PT 109 : John F. Kennedy in World War II

Book Description

NOW IN PAPERBACK

A timeless tale of heroism now available to a new generation of readers

"To me, PT 109 has always been one of the great war stories of all time.Senator Edward M. Kennedy

"In PT 109 we see a man assailed by hunger, heat, cold, discouragement, and danger rising, without dramatics or posturing, to greatness."New York Times Book Review

"This salutary book brings back the days when men heard an undeniable call to service in something bigger than themselves, and answered in kind."Daniel Schorr

Customer Reviews:

Classic American History!.......2002-08-12

As Daniel Schorr in the new forward to this book suggests, World War 2 brought out the best in many men, and the ones who manned the motor torpedo boats were among the bravest, setting out in small plywood boats to fight an enemy in often large ships. The ordeal that Kennedy and his crew went through after PT-109 was destroyed is a story of courage that will last the ages. It is obvious that Robert Donovan was very careful to get the facts straight as he wrote this book, it is a great war story. For me it was a page turner, written in an easy to read, flowing style. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, a gem of a book about a small piece of American history, a fascinating account indeed. Kennedy is portrayed, and rightly so, as a compassionate and intelligent young man.

In a very fine afterword to this 40th anniversary edition, Duane Hove give us additional details of Kennedy's military service, and also interesting text on the history of the PT boats before, during, and after the war, and also where you can see PT boats on display today, only a few of these magnificent boats remain with us.

great to see this new edition.......2002-07-12

I was about 10 when the Saturday Evening Post ran a serialized version of Donovan's book. I'll never forget coming home from school the day the next edition was due, and dropping everything to read the next installment. With the passage of 40 years, and a rather older perspective, I can see that the book isn't perfect. Other reviews pick on the flaws. But it's great regardless. If you've never read the story, or like me want to relive a bit of the past, I recommend it highly.

John F. Kennedy and PT-109.......2002-01-22

This was an exciting book on John F. Kennedy. It had lots of action, and suspence. John F. Kennedy had a lot of willpower, that was surprising. The bravery was outstanding in this story. If you like action and adventure I could not recommend a better book. I gave this book a five star rating, because it was truely a good book. Even though this was an old book, it was exciting. This would be a very good book for kids, because there was not a lot of hard words.

40th anniversary edition of Kennedy war tale --about average.......2001-09-03

The 40th anniversary edition of PT-109 is an enjoyable read despite its many flaws. The story is true and sheds light on a young John Kennedey and a small part of naval warfare in the Pacific during WWII. Yet, Donovan's writing is simplistic at times. It is somewhat obvious that when he wrote this book he did so under the gun, or in other words under a very tight deadline, something he admits in the beginning of the text. Another point of contention is his glossed over view of Kennedy. I guess when he was writing of the then sitting president it was hard to escape, but Donovan praised Kennedy at virtually every turn of the page. Something that frankly gets in the way. It would have been better to tell the story of Kennedy -- flaws included. What young man at war is --or is-- expected to be perfect? Nonetheless, PT-109 is a worthy read for WWII buffs. If you enjoy reading about the war in the Pacific, this will help carry you through the other obvious downfalls of the book.

The writing is bland but the story is incredible.......2001-07-28

Human beings are capable of incredibly noble acts when they are faced with the most terrifying circumstances. Such was the case with Lt. John F. Kennedy in command of PT 109 in the South Pacific during WWII. Faced with the alternative of action or death he rose to the occasion and was able to save the lives of his shipmates through great physical trauma and hardship.

Book Description

Michael Hamilton Morgan writes on the PT 109 collision:

It's about 2 a.m., August 2, 1943. Lt. John F. Kennedy squints into the fog and black while at the wheel of PT 109, idling in the Blackett Strait off Gizo in the Solomon Islands. His orders are to attack the “Tokyo Express” resupplying Japanese installations.... He and his young crew are ready, but handicapped by darkness and fog.... Suddenly, only 300 yards away, a black shape looms...traveling without lights and at high speed. Only seconds before impact...the ship is identified as a Japanese destroyer, the Amagiri. The much larger craft slices through the hull of PT 109, cutting the 80-foot wooden-hulled boat in two. Several of the crew are injured, one critically. The crew takes refuge on the larger section that remains afloat until dawn. Then all are into the water, and Lt. Kennedy begins the series of epic swims that will save his crew and earn him a place in history.

