I need an amazing book on the philosophy of science that will get my juices flowing
May 3, 2012 12:39 PM Subscribe
I want to learn more about the philosophy of science, the validation of its methods, its relation to faith and our core existence, its weaknesses, its controversies, its fundamental warps and wefts into the fabric of our society.
Is that too much to ask?
I am an 8th grade science teacher, and I keep getting the question "Why do we need to learn this?" and I want to answer them more deeply and with greater immediacy than "It's something that you will use in the future", or "We have it to thank for today's technology".
I want something powerful to use that will resonate with them deeply, and really put them in awe of science. If it can help inspire me as well, that is a great added bonus.
I want a really nice readable and insightful discussion about the field of science in the form of a book, an article, or a college course. Does anyone have anything to give me?
I want to remind myself and clarify to myself what is so amazing about science that I decided to devote my life to teaching it.
Is that too much to ask?
I am an 8th grade science teacher, and I keep getting the question "Why do we need to learn this?" and I want to answer them more deeply and with greater immediacy than "It's something that you will use in the future", or "We have it to thank for today's technology".
I want something powerful to use that will resonate with them deeply, and really put them in awe of science. If it can help inspire me as well, that is a great added bonus.
I want a really nice readable and insightful discussion about the field of science in the form of a book, an article, or a college course. Does anyone have anything to give me?
I want to remind myself and clarify to myself what is so amazing about science that I decided to devote my life to teaching it.
Response by poster: I've never read that one, and I like Feynman and all, but he tends to meander, and I'm looking for something very focused and hitting all the points I mentioned at the top.
posted by Peregrin5 at 12:51 PM on May 3, 2012
posted by Peregrin5 at 12:51 PM on May 3, 2012
Best answer: Hum. The phrase "philosophy of science" is going to lead you to a lot of Bayesian probability theory and other theories of proof, which isn't so helpful for your purpose. I think you need something more along the lines of the history of science.
The Demon Haunted World is a classic.
The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat is another classic, and perhaps even better for what you want. Less about the interweaving of science and culture and more about the human stories that science has given us an insight to.
The Symphony of Science music videos might be a good way to engage with your students as well.
posted by kavasa at 12:53 PM on May 3, 2012 [4 favorites]
The Demon Haunted World is a classic.
The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat is another classic, and perhaps even better for what you want. Less about the interweaving of science and culture and more about the human stories that science has given us an insight to.
The Symphony of Science music videos might be a good way to engage with your students as well.
posted by kavasa at 12:53 PM on May 3, 2012 [4 favorites]
To be honest, I'm not sure a book about philosophy of science is what you want. As practiced by academic philosophers, it considers questions of epistemology, metaphysics, and ethics that your students probably won't be that interested in given that they're already sort of lukewarm on science itself. I'm a fan of it myself, but anybody who finds science to be dry is going to feel like they're being actively mummified if you give them a philosophy of science textbook to read.
You probably want something written for the general public by a scientist about science, because that's where they're going to try to make their case for science most convincingly. Carl Sagan's The Demon Haunted World is sort of a classic book as far as laying out the beauty of the scientific method for laypeople goes, and for good reason. I'd start there. Depending on the sort of scope you're interested in, Steven Hawking's A Brief History of Time might also be up your alley -- it doesn't really spend much time talking about the scientific method, but it certainly meets the bill as far as instilling an awe of what science can do in its readers.
posted by invitapriore at 12:59 PM on May 3, 2012
You probably want something written for the general public by a scientist about science, because that's where they're going to try to make their case for science most convincingly. Carl Sagan's The Demon Haunted World is sort of a classic book as far as laying out the beauty of the scientific method for laypeople goes, and for good reason. I'd start there. Depending on the sort of scope you're interested in, Steven Hawking's A Brief History of Time might also be up your alley -- it doesn't really spend much time talking about the scientific method, but it certainly meets the bill as far as instilling an awe of what science can do in its readers.
posted by invitapriore at 12:59 PM on May 3, 2012
Damn! Damn damn damn. Should have previewed. Well, anyway, the synchronicity there between me and kavasa makes a good case for Sagan's book.
posted by invitapriore at 1:00 PM on May 3, 2012
posted by invitapriore at 1:00 PM on May 3, 2012
I was going to recommend the Feynman book that the first comment recommends. I don't see how you can say it doesn't address all your points when you haven't read it.
