Norwood Russell Hanson was one of the most important philosophers of
science of the post-war period. Hanson brought Wittgensteinian ordinary
language philosophy to bear on the concepts of science, and his
treatments of observation, discovery, and the theory-ladenness of
scientific facts remain central to the philosophy of science.
Additionally, Hanson was one of philosophy's great personalities, and
his sense of humor and charm come through fully in the pages of
Perception and Discovery.
Perception and Discovery, originally published in 1969, is Hanson's
posthumous textbook in philosophy of science. The book focuses on the
indispensable role philosophy plays in scientific thinking. Perception
and Discovery features Hanson's most complete and mature account of
theory-laden observation, a discussion of conceptual and logical
boundaries, and a detailed treatment of the epistemological features of
scientific research and scientific reasoning. This book is of interest
to scholars of philosophy of science, particularly those concerned with
Hanson's thought and the development of the discipline in the middle of
the 20th century. However, even fifty years after Hanson's
early death, Perception and Discovery still has a great deal to offer
all readers interested in science.