Forty years after his death and 60 years after his first collision with history in the South Pacific, John F. Kennedy and his story still inspire readers. In Collision with History, JFK's heroic efforts to save the 11-man crew of PT 109 are brought to vivid life, interwoven with a comprehensive history of PT boats and the World War II campaign in the Solomon Islands. Combining renowned explorer Robert Ballard's account of his search for the wreckage of PT 109 with survivor accounts and Kennedy family members' personal recollections, this companion volume to the major National Geographic television event is a moving introduction to the young war hero who would later become president.

Customer Reviews:

THE SEARCH FOR JOHN F.KENNEDYS PT109BREAHTAKING .......2006-02-28

BREATHTAKING A THRILL A MINUTE THE SEARCH FOR A REAL PIECE OF HISTORY

Very interesting!!!.......2003-06-28

The book tells us about what happened to John F Kennedy during World War two, how the Japanese sank his boat, so how he became a hero. There is a short biography( 1917-1940) too, with cute photos. There was a nice chapter on the Solomon Islands, the local people, the influence of Western culture, and the culture today. I suggest it to all Jack Kennedy fans or not.

Excellent story.......2002-12-08

Dr. Ballard lives in Lyme Connecticut, 10 miles from where I live. I saw this book in a local bookstore window this weekend, and realized that he was coming to town in 4 days to speak on the subject. Being a history buff, and certainly a Kennedy history buff, I bought the book (locally, so that he would sign it for free!), and read it last night. It's a short read, with only one or two chapters covering the actual exploration for the PT-109. The rest of the book contains Kennedy family history dating back to the Kennedy's in Boston from 1850. There was a nice chapter on the Solomon Islands, the local people, the influence of Western culture, and the culture today. There was also nice information on the crash that proves that the Hollywood movie on PT-109 took some liberties concerning his rescue of marines on a beach ... go figure ... Hollywood taking liberties...

Nice history.......2002-12-03

The bottom line ... I believe Ballard has found the PT boat ... even though he couldn't quite prove it ... The fact a future president's boat was lost in this region has left a closeness with the locals towards the United States ... and the two local's that discovered Kennedy and his crew are still alive and still very much influenced by their part in history. This will be Ballard's last modern historical ship find ... after this he will move on to work on the Black Sea project ... I'm glad he found John Kennedy's boat before he moved on. Read the book.

American Warriors: Five Presidents in the Pacific Theater of WWII
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American Warriors Highly Recommended

Warriors Who Would Be President

Presidents Send Others to War-- These Were There!

Intriguing and Timely

American Warriors: Five Presidents in the Pacific Theater of WWII
Duane T. Hove
Manufacturer: Burd Street Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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Kennedy, John F. | ( K ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Nixon, Richard | ( N ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Johnson, Lyndon | ( J ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Bush, George | ( B ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign 1941-1945

Team of Rivals

ASIN: 1572493070

Book Description

Five United States presidents served their country as Naval Reserve officers in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Presidential biographies gloss over this important period of their lives and are often inaccurate. American Warriors reconstructs the presidents' wartime roles based on interviews with more than one hundred veterans and on primary sources such as action reports, ships' logs, war diaries, and letters.

Lyndon B. Johnson and John F. Kennedy were commissioned officers before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford sought and received officer's commissions in 1942. George H. W. Bush entered the Naval Reserve as a seaman, second class, after graduating from high school in 1942 and was commissioned in June 1943 during flight training.

During the war, Johnson conducted an inspection tour of MacArthur's newly formed Southwest Pacific command and embarked as an observer on a bombing mission over New Guinea. Kennedy skippered two PT boats in the Solomon Islands, one of which was lost in a collision with a Japanese destroyer. Nixon commanded ground aviation support units in the Solomon Islands. Ford, officer of the deck of the light aircraft carrier USS Monterey, survived an encounter with a deadly typhoon. Bush, flying off the light aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto, parachuted to safety and was rescued at sea when his TBM Avenger fighter-bomber was shot down over Chichi Jima in the Bonin Islands.

Customer Reviews:

American Warriors Highly Recommended.......2004-11-04

In his year-end column for World War II Magazine, book review editor Robert Citino selected American Warriors as one of the best World War II books of the year. I agree. History books should be informative, accurate and readable; American Warriors is all of these and more. The author brings to light the military careers of five of our recent presidents, highlighting their naval service in the Pacific. Extensively end-noted, American Warriors draws on interviews with more than 100 veterans who served with the presidents as well as on a comprehensive bibliography of primary sources. Folklore has no place in this well-researched book. Presidential scholars will find it a dependable resource; more casual readers will find it swift paced and enjoyable. I highly recommend American Warriors.

