Social Constructivism and the Philosophy of Science

Are scientific facts constructed by scientists rather than discovered in thesame way as we construct all reality? This book presents a full discussion ofthe ph... » 

Are scientific facts constructed by scientists rather than discovered in thesame way as we construct all reality? This book presents a full discussion ofthe philosophical issues that arise out of this controversial debate.Andre Kukla presents a comprehensive discussion of the philosophical issuesthat arise out of this controversial debate analysing the various strengthsand weaknesses of a range of constructivist positions. He argues that currentphilosophical objections to constructivism are drastically inconclusive whileoffering and developing objections. Kukla shows that the strongestconstructivist arguments still suffer from conceptual difficultiesillustrating the divide between the sociology and the philosophy of sciencethrough examples as varied as laboratory science time and criminality.Throughout Kukla distinguishes between the social causes of scientific beliefsand the view that all ascertainable facts are constructed. «