Toward a Philosophy of Error in Science is the fruit of a longstanding and in-depth inquiry into the nature of errors in science. Informed by first-hand scientific experience, extended historical case studies, and sustained philosophical reflection, the book of Douglas Allchinn argues for taking scientific error seriously as immanent in scientific practice itself and acknowledging it as a source of knowledge acquisition rather than an alien in the universe of the quest for scientific truth. A must-read for historians, philosophers and sociologists of science, scientific practitioners, as well as teachers and students of science alike." Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin This is comprehensive and very readable treatment of a subject that has received far too little attention. Allchin is clearly on the leading edge of this work. Overall, this is an excellent and much needed book and a significant addition to the literature. I believe it will very rapidly become the standard text in the field." Stuart Firestein, Columbia University By detailing how scientists recognize and learn from mistakes, Allchin provides conceptual tools directly relevant to research on the nature of science, scientific literacy, and student reasoning about evidence. Allchin's book will be particularly valuable for science education researchers, NOS scholars, and teacher educators seeking deeper insight into how evidence, justification, and institutional processes shape scientific knowledge. Its well-chosen historical cases offer rich material for instructional design and for studying epistemic cognition in authentic contexts. * Deniz Saribas, Science & Education *