Warriors Who Would Be President.......2004-01-08

American Warriors is a detailed, annotated account of five American Presidents who also happened to serve their country as soldiers in the Pacific theater during WWII. The author has thoroughly researched the naval careers of each of these men, and has skillfully annotated their records by interviewing the many veterans who served with them.

The thoroughness of the research in American Warriors does not affect its readability. The accounts range from Lyndon Johnson's reconnaissance mission for General MacArthur, to the rescue of George H. W. Bush after his near fatal glide-bombing attack in his VT-51 Avenger. The details describing John F. Kennedy's heroism and dedication to his crew after the ramming of his PT-109 provide an equally important "rest of the story." The particulars of Richard Nixon as a young ground aviation officer stationed in the Solomon Islands present an interesting contrast to the Machiavellian characteristics that he later exhibited. And the natural leadership qualities of Gerald Ford are clearly displayed during his duty under fire as officer-of-the-deck on the carrier Monterey. In summary, the exploits documented in American Warriors serve as fascinating prologues, that should enhance the reader's knowledge of the more well-known political personas later developed by these Commanders-in-Chief.

American Warriors is highly recommended for those interested in modern presidential history.

Presidents Send Others to War-- These Were There!.......2004-01-02

American Warriors chronicals the time spent by Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Bush in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Most of us knew these five men from their times as President and their poltical careers prior to becoming President. Some of us knew about President Kennedy and the PT-109 story and the dangers he faced while serving his country in WWII; but few of us knew that the other Presidents served in the war and faced life-threatening situations that shaped their future views of the world prior to entering the political area.
All of these Presidents had to make decisions during their Presidency to send others to war. The book shows that these men knew war first-hand and were undoubtedly influenced in their future political careers by their dangerous wartime experiences. American Warriors provides information on these five Presidents that is not typically addressed in other biographies using interviews with veterans who were there to corroborate events during these Presidents' service in the Pacific Theater of WWII.

Intriguing and Timely.......2003-12-11

As we currently ponder our country's military involvements and the credentials of those who would be President, a.k.a. Commander in Chief, this is a timely book to digest.

American Warriors is a highly readable, yet detailed account of the naval service of five United States presidents. Before picking up this informative book, I knew that presidents Kennedy and Bush Sr. served in World War II. I certainly did not know that five presidents were naval officers in the Pacific.

I am particularly impressed with the author's interviews of well over 100 veterans who served with the presidents. American Warriors is a reflection of his diligent pursuit of the details that are often passed over by political biographers. Time and again he sorts out conflicting testimony with rational explanations of events seen through multiple eyes.

Many Americans are aware that President Kennedy was the skipper of PT 109, which was sunk by a Japanese destroyer. I would venture a guess that very few are aware that Kennedy skippered a second PT boat, or equally surprising, that Presidents Nixon and Ford each served in the Pacific longer than either Kennedy or Bush.

American Warriors sets the standard for reporting these five presidents' military service. Presidential biographers would do well to take note of this insightful book. Military history fans will be delighted.

PT 109 - John F. Kennedy in World War II
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PT 109 - John F. Kennedy in World War II

Manufacturer: Crest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GRSVJY

PT 109 : John F Kennedy in World War II
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PT 109 : John F Kennedy in World War II
Robert J Donovan
Manufacturer: McGraw Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ILE24Q

Pt 109 John F Kennedy in World War II
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Pt 109 John F Kennedy in World War II
Robert J Donovan
Manufacturer: CREST BOOKS/FAWCETT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WTKUKE

PT 109 John F. Kennedy in World War II
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PT 109 John F. Kennedy in World War II
Robert J Donovan
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Book Co Inc, NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PLZFTK

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PT 109 John F. Kennedy in World War II

Manufacturer: CREST
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000I8UC0W

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PT 109 JOHN F. KENNEDY IN WORLD WAR II
Robert J. Donovan
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Antiquarian & Rare Books | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000FEY1HO

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A rare book!

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PT 109, John F. Kennedy in World War II
Robert J.; Nicholas, William; McCarthy, Joe; Epstein, Edward Jay; Fairlie, Henry; Schlesinger, Arthur M. Donovan
Manufacturer: Fawcett Crest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GW0CIW

Customer Reviews:

Get a bit of daily history........2000-02-04

This book featuring the front pages of the NYT for nearly a century is a great reference as it shows how history worked in the moments, the way the great historical moments were taken the next day they happened.

