Roy Bhaskar is the originator of the philosophy of critical realism, and the author of many acclaimed and influential works including A Realist Theory of Science, The Possibility of Naturalism, Scientific Realism and Human Emancipation, Reclaiming Reality and Dialectic: The Pulse of Freedom. He is an editor of the recently published Critical Realism: Essential Readings and is currently chair of the Centre for Critical Realism.
Contents Preface Preface to the Second Edition Inroduction Chapter 1.
Philosophy and Scientific Realism 1. Two Sides of Knowledge 2. Three
Traditions in the Philosophy of Science 3. The Transcendental Analysis of
Experience a. The Analysis of Perception b. The Analysis of Experimental
Activity 4. The Status of Ontology and Its Dissolution in Classical
Philosophy 5. Ontology Vindicated and The Real Basis of Causal Laws 6. A
Sketch of a Critique of Empirical Realism Chapter 2. Actualism and the
Concept of a Closure 1. Introduction: On the Actuality of the Causal
Connection 2. Regularity Determinism and the Quest for a Closure 3. The
Classical Paradigm of Action 4. Actualism and Transcendental Realism: The
Interpretation of Normic Statements 5. Autonomy and Reduction 6.
Explanation in Open Systems Appendix. Orthodox Philosophy of Science and
the Implications of Open Systems Chapter 3. the Logic of Scientific
Discovery 1. Introduction: On the Contingency of the Causal Connection 2.
The Surplus-Element in the Analysis of Law-like Statements: A Critique of
the Theory of Models 3. Natural Necessity And Natural Kinds: The
Stratification of Nature and The Stratification of Science 4. The Social
Production of Knowledge by Means of Knowledge 5. Objections to the Account
of Natural Necessity Proposed 6. The Problem of Induction Appendix. Natural
Tendencies and Causal Powers Chapter 4. Metaphysics and the Philosophy of
Science Postscript to the Second Edition Bibliography Index of Names Index
of Subjects