For something more concrete and vivid, there's A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. (There's also an audiobook, an illustrated version, and an even shorter version.)
posted by John Cohen at 1:01 PM on May 3, 2012
For something more concrete and vivid, there's A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. (There's also an audiobook, an illustrated version, and an even shorter version.)
posted by John Cohen at 1:01 PM on May 3, 2012
Remember that philosophy actually is a science:
knowledge,... truth (reality),... and morality all require the application of the scientific method.
posted by herbplarfegan at 1:04 PM on May 3, 2012
knowledge,... truth (reality),... and morality all require the application of the scientific method.
posted by herbplarfegan at 1:04 PM on May 3, 2012
I've always thought that the answer to this question lied in something one of my teacher's told me -- the purpose of science is to teach you to think critically about everything. About your methods, about your biases, about your results. You need to learn how and what to question before you can begin to understand anything.
posted by bfranklin at 1:07 PM on May 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by bfranklin at 1:07 PM on May 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
I've only heard the first 10 or so of these, so I'm not sure, but there may be something for you in the CBC's How to Think About Sience radio series. I am looking in particular at episode 20.
It was a long time ago when I listened to them, but the interviews are all very clear, interesting, and accessible. I'm a very non-science person myself, and these grabbed my attention.
posted by snorkmaiden at 1:07 PM on May 3, 2012
It was a long time ago when I listened to them, but the interviews are all very clear, interesting, and accessible. I'm a very non-science person myself, and these grabbed my attention.
posted by snorkmaiden at 1:07 PM on May 3, 2012
Shit, I was just thinking about this. Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert Pirsig.
He does as good a job as anyone putting science in perspective. Although too complex for 8th graders, It would give you a basis for a non trivial explanation.
posted by JohnR at 1:07 PM on May 3, 2012
He does as good a job as anyone putting science in perspective. Although too complex for 8th graders, It would give you a basis for a non trivial explanation.
posted by JohnR at 1:07 PM on May 3, 2012
Also, for what it's worth, Richard Feynman's opinions on philosophy of science are grounds for one of the few cases where one can in good conscience say, "man, Richard Feynman was a total dick about that." If you ever are looking for a good book specifically on that topic, it won't be by him.
posted by invitapriore at 1:09 PM on May 3, 2012
posted by invitapriore at 1:09 PM on May 3, 2012
Doesn't really answer your stated question, but have you watched the MIT physics lectures from Walter Lewin? They're on iTunes U, and he has tons of great physical demonstrations that he does in class.
Also, seconding Demon Haunted World.
posted by empath at 1:10 PM on May 3, 2012
Also, seconding Demon Haunted World.
posted by empath at 1:10 PM on May 3, 2012
Your above-the-fold description makes it sound like you're looking for a sociological look at science, which happens to be a hobby of mine. College courses on this topic would usually be called something like "Science, Technology, and Society." There's a bunch of interesting-looking courses at MIT Open Course. "American Science: Ethical Conflicts and Political Choices" sounds particularly interesting IMO.
posted by muddgirl at 1:12 PM on May 3, 2012
posted by muddgirl at 1:12 PM on May 3, 2012
Unweaving the Rainbow by Richard Dawkins (in "science is awesome!" mode more than "religion is for losers!" mode) might be a good one for awaking the wonder (Demon-Haunted World is also really good but people beat me to it!). For how science (and skepticism) fit in with belief systems, Why People Believe Weird Things by Michael Shermer is great.
I've only read a couple of books that could properly be described as philosophy of science, both by Daniel Dennett - his books are dense but thought-provoking.
Is there room in the curriculum for you to let the kids gather and analyze data about something that's important to them? I think applying the scientific method to real life problems can be one of the best ways to get science to sink in.
My answer to "why do we have to learn this" has generally been some variation of "because it's incredibly interesting in its own right," but I know that doesn't always fly with 8th graders. Also I feel the need to link to this xkcd. I mean, it's math not science but still.
posted by mskyle at 1:14 PM on May 3, 2012
I've only read a couple of books that could properly be described as philosophy of science, both by Daniel Dennett - his books are dense but thought-provoking.
Is there room in the curriculum for you to let the kids gather and analyze data about something that's important to them? I think applying the scientific method to real life problems can be one of the best ways to get science to sink in.
My answer to "why do we have to learn this" has generally been some variation of "because it's incredibly interesting in its own right," but I know that doesn't always fly with 8th graders. Also I feel the need to link to this xkcd. I mean, it's math not science but still.
posted by mskyle at 1:14 PM on May 3, 2012
Response by poster: @John Cohen - I'm sorry, I don't know that it doesn't. I was making a poor assumption based on my exposure to his other works. I will definitely give it a try.
posted by Peregrin5 at 1:16 PM on May 3, 2012
posted by Peregrin5 at 1:16 PM on May 3, 2012
The Demon Haunted World, as others have said, is where to start. Also maybe check out Science and Religion: A Historical Introduction by Gary Ferngren.
