Papers presented at a conference held in Spain, at the University of A Coruña, Ferrol campus.

Includes a contribution by Philip Kitcher, entitled Second thoughts (p. [353]-389).

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Preliminary material / Editors Scientific Realism and Democratic Society -- FROM MATHEMATICS TO SOCIAL CONCERN ABOUT SCIENCE KITCHER’S PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH / Wenceslao J. Gonzalez -- SCIENCE IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY / Philip Kitcher -- THE CHARACTERIZATION OF EPISTEMOLOGY IN PHILIP KITCHER* A CRITICAL REFLECTION FROM NEW EMPIRICISM / Inmaculada Perdomo -- KITCHER’S MODEST REALISM THE RECONCEPTUALIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC OBJECTIVITY / Antonio Diéguez -- SCIENTIFIC REALISM THE TRUTH IN PRAGMATISM* / Philip Kitcher -- REAL REALISM THE GALILEAN STRATEGY / Philip Kitcher -- INDUCTIVIST STRATEGIES FOR SCIENTIFIC REALISM / Valeriano Iranzo -- SCIENTIFIC REALISM, THE GALILEAN STRATEGY, AND REPRESENTATION* / Mauricio Suárez -- KITCHER’S NATURALISTIC EPISTEMOLOGY AND METHODOLOGY OF MATHEMATICS / Jesús Alcolea -- THE CATEGORY OF “APPLIED SCIENCE” AN ANALYSIS OF ITS JUSTIFICATION FROM “INFORMATION SCIENCE” AS DESIGN SCIENCE / Antonio Bereijo -- SECOND THOUHTS / Philip Kitcher -- NAME INDEX / Editors Scientific Realism and Democratic Society -- SUBJECT INDEX / Editors Scientific Realism and Democratic Society -- Symposium / Editors Scientific Realism and Democratic Society.

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Philip Kitcher is among the key philosophers of science of our times. This volume offers an up to date analysis of his philosophical perspective taking into account his views on scientific realism and democratic society. The contributors to the volume focus on four different aspects of Kitcher’s thought: the evolution of his philosophy, his present views on scientific realism, the epistemological analysis of his modest (“real” or “piecemeal”) realism, and his conception of scientific practice. In the final chapter, the philosopher replies to his critics. The volume will be of interest to philosophers as well as anyone interested in the relation between science and society.