Almost from its inception, Einstein's general theory of relativity was known to sanction spacetime models harboring singularities. Until the 1960s, however, spacetime singularities were thought to be artifacts of the idealizations of the models. This attitude evaporated in the face of a series of theorems, due largely to Stephen Hawking and Roger Penrose, which showed that Einstein's general theory implies that singularities can be expected to occur in a wide variety of conditions in both gravitational collapse and in cosmology. In the light of these results some physicists adopted the attitude that, since spacetime singularities are intolerable, general relativity contains within itself the seeds of its own destruction. Others hoped that peaceful coexistence with singularities could be achieved by proving a form of Roger Penrose's cosmic censorship hypothesis, which would place singularities safely inside black holes. Whatever the attitude one adopts toward spacetime singularities, it is evident that they raise a number of foundational problems for physics and have profound implications for the philosophy of space and time. However, philosophers of science have been slow to awaken to the significance of these developments. Indeed, this is the first serious book-length study of the subject by a philosopher of science. It features an overview of the literature on singularities, as well as an analytic commentary on their significance to a number of scientific and philosophical issues.

Bangs, Crunches, Whimpers, and Shrieks: Singularities and Acausalities in Relativistic Spacetimes

Literature & Fiction

Earman, John

Dramas & Plays

Oxford University Press

Hume's Abject Failure: The Argument Against Miracles

This vital study offers a new interpretation of Hume's famous "Of Miracles," which notoriously argues against the possibility of miracles. By situating Hume's popular argument in the context of the 18th century debate on miracles, Earman shows Hume's argument to be largely unoriginal and chiefly without merit where it is original. Yet Earman constructively conceives how progress can be made on the issues that Hume's essay so provocatively posed about the ability of eyewitness testimony to establish the credibility of marvelous and miraculous events.

Politics & Social Sciences

Philosophy

This vital study offers a new interpretation of Hume's famous "Of Miracles," which notoriously argues against the possibility of miracles. By situating Hume's popular argument in the context of the eighteenth-century debate on miracles, Earman shows Hume's argument to be largely unoriginal and chiefly without merit where it is original. Yet Earman constructively conceives how progress can be made on the issues that Hume's essay so provocatively posed about the ability of eyewitness testimony to establish the credibility of marvelous and miraculous events.

Newton's Principia introduced conceptions of space and time that launched one of the most famous and sustained debates in the history of physics, a controversy that involves fundamental concerns in the foundations of physics, metaphysics, and scientific epistemology. This book introduces and clarifies the historical and philosophical development of the clash between Newton's absolute conception of space and Leibniz's relational one. It separates the issues and provides new perspectives on absolute relational accounts of motion and relational-substantival accounts of the ontology of space time. Earman's sustained treatment and imaginative insights raise to a new level the debate on these important issues at the boundary of philosophy and physics. He surveys the history of the controversy from Newton to Einstein develops the mathematics and physics needed to pose the issues in sharp form and provides a persuasive assessment of the philosophical problems involved. Most importantly, Earman revitalizes the connection of the debate to contemporary science. He shows, for example, how concerns raised by Leibniz form the core of ongoing debate on the foundations of general theory of relativity, moving the discussion into a new and vital arena and introducing arguments that will be discussed for years to come. John Earman is Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh. A Bradford Book

World Enough and Space-Time: Absolute Vs. Relational Theories of Space and Time

Science & Math

History & Philosophy

Bradford Books

Bayes or Bust? provides the first balanced treatment of the complex set of issues involved in this nagging conundrum in the philosophy of science. 
There is currently no viable alternative to the Bayesian analysis of scientific inference, yet the available versions of Bayesianism fail to do justice to several aspects of the testing and confirmation of scientific hypotheses. Bayes or Bust? provides the first balanced treatment of the complex set of issues involved in this nagging conundrum in the philosophy of science. Both Bayesians and anti-Bayesians will find a wealth of new insights on topics ranging from Bayes's original paper to contemporary formal learning theory. In a paper published posthumously in 1763, the Reverend Thomas Bayes made a seminal contribution to the understanding of "analogical or inductive reasoning." Building on his insights, modem Bayesians have developed an account of scientific inference that has attracted numerous champions as well as numerous detractors. Earman argues that Bayesianism provides the best hope for a comprehensive and unified account of scientific inference, yet the presently available versions of Bayesianisin fail to do justice to several aspects of the testing and confirming of scientific theories and hypotheses. By focusing on the need for a resolution to this impasse, Earman sharpens the issues on which a resolution turns.

Bayes or Bust? A Critical Examination of Bayesian Confirmation Theory

Bayes or Bust? provides the first balanced treatment of the complex set of issues involved in this nagging conundrum in the philosophy of science. 
There is currently no viable alternative to the Bayesian analysis of scientific inference, yet the available versions of Bayesianism fail to do justice to several aspects of the testing and confirmation of scientific hypotheses. Bayes or Bust? provides the first balanced treatment of the complex set of issues involved in this nagging conundrum in the philosophy of science. Both Bayesians and anti-Bayesians will find a wealth of new insights on topics ranging from Bayes's original paper to contemporary formal learning theory. In a paper published posthumously in 1763, the Reverend Thomas Bayes made a seminal contribution to the understanding of "analogical or inductive reasoning." Building on his insights, modem Bayesians have developed an account of scientific inference that has attracted numerous champions as well as numerous detractors. Earman argues that Bayesianism provides the best hope for a comprehensive and unified account of scientific inference, yet the presently available versions of Bayesianisin fail to do justice to several aspects of the testing and confirming of scientific theories and hypotheses. By focusing on the need for a resolution to this impasse, Earman sharpens the issues on which a resolution turns.