Beyond Objectivism and Relativism: Science, Hermeneutics, and Praxis
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Probing

The book offers no answer

Toward a Deeper Understanding of Understanding

persuasive enough!

Required reading for contemporary philosophy!

Beyond Objectivism and Relativism: Science, Hermeneutics, and Praxis
Richard J. Bernstein
Manufacturer: University of Pennsylvania Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Restructuring of Social and Political Theory

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ASIN: 0812211650

Book Description

"A fascinating and timely treatment of the objectivism versus relativism debates occurring in philosophy of science, literary theory, the social sciences, political science, and elsewhere."--Choice

Customer Reviews:

Probing.......2002-12-31

Equipped with a synoptic point of view, Bernstein has long worked the difficult terrain between continental philosophy and its more positivist Anglo-American counterpart. Here he traces what he believes is a key movement away from the broad modern tradition characterized by Descartes and the perennial search for philosophical foundations. Not always self-consciously, this emerging movement (Gadamer, Rorty, et. al.) rejects the Cartesian search for absolutes as ultimately futile; yet refuses to accept relativism as the only remaining recourse. The book's burden is to show how a viable `third way' is in fact emerging from the overlaps in the movement. His discussion is stimulating, ranging from Aristotle to Kuhn to Habermas, Kant and Arendt. No doubt he has put his finger on an acutely felt issue of our skeptical age, one that lurks ubiquitously in the background of more narrowly framed topics. Yet, how effectively this third way manages to extricate itself from the either-or of objectivism vs. relativism is up to the individual reader to judge. Frankly, I was disappointed, feeling that the results were unduly vague and pointing in the direction of a sophisticated brand of sociological relativism. Be that as it may, the text includes not a single mention of post-modernism, which may date the work in the eyes of some. Still, the meta-philosophical issue Bernstein addresses can be discussed quite apart from those specific to post-moderns and their recourse to outright relativism. As always, Bernstein remains an important interpreter of international trends and is well worth the read.

The book offers no answer.......2002-07-12

Richard Bernstein's book suffers from one fault: he offers no answers. Moreover, he does not even try to offer answers.
Bernstein starts by saying "There has to be some way which is beyond objectivism and and relativism". Then he goes on to examine the works of other philosophers, saying what he is for and against. But then, in the end, he offers no solution. Not only does he NOT tell us what this way "which has got to be" is, but he never draws conclusions from his readings of other philosophers. Like a film, which does not want to tell the viewer what to think, Bernstein will not say much. The book, in the end, turns out to be a REVIEW of OTHER THINKERS on the subject of going beyond objectivism and relativism. So one gets some good summaries of other thinkers on a subject with little else. That is why other reviewers of his book, in no way, state what Bernstein believes.

As a book report, it gets 3 stars. As a book with an idea, it gets one.

His essays, in other books, seem to suffer from the same fault.

Toward a Deeper Understanding of Understanding.......2002-06-24

Richard Bernstein is one of the most balanced and deeply thoughtful Americans doing philosophy today. Thoroughly at home in several different schools of contemporary thought, he writes with exceptional clarity and generosity of spirit. This book is one of his most important. At a time when most Americans seem convinced that objectivism and relativism are our only options and that if objectivism is ultimately incoherent nothing remains but a relativism that ultimately makes conversation impossible, this book can be a life-saver! Respectful of what the physical and life sciences can do and contribute, Bernstein makes clear the limits of their methods and the reasonableness of turning to alternative ways of knowing and thinking for other realms of meaning, value, and reality. A careful reading of this book could save everybody years of wandering up and down blind alleys. This is philosophy written to communicate with others and to be helpful, rather than to inflate the author's ego and display sophistication. It can change the way you inhabit the world and put your feet on a path that takes you in the direction of hope and solidarity.

persuasive enough!.......2002-06-11

A perfect one-sided story carefully equipped with opinions of heavy-weighted thinkers elaborately designed to persuade, but one-sided nevertheless.

