---
product_id: 34430314
title: "Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction"
price: "₩37759"
currency: KRW
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reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.kr/products/34430314-philosophy-of-science-a-very-short-introduction
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region: South Korea
---

# Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction

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desertcart.com: Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction: 9780198745587: Okasha, Samir: Books

Review: Perfect introduction to the philosophy of science - I picked up this volume in the “Very Short Introductions” series and was amazed how clear, concise and thorough The Philosophy of Science is. The book is organized and written in a way that makes both simple and complex subjects easy to grasp. The author, Samir Okasha, is careful not to prejudice the reader with his own views. He presents issues and debates in a fair, evenhanded manner. Very highly recommended.
Review: Excellent introduction to the power and limits of scientific inquiry. - So this is kinda weird: I have a PhD, which stands for Doctor of Philosophy. But I have practically zero formal training in philosophy 🤷‍♂️. Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction by Samir Okasha was a great survey of the field to get anyone up to speed on the foundations of science. The book tackles questions like: What is science? How is it used? Can science prove everything? Can science prove *anything*? After reading the ideas of a lot of scientists and philosophers, it’s easy to see that science is a powerful method of examining and making sense of the world we live in. It’s so good that some people think it’s the *only* way we can discover truth about reality and we should use it for everything! (a philosophy called ‘scientism’). But for what it’s worth, it’s not the only method. And for some things it’s not a very good method at all (like for example ethics, art, value judgments, the meaning of life and the human need for spiritual fulfillment). After examining a number of leading ideas in the philosophy of science, I think it’s actually more accurate to recognize that scientific knowledge and theories are *provisional* - not ‘truth’ in the absolute sense of the word, but useful approximations (subject to revision) that allow us to explain past observations and predict future ones. This philosophy is called ‘instrumentalism’, and adopted by a long list of brilliant scientists who shaped today’s refined scientific view of Nature. Highly recommend this short survey for anyone who wants to understand the power - and limits - of scientific inquiry.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #74,239 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #17 in Ethics #89 in History & Philosophy of Science (Books) #140 in Philosophy of Ethics & Morality |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (610) |
| Dimensions  | 0.5 x 4.3 x 6.6 inches |
| Edition  | 2nd |
| ISBN-10  | 0198745583 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0198745587 |
| Item Weight  | 4.5 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Part of series  | Very Short Introductions |
| Print length  | 160 pages |
| Publication date  | September 28, 2016 |
| Publisher  | Oxford University Press |

## Images

![Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71sETrHkuRL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Perfect introduction to the philosophy of science
*by G***Y on August 20, 2023*

I picked up this volume in the “Very Short Introductions” series and was amazed how clear, concise and thorough The Philosophy of Science is. The book is organized and written in a way that makes both simple and complex subjects easy to grasp. The author, Samir Okasha, is careful not to prejudice the reader with his own views. He presents issues and debates in a fair, evenhanded manner. Very highly recommended.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent introduction to the power and limits of scientific inquiry.
*by W***N on December 10, 2018*

So this is kinda weird: I have a PhD, which stands for Doctor of Philosophy. But I have practically zero formal training in philosophy 🤷‍♂️. Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction by Samir Okasha was a great survey of the field to get anyone up to speed on the foundations of science. The book tackles questions like: What is science? How is it used? Can science prove everything? Can science prove *anything*? After reading the ideas of a lot of scientists and philosophers, it’s easy to see that science is a powerful method of examining and making sense of the world we live in. It’s so good that some people think it’s the *only* way we can discover truth about reality and we should use it for everything! (a philosophy called ‘scientism’). But for what it’s worth, it’s not the only method. And for some things it’s not a very good method at all (like for example ethics, art, value judgments, the meaning of life and the human need for spiritual fulfillment). After examining a number of leading ideas in the philosophy of science, I think it’s actually more accurate to recognize that scientific knowledge and theories are *provisional* - not ‘truth’ in the absolute sense of the word, but useful approximations (subject to revision) that allow us to explain past observations and predict future ones. This philosophy is called ‘instrumentalism’, and adopted by a long list of brilliant scientists who shaped today’s refined scientific view of Nature. Highly recommend this short survey for anyone who wants to understand the power - and limits - of scientific inquiry.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An Easy Introduction to the Subject
*by D***C on July 5, 2019*

This is a well-written and very enjoyable introduction to the subject, and for a person with only enough time for a brief overview, it hits just the right level of detail. My favorite part of the book was Chapter 4 on realism vs anti-realism. This is essentially a debate over whether scientific theories should attempt to describe the world as it really is (realism) or just try to produce correct predictions of observables, even if these predictions are based on theoretical entities that are only convenient fictions (anti-realism). The author deftly navigates between the arguments and counter-arguments in an extended back-and-forth that makes a surprisingly engaging read. My least-favorite part is the short section within Chapter 7 on science and religion. I suppose I was hoping for an analysis of the differences between scientific and religions mindsets and some consideration of the rich and complex history of interaction between the two. Instead, the author mostly gave rebuttals to the specific scientific claims of “intelligent design” proponents. Those claims probably deserve rebuttals, but this does little to illuminate the science-religion relationship in general. Overall though, this book is an easy and enjoyable read, and well worth the modest time commitment.

## Frequently Bought Together

- Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
- Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science, Second Edition

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*Last updated: 2026-01-22*