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Galileo and the Philosophy of Science

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 February 2022

Maurice A. Finocchiaro*
Affiliation:
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Extract

Galileo occupies a unique position in the philosophy of science. He has a significant place both in the history of the philosophy of science and in the history of science, that is, both in the theory of scientific practice and in the practice of which philosophy of science is the theory. Moreover, virtually every philosopher of science has felt or feels the need to come to grips with Galileo, in the sense that he either derives his theories from his analysis of Galileo, or he tests the theories he has otherwise formulated by applying them to the case of Galileo. Finally, it has turned out to be possible for philosophers of science of almost any persuasion to use Galileo for their purposes, in the sense of finding evidence from Galileo to support their theories. It is this last fact to which I wish to call attention.

Type
Part IV. History and Philosophy of Science
Copyright
Copyright © 1976 by the Philosophy of Science Association

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