Bayes or Bust?: A Critical Examination of Bayesian Confirmation Theory (Bradford Book)

Experiments, Instruments & Measurement

Newton's Principia introduced conceptions of space and time that launched one of the most famous and sustained debates in the history of physics, a controversy that involves fundamental concerns in the foundations of physics, metaphysics, and scientific epistemology. This book introduces and clarifies the historical and philosophical development of the clash between Newton's absolute conception of space and Leibniz's relational one. It separates the issues and provides new perspectives on absolute relational accounts of motion and relational-substantival accounts of the ontology of space time. Earman's sustained treatment and imaginative insights raise to a new level the debate on these important issues at the boundary of philosophy and physics. He surveys the history of the controversy from Newton to Einstein develops the mathematics and physics needed to pose the issues in sharp form and provides a persuasive assessment of the philosophical problems involved. Most importantly, Earman revitalizes the connection of the debate to contemporary science. He shows, for example, how concerns raised by Leibniz form the core of ongoing debate on the foundations of general theory of relativity, moving the discussion into a new and vital arena and introducing arguments that will be discussed for years to come.
A Bradford Book

World Enough and Space-Time: Absolute versus Relational Theories of Space and Time (Bradford Books)

History

A Bradford Book

Inference, Explanation, and Other Frustrations: Essays in the Philosophy of Science (Volume 14) (Pittsburgh Series in Philosophy and History of Science)

Product Description 
These provocative essays by leading philosophers of science exemplify and illuminate the contemporary uncertainty and excitement in the field. The papers are rich in new perspectives, and their far-reaching criticisms challenge arguments long prevalent in classic philosophical problems of induction, empiricism, and realism. By turns empirical or analytic, historical or programmatic, confessional or argumentative, the authors' arguments both describe and demonstrate the fact that philosophy of science is in a ferment more intense than at any time since the heyday of logical positivism early in the twentieth century.\nContents:\n“Thoroughly Modern Meno,” Clark Glymour and Kevin Kelly 
 “The Concept of Induction in the Light of the Interrogative Approach to Inquiry,” Jaakko Hintikka 
 “Aristotelian Natures and Modern Experimental Method,” Nancy Cartwright 
 “Genetic Inference: A Reconsideration of “David Hume's Empiricism,” Barbara D. Massey and Gerald J. Massey 
 “Philosophy and the Exact Sciences: Logical Positivism as a Case Study,” Michael Friedman 
 “Language and Interpretation: Philosophical Reflections and Empirical Inquiry,” Noam Chomsky 
 “Constructivism, Realism, and Philosophical Method,” Richard Boyd 
 “Do We Need a Hierarchical Model of Science?” Diderik Batens 
 “Theories of Theories: A View from Cognitive Science,” Richard E. Grandy 
 “Procedural Syntax for Theory Elements,” Joseph D. Sneed 
 “Why Functionalism Didn't Work,” Hilary Putnam 
 “Physicalism,” Hartry Field\nThis title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1992.\nAbout the Author \nJohn Earman is Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh. He is the author of 
World Enough and Space-Time: Absolute vs. Relationship Theories of Space and 
Time and Bayes or Bust? A Critical Examination of Bayesian Confirmation Theory.

Inference, Explanation, and Other Frustrations: Essays in the Philosophy of Science (Pittsburgh Series in Philosophy and History of Science) (Volume 14)

University of California Press

This book arose from the proceedings of two small conferences: one held in Minneapolis under the aupices of the Minneasota Center for the Philosophy of Science, the other held in Andover under the auspices of the Boston University Institute of Relativity Studies.

Foundations of Space Time Theories (Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science)

Minnesota Center for Philosophy of Science

Conference on Absolute and Relational Theories of Space and Space-Time, Boston University, 1974

Glymour, Clark N.

Stachel, John J.

Conference on the Foundations of Space-Time Theories, Minneapolis, Minn., 1974

Univ of Minnesota Pr

Introduction to the Philosophy of Science

A reprint of the Prentice-Hall edition of 1992.
Prepared by nine distinguished philosophers and historians of science, this thoughtful reader represents a cooperative effort to provide an introduction to the philosophy of science focused on cultivating an understanding of both the workings of science and its historical and social context. Selections range from discussions of topics in general methodology to a sampling of foundational problems in various physical, biological, behavioral, and social sciences. Each chapter contains a list of suggested readings and study questions.

Glymour, Clark

Salmon, Merrilee H.

Lennox, James G.

Hackett Publishing Company, Inc.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Earman, John. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Earman, John

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Earman, John. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Bangs, Crunches, Whimpers, and Shrieks: Singularities and Acausalities in Relativistic Spacetimes

Hume's Abject Failure: The Argument Against Miracles

Hume's Abject Failure: The Argument Against Miracles

World Enough and Space-Time: Absolute Vs. Relational Theories of Space and Time

Bayes or Bust? A Critical Examination of Bayesian Confirmation Theory

Bayes or Bust?: A Critical Examination of Bayesian Confirmation Theory (Bradford Book)

World Enough and Space-Time: Absolute versus Relational Theories of Space and Time (Bradford Books)

Inference, Explanation, and Other Frustrations: Essays in the Philosophy of Science (Pittsburgh Series in Philosophy and History of Science) (Volume 14)

Foundations of Space Time Theories (Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science)

Introduction to the Philosophy of Science