Also, go to thebrowser.com and just, um, browse through the Five Books series under both the religion and science sections.
This interview with Lawrence Krauss is particularly good.
(If you aren't familiar with the Five Books series, it is interviews with authors who suggest Five Books to read in a particular field. The Browser has started charging for a few services, but you can still access the Five Books series for free).
posted by holdkris99 at 1:24 PM on May 3, 2012
Also, go to thebrowser.com and just, um, browse through the Five Books series under both the religion and science sections.
This interview with Lawrence Krauss is particularly good.
(If you aren't familiar with the Five Books series, it is interviews with authors who suggest Five Books to read in a particular field. The Browser has started charging for a few services, but you can still access the Five Books series for free).
posted by holdkris99 at 1:24 PM on May 3, 2012
Also, like msklye said, xkcd is a good course to kind of check every couple of weeks. I can imagine 8th graders being particularly receptive to Randall's work. Like The Tesla Coil.
posted by holdkris99 at 1:29 PM on May 3, 2012
posted by holdkris99 at 1:29 PM on May 3, 2012
I'm not sure when its airing, but I have to assume The upcoming sequel to Sagan's famous show Cosmos (hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson) will have an episode that talks about this stuff.
posted by Wretch729 at 1:31 PM on May 3, 2012
posted by Wretch729 at 1:31 PM on May 3, 2012
I think science is an end in itself, like music, and I experience very similar ecstatic states from either one.
The uses of science enhance and deepen its beauty, but are not the core of the matter for me.
Uncle Tungsten, by Oliver Sacks, captures the essence of this better-- and I think would allow relatively scientifically unsophisticated young readers to vicariously feel it better than anything else I've read.
posted by jamjam at 1:32 PM on May 3, 2012
The uses of science enhance and deepen its beauty, but are not the core of the matter for me.
Uncle Tungsten, by Oliver Sacks, captures the essence of this better-- and I think would allow relatively scientifically unsophisticated young readers to vicariously feel it better than anything else I've read.
posted by jamjam at 1:32 PM on May 3, 2012
You want The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn. Revolutionary in itself.
I might also suggest Primate Visions for an excellent discussion of the ways cultural or cognitive biases can shape science.
posted by nakedmolerats at 1:48 PM on May 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
I might also suggest Primate Visions for an excellent discussion of the ways cultural or cognitive biases can shape science.
posted by nakedmolerats at 1:48 PM on May 3, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: > "It's something that you will use in the future", or "We have it to thank for today's technology".
As much as I like the books recommeneded, they're still books that require a dozen or so hours to finish. Unmotivated kids might not care or even bother to crack them open if assigned as reading assignments.
Instead, you can start laying out scenarios on how a problem is solved via different methods in history. Say, first a faith method from a religious or authoritarian POV, then a pseudo science approach (especially one valid at the time), then a proto-science approach, and finally a scientific approach.
I imagine things like the position of the planets or evolution would fit pretty well. Or medical advances. Start with, faith healing and prayer. Then snake oils and other patent medicines Then some early treatments that didn't pan out too well, and finally something found via evidence based, double-blind human trials that's in use today. The position of planets or evolution might be a better narrative but more historically complex and potentially politically difficult.
19th and early 20th century patent medicines can probably still be bought and handed out in class as a psuedoscientific artifact that was accepted in its time. It might be fun for students to hold it in their hands and realize that, yes, once we treated mumps and polio with this garbage and a lot of kids their age died because of it. Might want to also hand out some modern magnetic bracelets and its claims at the same time to contemporize the lesson.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:34 PM on May 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
As much as I like the books recommeneded, they're still books that require a dozen or so hours to finish. Unmotivated kids might not care or even bother to crack them open if assigned as reading assignments.
Instead, you can start laying out scenarios on how a problem is solved via different methods in history. Say, first a faith method from a religious or authoritarian POV, then a pseudo science approach (especially one valid at the time), then a proto-science approach, and finally a scientific approach.
I imagine things like the position of the planets or evolution would fit pretty well. Or medical advances. Start with, faith healing and prayer. Then snake oils and other patent medicines Then some early treatments that didn't pan out too well, and finally something found via evidence based, double-blind human trials that's in use today. The position of planets or evolution might be a better narrative but more historically complex and potentially politically difficult.
