted to Dean Henry Bauer, Dean Ernie Stout and Dean John Ballweg of the College of Arts and Sciences at Virginia Tech for their good will and support, both moral and substantive. We would also like to thank Professor Guy Hammond, Head, Department of Philosophy and Religion, for his council and assistance. Our special thanks to Jeanne Keister and Betty Davis for their patience with unending typing and reservations, and finally to Barbara Kersey, always at hand, ever helpful. Without them nothing would have transpired.
Del 12 - Philosophical Studies Series
Philosophy of Wilfrid Sellars: Queries and Extensions
Papers Deriving from and Related to a Workshop on the Philosophy of Wilfrid Sellars held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 1976
Häftad, Engelska, 2012
1 600 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
In early November 1976 a workshop on the Philosophy of Wilfrid Sellars was held at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacks burg, Virginia. Sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and Religion, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Research Division of the University and organized by Professor Joseph C. Pitt, its aim was to provide a forum in which views of Professor Sellars could be discussed by a group of scholars fully acquainted with this work. Aside from the twelve invited participants, the workshop was attended by interested parties from as far away as Canada. The papers contained in the volume rep resent the results of the discussions held that weekend. With two excep tions the contents are extensively rewritten and revised versions of infor mal talks and presentations. (Rosenberg's paper is here in its original complete version. Rottschaefer was unable to attend. ) This collection is not then the proceedings but the final product derived from work initiated that weekend. The papers reftect both the spirit of the workshop and the work of Professor Sellars in that they represent the fruits of an intense and multi-faceted dialogue. Professor Sellar~' presence and whole hearted participation left us all with more than enough food for thought and a deepened appreciation of both the man and his philosophy. Special thanks are due Thomas Gilmer, Associate Dean of Research for The College of Arts and Sciences and Randal M.
Del 50 - Western Ontario Series in Philosophy of Science
Galileo, Human Knowledge, and the Book of Nature
Method Replaces Metaphysics
Häftad, Engelska, 2014
538 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
Galileo is revered as one of the founders of modern science primarily because of such discoveries as the law of falling bodies and the moons of Jupiter. In addition to his scientific achievements, Professor Pitt argues that Galileo deserves increased attention for his contributions to the methodology of the new science and that his method retains its value even today. In a detailed analysis of Galileo's mature works, Pitt reconstructs crucial features of Galileo's epistemology. He shows how Galileo's methodological insights grow out of an appreciation of the limits of human knowledge and he brings fresh insight to our concept of Galileo's methodology and its implications for contemporary debates. Working from Galileo's insistence on the contrast between the number of things that can be known and the limited abilities of human knowers, Pitt shows how Galileo's common sense approach to rationality permits the development of a robust scientific method. At the same time, Pitt argues that we should correct our picture of Galileo, the culture hero. Instead of seeing him as a martyr to the cause of truth, Galileo is best understood as a man of his times who was responding to a variety of social pressures during a period of intellectual and political turmoil. This book will be of interest to philosophers and to historians and sociologists of science as well as to a general readership interested in the scientific revolution.
Del 98 - Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science
Rational Changes in Science
Essays on Scientific Reasoning
Häftad, Engelska, 2011
538 kr
Skickas inom 10-15 vardagar
THE PROBLEMS OF SCIENTIFIC RATIONALITY Fashion is a fickle mistress. Only yesterday scientific rationality enjoyed considerable attention, consideration, and even reverence among phi losophers; "but today's fashion leads us to despise it, and the matron, rejected and abandoned as Hecuba, complains; modo maxima rerum, tot generis natisque potens - nunc trahor exui, inops", to cite Kant for our purpose, who cited Ovid for his. Like every fashion, ours also has its paradoxical aspects, as John Watkins correctly reminds in an essay in this volume. Enthusiasm for science was high among philosophers when significant scientific results were mostly a promise, it declined when that promise became an undeniable reality. Nevertheless, as with the decline of any fashion, even the revolt against scientific rationality has some reasonable grounds. If the taste of the philosophical community has changed so much, it is not due to an incident or a whim. This volume is not about the history of and reasons for this change. Instead, it provides a view of the new emerging image of scientific rationality in both its philosophical and historical aspects. In particular, the aim of the contributions gathered here is to focus on the concept around which the discussions about rationality have mostly taken place: scientific change.