Introduction to the Philosophy of Science: Cutting Nature at Its Seams is a clear and lively explanation of key concepts and issues in the philosophy of science. It surveys the field from positivism to social constructivism, focusing on the metaphysical implications of science as a form of knowledge gathering that explains what the world is really like, while simultaneously arguing for the superiority of a holistic model of scientific theories over competing models. An innovative feature is the use of immunology as the central domain of illustration, in contrast to other philosophy of science texts that draw examples predominantly from physics. The text also presents Thomas Kuhn's model of science clearly and accurately, rectifying the notorious and widespread misinterpretations projected upon it in the past. Klee discusses both traditional models of science and alternative interpretations, most notably nonfeminist and feminist models inspired by the work of Kuhn. Richly illustrated and complete with a glossary of over eighty key terms, Introduction to the Philosophy of Science: Cutting Nature at Its Seams serves as an ideal text for undergraduates, because it presents a highly accessible and contemporary investigations of science as a form of inquiry capable of revealing to us the structure of the world.

Content - Preface, Introduction, Chapter 1. The Case of Allergic Disease: From Everyday Observation to Microstructural Explanation,  Chapter 2 The Positivist Model of Scientific Theories, Chapter 3. Trouble in Positivist Paradise, Chapter 4. The Underdetermination of Theory, Chapter 5. Reductionism, Antireductionism, and Supervenience, Chapter 6. The Structure of Scientific Explanation,  Chapter 7. The Revenge of Historicism,  Chapter 8. The Social Constructivist Challenge, Chapter 9. The Politics of Epistemology,  Chapter 10. The Actual Way Things Really Are, Glossary, Suggested Readings, Index