19th and early 20th century patent medicines can probably still be bought and handed out in class as a psuedoscientific artifact that was accepted in its time. It might be fun for students to hold it in their hands and realize that, yes, once we treated mumps and polio with this garbage and a lot of kids their age died because of it. Might want to also hand out some modern magnetic bracelets and its claims at the same time to contemporize the lesson.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:34 PM on May 3, 2012 [3 favorites]
If you're still in need of inspiration, Shappin's The Scientific Revolution is a decent read:
http://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Revolution-science-culture-Steven-Shapin/dp/0226750213/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336080909&sr=1-2
If you really want to go crazy you can read Stephenson's Baroque Cycle, or at least the books that focus on the foundation of the Royal Society and Newton. Its fiction, but it really gets ye olde historical juices flowing.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:38 PM on May 3, 2012
http://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Revolution-science-culture-Steven-Shapin/dp/0226750213/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1336080909&sr=1-2
If you really want to go crazy you can read Stephenson's Baroque Cycle, or at least the books that focus on the foundation of the Royal Society and Newton. Its fiction, but it really gets ye olde historical juices flowing.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:38 PM on May 3, 2012
Oh, and finally, it might be fun to tie your lesson to common logical fallacies as well. As someone wrote upthread, science can teach us to think critically of things in general. Its not about inventing processors or new pills, its a philosophy in of itself. Although, I think Shappin partly attacks this in his book, regardless, lots of interesting ideas and history to choose from.
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:40 PM on May 3, 2012
posted by damn dirty ape at 2:40 PM on May 3, 2012
It actually sounds like what you want is not philosophy of science, but sociology of science.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 3:12 PM on May 3, 2012
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 3:12 PM on May 3, 2012
Best answer: I don't think you are likely to find all of what you're looking for in one place. Better to pick things a la carte.
I like Feynman for a few of the things you ask about, especially about the very last thing you say: what makes science so amazing? I especially like The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, especially the essays: "The Value of Science," "What is Science?" "Cargo Cult Science," and "The Relation of Science and Religion."
You can watch some of the book in video-interview form here.
I also agree with kavasa that historical accounts are often really helpful. Maybe consider Inventing Temperature, The Double Helix, or The Book Nobody Read.
In an historical vein, you might just read some really well-written pieces of historical scientific work, like Galileo's Dialogues on the Two Chief World Systems or Darwin's On the Origin of Species. Or the public lecture on the chemistry of candles by Michael Faraday.
And I have to mention Peirce's Illustrations of the Logic of Science, which was a book serialized in Popular Science in the late 1870s. Although the essays are old, they cover a lot of the questions you raise. The essays can be found on Google Books (the starting pages are in parentheses):
Fixation of Belief (page 1)
How to Make Our Ideas Clear (page 286)
The Doctrine of Chances (page 604)
The Probability of Induction (page 705)
The Order of Nature (page 203)
Deduction, Induction, and Hypothesis (page 470)
I would be happy to talk with you more; if you think it would be helpful, memail me.
posted by Jonathan Livengood at 3:16 PM on May 3, 2012 [4 favorites]
I like Feynman for a few of the things you ask about, especially about the very last thing you say: what makes science so amazing? I especially like The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, especially the essays: "The Value of Science," "What is Science?" "Cargo Cult Science," and "The Relation of Science and Religion."
You can watch some of the book in video-interview form here.
I also agree with kavasa that historical accounts are often really helpful. Maybe consider Inventing Temperature, The Double Helix, or The Book Nobody Read.
In an historical vein, you might just read some really well-written pieces of historical scientific work, like Galileo's Dialogues on the Two Chief World Systems or Darwin's On the Origin of Species. Or the public lecture on the chemistry of candles by Michael Faraday.
And I have to mention Peirce's Illustrations of the Logic of Science, which was a book serialized in Popular Science in the late 1870s. Although the essays are old, they cover a lot of the questions you raise. The essays can be found on Google Books (the starting pages are in parentheses):
Fixation of Belief (page 1)
How to Make Our Ideas Clear (page 286)
The Doctrine of Chances (page 604)
The Probability of Induction (page 705)
The Order of Nature (page 203)
Deduction, Induction, and Hypothesis (page 470)
I would be happy to talk with you more; if you think it would be helpful, memail me.
