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Overview
The Scientific Attitude presents a systematic account of the cognitive and social features of science. Written by an experimental biologist actively engaged in research, the work is unique in its attempt to understand science in terms of day-to-day practice. The book goes beyond the traditional description of science that focuses on method and logic to characterize the scientific attitude as a way of looking at the world.Describes the cognitive & social features of science & the scientific attitude as a way of looking at the world.
Synopsis
THE SCIENTIFIC ATTITUDE presents a systematic account of the cognitive and social features of science. Written by an experimental biologist actively engaged in research, the work is unique in its attempt to understand science in terms of day-to-day practice. The book goes beyond the traditional description of science that focuses on method and logic to characterize the scientific attitude as a way of looking at the world.
Professor Grinnell uses examples from biomedical research to describe science at three interdependent levels. At the first level, the individual scientist makes observations, formulates hypotheses, and does experiments. The scientist's thought style determines what can be seen and what it will appear to mean. At the second level, scientists participate in social institutions such as graduate programs, research groups, journal editorial boards, and grant review panels. Each of these institutions tries to promote its own distinctive collective thought style. Finally, at the third level, scientists participate in the world of everyday life beyond science, a world that continuously influences and is influenced by the activities and discoveries of science.
Editorials
From the Publisher
"The Scientific Attitude presents a clear picture of what scientists actually do. The book offers a succinct statement of the issues and is pitched at the right level for the beginning graduate student." --Tumuo Hoshiko, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University"For Frederick Grinnell, science is not a spectator sport. He is an active research scientist who has taken the time to stand back and look at how scientific investigations, including his own, are actually conducted. The result is The Scientific Attitude, a book that every student thinking of becoming a scientist should read....I wish that Grinnell's book had been available to me when I was contemplating a career in science.' --David L. Hull, Northwestern University