Astronomy and Philosophy
Conceptual and Methodological Foundations and Challenges
Will be published approx. on 31. July 2026
Book
Hardback
437 pages
978-1-009-62113-7 (ISBN)
Description
Philosophical problems fundamentally infuse the theory and practice of astronomy. Bringing together fifteen historians, eleven philosophers, and four pioneering scientists, this volume provides a rigorous yet largely accessible examination of the conceptual and methodological challenges that lie at the intersection of philosophy and astronomy - broadly construed to include astrophysics, cosmology, space science, and astrobiology. Drawing largely on interdisciplinary advances from the past two centuries, the book's chapters tackle metaphysical inquiries into the fundamental nature of reality, the limits of reasoning, the problematic nature of observation and inference, the role of technology, and the epistemology of concepts such as space, time, life, and intelligence. Discussions are anchored to fascinating theories and examples from the 'canals' of Mars to exoplanets, black holes, dark matter, and the multiverse. Written primarily for practicing scientists, this volume will also serve historians and philosophers of science, as well as the curious general reader.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises
ISBN-13
978-1-009-62113-7 (9781009621137)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Steven J. Dick is an astronomer and historian of science. He was NASA's Chief Historian and Director of the NASA History Office until 2009. He has also served as an astronomer and historian at the US Naval Observatory, and as the Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology. He is the author or editor of twenty-five books, including most recently Astrobiology, Discovery, and Societal Impact (Cambridge University Press, 2018), which won the 2019 PROSE award for Cosmology and Astronomy from the Association of American Publishers. He is the recipient of numerous awards and societal fellowships. Minor planet 6544 was named 'Stevendick' in his honour by the International Astronomical Union.
Content
Introduction: Toward a Unified History and Philosophy of Astronomy Steven J. Dick; Prelude: How the History of Astronomy Raises Issues for Astronomers and Philosophers George Gale; Part I. The Nature of Reality: Physical and Metaphysical Foundations of Astronomical Science: 1. The 17th Century Scientific Revolution: Conceptual Change and the Quest for Non-Dogmatic Certainty H. Floris Cohen and Steven J. Dick; 2. A New Metaphysics: Relativity, Time, and Causation Heather Demarest; 3. The Quantum Revolution and Its Effect on Astrophysics and Cosmology Helge Kragh; 4. Foundational Principles and Contemporary Theorizing about Cosmology George F. R. Ellis; Part II. Metaphysical and Social Influences on Astronomy and the Cosmic Worldview: 5. The Haunted Astronomer: Camille Flammarion, Psychical Research, and the Uranian Philosophy of the Universe Matthew Shindell; 6. Eddington's Philosophy of Astronomy: Physical Insight and Religious Roots Matthew Stanley; 7. Eavesdropping in Space: SETI's Cold War Context Rebecca Charbonneau; 8. A Meaningful Mask of the Universe: Cosmology through the Lens of Complexity and Evolutionary Sciences Clement Vidal; Part III. The Nature and Limits of Reasoning: 9. Changing Perceptions of the Limits of Scientific Knowledge in Cosmology Nichole Levesley; 10. Astrophysics and the Philosophical Concept of Data Models: The Case of Black Hole Imaging Sibylle Anderl; 11. Lessons from the Epistemology of Astrophysics Nora Mills Boyd; 12. Anomalous vs. Agnostic Biosignatures: A More Promising Tool for Discovering Life Beyond Earth Carol Cleland and Michael Wong; 13. Is the Multiverse Scientific? Mary-Jane Rubenstein; Part IV. The Problematic Nature of Observation and Inference: 14. Interpretative Difficulties in the Early History of Spectroscopy: William Huggins and The Mystery of the Novae Barbara Becker; 15. Planets, Perception, and the Canals of Mars: Do We Really Know What We See Through a Telescope? William Sheehan; 16. Edwin Hubble and the Interplay of Observation, Theory, and Interpretation in Extragalactic Astronomy Robert Smith; 17. Detecting the Dark: Indirectness & Dark Matter Epistemology Niels C. M. Martens; Part V. Conceptual Issues in Astronomy, Cosmology, and Astrobiology: 18. Explanation and Prediction as Problems in the Philosophy of Astronomy Matthew D. Lund; 19. On the Origins of Celestial Species: Conceptualizations and Classifications of Solar System Bodies in Early 19th Century Astronomy Janna K. Mueller; 20. A Tale of Two Dark Matter Concepts: The Relation Between Cosmology and High-energy Physics in the Context of Dark Matter Research Siska De Baerdemaeker; 21. Life, Intelligence, and the Philosophy of Astrobiology David Duner; 22. Astrobiology and the Transformation of Scientific Epistemology Kristina Sekrst; Part VI. Technology, Policy, and Methodology: 23. How Technology and Science Policy Shaped Astronomy after World War II Martin Harwit; 24. Discoveries in Radio Astronomy: The Roles of Theory, Technology, and Luck Ken Kellermann; 25.Spaceflight and the Reshaping of Astronomy Samantha M. Thompson; 26. Air Force Origins of Scientific Instruments and Space Technology for Visualizing the Cosmic Microwave Background Connemara Doran; Part VII. Embedded History and Philosophy of Science: 27. History, Philosophy, and Culture of Black Holes, in the Midst Peter Galison.