Hull applies an evolutionary model of selection processes to scientists and their work, showing that competition and cooperation among scientists result in the selective retention of new scientific ideas. As a model he offers a detailed history of theoretical struggles during the last two decades in systematic zoology, a field with which he's intimately acquainted. Hull shows that bias, personal commitments, and self-interest are the norm in science. He argues that scientific knowledge grows not in spite of these seeming flaws but because of them. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
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David L. Hull (1935-2010) was Dressler Professor in the Humanities Emeritus at Northwestern University and a leading philosopher of biological science. He received the first Ph.D. awarded by the History and Philosophy of Science department at Indiana University and thentaught at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee fortwenty years before moving to Northwestern. He was editor of the Science and Its Conceptual Foundations series from the University of Chicago Press.
The scientists I have studied investigate such things as fruit flies, fossil fish, and slime molds. As diverse as these organism are, they have one thing in common: they cannot read the conclusions published about them. My subjects can. One of my goals in this book has been to present a fair and balanced estimate of the influence of various factors, including professional allegiances and alliances, on the course of systematic and evolutionary biology.
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Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Good. Legend is overdue for replacement, and an adequate replacement must attend to the process of science as carefully as Hull has done. I share his vision of a serious account of the social and intellectual dynamics of science that will avoid both the rosy blur of Legend and the facile charms of relativism. . . . Because of Hull's] deep concern with the ways in which research is actually done, Science as a Process begins an important project in the study of science. It is one of a distinguished series of books, which Hull himself edits.--Philip Kitcher, Nature In Science as a Process, David Hull] argues that the tension between cooperation and competition is exactly what makes science so successful. . . . Hull takes an unusual approach to his subject. He applies the rules of evolution in nature to the evolution of science, arguing that the same kinds of forces responsible for shaping the rise and demise of species also act on the development of scientific ideas.--Natalie Angier, New York Times Book Review By far the most professional and thorough case in favour of an evolutionary philosophy of science ever to have been made. It contains excellent short histories of evolutionary biology and of systematics (the science of classifying living things); an important and original account of modern systematic controversy; a counter-attack against the philosophical critics of evolutionary philosophy; social-psychological evidence, collected by Hull himself, to show that science does have the character demanded by his philosophy; and a philosophical analysis of evolution which is general enough to apply to both biological and historical change.--Mark Ridley, Times Literary Supplement Hull is primarily interested in how social interactions within the scientific community can help or hinder the process by which new theories and techniques get accepted. . . . The claim that science is a process for selecting out the best new ideas is not a new one, but Hull tells us exactly how scientists go about it, and he is prepared to accept that at least to some extent, the social activities of the scientists promoting a new idea can affect its chances of being accepted.--Peter J. Bowler, Archives of Natural History I have been doing philosophy of science now for twenty-five years, and whilst I would never have claimed that I knew everything, I felt that I had a really good handle on the nature of science, Again and again, Hull was able to show me just how incomplete my understanding was. . . . Moreover, Science as a Process] is one of the most compulsively readable books that I have ever encountered.--Michael Ruse, Biology and Philosophy. Seller Inventory # 00109285329
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 347482-75
Seller: Southampton Books, Sag Harbor, NY, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Like New. First Edition. First Edition, First Printing. Published by Univ of Chicago Pr, 1988. Octavo. Hardcover. Book is like new. Dust jacket is like new. Seller Inventory # 512997
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Fair. No Jacket. Former library book; Readable copy. Pages may have considerable notes/highlighting. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G0226360504I5N10
Seller: Aspen Book Co., Denver, CO, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. The book is in good condition with a hardcover binding. The dust jacket shows signs of wear, including minor tears along the edges, but remains intact. The pages are clean and free of inscriptions or library markings, making it a well-preserved copy for its age. Some wear with minor tears on edges. Seller Inventory # A21-B7-KU-0543
Seller: Big River Books, Powder Springs, GA, U.S.A.
Condition: acceptable. This book is in Acceptable condition. The cover is creased , and has excessive wear. There may be writing or highlighting. The pages are still intact. Seller Inventory # BRV.0226360504.A
Seller: JB's Book Vault, Buffalo, WY, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good dust. First Edition. Book is in G condition with bumping to spine ends, cocked spine else a bright and solid copy. Dust jacket is in VG condition with light rubbing to edges, bumping to spine ends, light creasing along top edge else bright, intact and whole. ARN W.03; 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. Seller Inventory # 001550
Seller: Mike Park Ltd, London, United Kingdom
Cloth. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Large octavo, pp xiv, 586, top edge very slightly foxed, very clean internally, black cloth in very good condition, in a very good dustwrapper. ["Hull applies an evolutionary model of selection processes to scientists and their work, showing that competition and cooperation among scientists result in the selective retention of new scientific ideas. As a model he offers a detailed history of theoretical struggles during the last two decades in systematic zoology, a field with which he's intimately acquainted. Hull shows that bias, personal commitments, and self-interest are the norm in science. He argues that scientific knowledge grows not in spite of these seeming flaws but because of them."]. Seller Inventory # 021309
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Scientia Books, ABAA ILAB, Arlington, MA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Included. 1st Edition. xiii, 586 pp; illus. Original cloth. Near Fine, in dust jacket (tear at bottom of spine portion of dust jacket). This copy does NOT have any library markings. First Edition. Seller Inventory # 11361
Seller: Bookworks [MWABA, IOBA], Beloit, WI, U.S.A.
Hard Cover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good. First Edition. Scholarly study of the scientific process, especially as seen in zoology; Hull was a philosopher & historian of zoology who edited the journal Systematic Zoology and served as president of the Society of Systematic Zoology. Here he discusses shifts in scientific thought, and the systems that produce them, paralleling the process to evolutionary shifts in the natural world. INSCRIBED by Hull to fellow philosopher of science Elliott [Sober], with a letter laid in discussing the vagaries of academic positions. Sober is noted in the preface and cited several times in the references. Hardcover in jacket, as pictured. Light wear to book, minor bumping to corners, minor pencil marginalia; jacket shows some edgwear, minor creases & delamination, short tears & small chips; xiii, blank, 586 pages; appendixes, references, indexes. Size: Large Octavo. Inscribed by the Author. Seller Inventory # z0260