Understanding Scientific Understanding
Henk W. de Regt
Reviews and Awards
"[E]xamples are well reconstructed and avoid excessive technicality, ensuring that committed readers without a physics background can understand their significance for the larger philosophical argument - a goal supported by the book's clear and systematic exposition ... the book offers a compelling picture on the strength of careful argumentation. Highly recommended." - J. D. Martin, CHOICE
"This is a superb book on the timely topic of understanding by one of its main commentators and leading scholars over the years. It constitutes a thorough, intricate, detailed and well-argued development of the original and very fertile position of the author on the topic. It would be recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the topic, and it is likely to become one of the key references in this area over the years." - Mauricio Suarez, Complutense University of Madrid
"This book — which creatively synthesizes two decades of his work into an elegant and provocative account of scientific understanding — is a much anticipated and welcome addition to the literature ... De Regt's discussion of the aims of science helps to rekindle an interesting topic in general philosophy of science that has languished for some time. Additionally, de Regt's rereading of the history of physics with intelligibility and understanding at the forefront highlights underappreciated connections between different physicists' approaches to theory construction. Finally, de Regt threads the needle between empiricism, which denigrates the epistemic importance of understanding, and realism, which tethers understanding to accurate representations of nature's workings ... All told, de Regt's book provides a novel and productive framework for interpreting many aspects of scientific practice." - Kareem Khalifa, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews