The Universe as a Scientific and Philosophical Problem.- The Geometric Structure of the Universe.- Superstring Unification and the Existence of Gravity.- The Universe of Modern Science and its Philosophical Exploration.- From Molecules to Life.- Meta-Neuroanatomy: The Myth of the Unbounded Main/Brain.- Emergence and Reduction in Morphogenetic Theories.- What can we know about the Universe?.- The Universe as a Scientific Object.- General Laws of Nature and The Uniqueness of the Universe.- The Anthropic Principle and its Epistemological Status in Modern Physical Cosmology.- Evolutionary Ideas and Contemporary Naturalism.- Origin and Evolution of the Universe and Mankind.- Index of Names.

This book offers a comprehensive update on the scientific realism debate, enabling readers to gain a novel appreciation of the role of objectivity and truth in science and to understand fully the various ways in which antirealist conceptions have been subjected to challenge over recent decades. Authoritative representatives of different philosophical traditions explain their perspectives on the meaning and validity of scientific realism and describe the strategies being adopted to counter persisting antirealist positions. The coverage extends beyond the usual discussion of realism within the context of the natural sciences, and especially physics, to encompass also its applicability in mathematics, logic, and the human sciences. The book will appeal to all with an interest in the recent realist epistemologies of science, the nature of current philosophical debate, and the ongoing rehabilitation of truth as the legitimate goal of scientific research.

This book offers a comprehensive update on the scientific realism debate, enabling readers to gain a novel appreciation of the role of objectivity and truth in science and to understand fully the various ways in which antirealist conceptions have been subjected to challenge over recent decades. Authoritative representatives of different philosophical traditions explain their perspectives on the meaning and validity of scientific realism and describe the strategies being adopted to counter persisting antirealist positions. The coverage extends beyond the usual discussion of realism within the context of the natural sciences, and especially physics, to encompass also its applicability in mathematics, logic, and the human sciences. The book will appeal to all with an interest in the recent realist epistemologies of science, the nature of current philosophical debate, and the ongoing rehabilitation of truth as the legitimate goal of scientific research.