posted by Jonathan Livengood at 3:16 PM on May 3, 2012 [4 favorites]
I came into this thread to suggest a different Steven Shapin book, Never Pure which is a book that follows the warps of science though our history. It also features my favorite subtitle to a book ever:
Never Pure: Historical Studies of Science as if It Was Produced by People with Bodies, Situated in Time, Space, Culture, and Society, and Struggling for Credibility and Authority
But in looking at your question a bit more, I think I'd suggest that you watch or rewatch James Burke's "Connections" series, (or at least the first episode) which I find incredibly compelling, and helps to pose and answer the questions of "why am I learning this"
posted by geryon at 3:16 PM on May 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
Never Pure: Historical Studies of Science as if It Was Produced by People with Bodies, Situated in Time, Space, Culture, and Society, and Struggling for Credibility and Authority
But in looking at your question a bit more, I think I'd suggest that you watch or rewatch James Burke's "Connections" series, (or at least the first episode) which I find incredibly compelling, and helps to pose and answer the questions of "why am I learning this"
posted by geryon at 3:16 PM on May 3, 2012 [2 favorites]
Seconding Thomas Kuhn.
posted by ramenopres at 6:19 PM on May 3, 2012
posted by ramenopres at 6:19 PM on May 3, 2012
Laboratory Life by Bruno Latour. Maybe Making Natural Knowledge by Jan Golinski.
posted by désoeuvrée at 12:45 AM on May 4, 2012
posted by désoeuvrée at 12:45 AM on May 4, 2012
Another way to get at this is to get a little historical perspective on what life was like even as recently as 100 years ago. 150 years ago, even better.
SO many things/ technologies we take completely for granted were not yet invented/or perhaps just in their infancy, because the chemstry/physics/biology were still being figured out. Electricity, cars, vitamins, antibiotics, colorfast dyes, paints...
Read books like Tim Egan's The Worst Hard Time for what life was like in the dust bowl, or Siddhartha Mukerjee (I think) Emperor of All Maladies, about cancer and its history and treatment. The latter is more explicitly science oriented, but both are excellent reads and illustrate in their own ways what life was like before we achieved current understandings. It will make you grateful for sure!
posted by Sublimity at 5:34 AM on May 4, 2012
SO many things/ technologies we take completely for granted were not yet invented/or perhaps just in their infancy, because the chemstry/physics/biology were still being figured out. Electricity, cars, vitamins, antibiotics, colorfast dyes, paints...
Read books like Tim Egan's The Worst Hard Time for what life was like in the dust bowl, or Siddhartha Mukerjee (I think) Emperor of All Maladies, about cancer and its history and treatment. The latter is more explicitly science oriented, but both are excellent reads and illustrate in their own ways what life was like before we achieved current understandings. It will make you grateful for sure!
posted by Sublimity at 5:34 AM on May 4, 2012
I have no idea why one would read Thomas Kuhn as a general book on the philosophy of science. I also don't know why you would read Primate Visions (since it's critical inquiry, not analytic philosophy) or Sagan or Hawking (since they are popular science).
Jonathan Livengood had some good suggestions... it sounds like he actually knows something about philosophy of science. His suggestions are, however, quite dense books that require a good deal of prior education in philosophy and science.
My recommendation, as a grad student in philosophy of science, is Alan Chalmers, What Is This Thing Called Science?" or Peter Godfrey Smith, ITheory and Reality (denser than Chalmers)."
posted by terezaakarenin at 12:00 PM on May 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Jonathan Livengood had some good suggestions... it sounds like he actually knows something about philosophy of science. His suggestions are, however, quite dense books that require a good deal of prior education in philosophy and science.
My recommendation, as a grad student in philosophy of science, is Alan Chalmers, What Is This Thing Called Science?" or Peter Godfrey Smith, ITheory and Reality (denser than Chalmers)."
posted by terezaakarenin at 12:00 PM on May 4, 2012 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thanks for all the advice so far guys!
I guess I forgot to clarify, but the books wouldn't be for the kids themselves. They'd be for me to draw inspiration from so I could simplify it and transmit it to the kids. So complicated books are okay. I doubt I could really get my kids to read even an easy book in my science classes though.
They'd get all "it's science, not English!" on me.
posted by Peregrin5 at 12:47 PM on May 4, 2012
I guess I forgot to clarify, but the books wouldn't be for the kids themselves. They'd be for me to draw inspiration from so I could simplify it and transmit it to the kids. So complicated books are okay. I doubt I could really get my kids to read even an easy book in my science classes though.
They'd get all "it's science, not English!" on me.
posted by Peregrin5 at 12:47 PM on May 4, 2012
I just finished The Philosophy of Technology, and it was a good overview for putting technology into perspective. And we know how kids love their (digital) technology...
posted by Rykey at 2:46 PM on May 10, 2012
posted by Rykey at 2:46 PM on May 10, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by gauche at 12:45 PM on May 3, 2012 [1 favorite]