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The Ozone Layer is an accessible history of stratospheric ozone, from its discovery in the nineteenth century to current investigations of the Antarctic ozone hole. Drawing directly on the scientific literature, Christie uses the story of ozone as a case study for examining fundamental issues relating to the practice of modern science and the conduct of scientific debate. Linking key debates in the philosophy of science to an example of real-world science it is an excellent and thought-provoking introduction to the philosophy of science.
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The Ozone Layer: A Philosophy of Science Perspective
Maureen Christie
Cambridge University Press
The Ozone Layer
The Ozone Layer provides the first thorough and accessible history of stratospheric ozone, from the discovery of ozone in the nineteenth century to current investigations of the Antarctic ozone hole. Drawing directly on the extensive scientific literature, Christie uses the story of ozone as a case study for examining fundamental issues relating to the collection and evaluation of evidence, the conduct of scientific debate and the construction of scientific consensus. By linking key debates in the philosophy of science to an example of real-world science the author not only provides an excellent introduction to the philosophy of science but also challenges many of its preconceptions. This accessible book will interest students and academics concerned with the history, philosophy and sociology of science, as well as having general appeal on this topic of contemporary relevance and concern. is Lecturer in Philosophy of Science at the University of Melbourne, Australia.
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The Ozone Layer A Philosophy of Science Perspective Maureen Christie University of Melbourne
PUBLISHED BY CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS (VIRTUAL PUBLISHING) FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE PRESS SYNDICATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 IRP 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011-4211, USA 477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia http://www.cambridge.org © Maureen Christie 2000 This edition © Maureen Christie 2003 First published in printed format 2000
A catalogue record for the original printed book is available from the British Library and from the Library of Congress Original ISBN 0 521 65072 0 hardback Original ISBN 0 521 65908 6 paperback
ISBN 0 511 01400 7 virtual (netLibrary Edition)
To the memory of Mary Agnes Christie (14 February 1911 – 17 October 1996)
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Contents
List of figures List of abbreviations Preface
page viii ix xi
1 Introduction
1
Part I: History of the understanding of stratospheric ozone 2 Stratospheric ozone before 1960
9
3 Chlorinated fluorocarbons
17
4 The Supersonic Transport (SST) debate
23
5 Molina and Rowland: chlorine enters the story
29
6 Too much of a good thing? Crucial data backlog in the Antarctic ozone hole discovery
38
7 Antarctic ozone hole – theories and investigations
53
8 Completing the picture: from AAOE to 1994
66
Part II: Philosophical issues arising from the history 9 Prediction in science 10 The crucial experiment
73 93
11 Positive and negative evidence in theory selection
122
12 Branches and sub-branches of science: problems at disciplinary boundaries
149
13 Scientific evidence and powerful computers: new problems for philosophers of science?
159
14 The scientific consensus
169
References Index
205 212 vii
Figures
2.1 6.1 6