Abstract

The topic for this volume is a "natural" for the Minnesota Studies. Some of the most important issues concerning both the philosophy and history of science have been in the foreground of discussion for the past few years. Feigl's introductory paper "Beyond Peaceful Coexistence" sets the stage for a confrontation that never quite takes place here. Ernan McMullin's "The History and Philosophy of Science: A Taxonomy" is valuable in helping to sort out the issues by clarifying different types and uses of the history and philosophy of science. Arnold Thackray raises a number of interesting meta-questions concerning the historiographic assumptions that have characterized recent history of science. There are several papers concerned with the issues of hermeticism [[sic]] that have been raised by F. A. Yates' work and a reassessment of philosophical and historical issues raised by the development of relativistic electrodynamics. Altogether this is a fine collection, even though so many different issues are explored that there is little sense of clear focus.--R. J. B.