The Nature of Scientific Knowledge

Kevin McCain is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His research focuses on issues in epistemology and philosophy of science-particularly where these areas intersect. In addition to numerous journal articles, he has published a research monograph on the nature of epistemic justification, Evidentialism and Epistemic Justification. He is also currently co-editing (with Ted Poston) a volume on inference to the best explanation and a volume on philosophical skepticism.

Preface.- The Importance of Understanding the Nature of Scientific Knowledge.- Part I: General Features of Knowledge.- The Traditional Account of Knowledge.- Belief.- Truth.- Justification.- Evidence.- Basing a Belief on the Evidence.- A Problem for the Traditional Account of Knowledge.- Part II: Knowledge of Scientific Claims.- Explanation and Understanding.- From Explanation to Knowledge.- Part III: Challenges to Scientific Knowledge.- Skepticism about the External World.- Skepticism about Induction.- Empirical Evidence of Irrationality.- Anti-Realism about Science.- Part IV: Social Dimensions of Scientific Knowledge.- Gaining Scientific Knowledge from Others.- Knowledge in a Scientific Community.- Looking Back and Looking Forward.- Notes.- References.- Index.

"The Nature of Scientific Knowledge-An Explanatory Approach (TNSK)-is a recent contribution to textbooks in Epistemology of Science. While intended for students, this accessible and comprehensive introduction ... is a worthwhile read for both teachers and non-specialists interested in scientific knowledge as it covers a broad range of issues on the subject without assuming any background knowledge. It definitely helps readers gain a clear understanding of what scientific knowledge is and its specific relationship to knowledge in general." (Vincent Ardourel, Metascience, Vol. 26, 2017)