Required reading for contemporary philosophy!.......1999-01-21

Are we the measure of the all things or is truth independent of our beliefs and wishes? Bernstein begins tackling this question by observing that the real debate is not between absolutism and relativism but between...(well, read the title!) He claims that while few (philosophers anyway) believe that truth is eternal, many at least believe that it is not merely about our own subjectivity. But the real question for Bernstein is Why all the fuss? Is there a certain tone of anxiety present in the discussion? Bernstein says that indeed there is and it's due to conflicts in concern between the need to believe in a stable reality and the fear that rheified cultural schemes can become the basis of intellectual and social tyrany- Bernstein calls this a "pracical-moral concern" and manages to discuss it without presuming that there are no serious theoretical issues involved. I'm an absolutist myself (what a philosophical dinosaur I am!) and I found this book so enthralling that I engaged in frquent, feverish marginal annotating (and in my schools, you didn't buy the texts so you DID NOT mark them up). Whatever your philosophical persuasion, this book should bring some illumination along with many happy moments of reading. At this price, it's a bargain. GET IT!

Knowledge, Science and Relativism (Philosophical Papers/Paul K. Feyerabend, Vol 3)

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Knowledge, Science and Relativism (Philosophical Papers/Paul K. Feyerabend, Vol 3)
P. K. Feyerabend
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Metaphysics | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Modern | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0521641292

Book Description

This third volume of Paul Feyerabend's philosophical papers, which gathers together work originally published between 1960 and 1980, offers a range of his characteristically exciting treatments of classic questions in the philosophy of science, including theoretical pluralism, the relationship between theory and observation, the distinction between science and myth, the role of science in society, and the vexed question of the nature of scientific method. The volume is completed by a substantial introduction and a comprehensive list of Feyerabend's works.

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Somewhere between Kant and Herder!!

Relativism and the Social Sciences
Ernest Gellner
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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Binding: Hardcover

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Plough, Sword, and Book: The Structure of Human History

ASIN: 0521265304

Book Description

This volume of essays deals with the problem of relativism, in particular cultural relativism. If our society knows better than other societies, how do we know that it knows better? There is a profound irony in the fact that this self-doubt has become most acute in the one civilisation that has persuaded the rest of the world to emulate it. The claim to cognitive superiority is often restricted, of course, to the limited sphere of natural science and technology; and that immediately raises the second main theme of this volume - the differences between the human and natural sciences. These essays reach towards a new style and mode of enquiry - a mixture of philosophy, history and anthropology - that promises to prove more revealing and fruitful.

Customer Reviews:

Somewhere between Kant and Herder!!.......2004-02-18

As noted by many who knew or were influenced by Gellner, he was a dying breed: a polymath who was equally adept at philosophy, sociology, antrhopology, and politics. That ability, always noticeable in these essays, is what makes this book so different from like books on the subject.

This is needed because the subject - the problem of relativism in the social sciences - has become such a commonplace one, that one could easily fill a Barnes and Noble with titles adressing it. For all that, one would be hardpressed to count one one hand the books that actually contributed anything useful to the discussion rather than just rehashing the problem while pretending to have original thoughts on it.

I ramble on that for a reason. Gellner's is precisely one of those books that would be counted on that hand. The reason is that he is both a philosopher and an anthropoligist (as most writers in the one discipline ignore the methods of the other). Gellner's philosophic side wants to gravitate towards human universals and in this he resembles Kant and the Enlightenment. His anthropologist side, though, wants to gravitate towards the differences, and in this he takes after Herder and the Romantics.

As those who have read Gellner before know, he sides more-or-less with the Englightenment on this one (never all the way). As a brief synopsis, the first and fourth essay defend positivism and argue that the scientific process not only applies to the 'social sciences' but is the best way for them to operate. The second and (my favorite) third essay, deal with the problem of human universals in a world of seemingly different areas, approaches, cultures and...dare we say it...natures. The fifth, sixth and seventh essay (more antrhopologic theory and less philosophy) deal with and demolish 'structuralism' and 'hermeneutic' approaches to antrhopology with the lattter taking direct aim at Wittgenstien's 'community' theory of language.

While this collection is short (at 187 pages) the insights are fantasitc and as mentioned above, blend the theoretic prowess of the philosopher with the empirical traditon of the antrhopologist. On a personal note, as a longtime fan of Karl Popper, I found Gellners extended critique (first essay) of Popper most useful. Long and short: this book is worth the time, effort, and money.

Social Science and the Challenge of Relativism, Vol 2: Claims of Knowledge, On the Labor of Making Found Worlds (Social Science & the Challenge of Relativism)
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Social Science and the Challenge of Relativism, Vol 2: Claims of Knowledge, On the Labor of Making Found Worlds (Social Science & the Challenge of Relativism)
Lawrence, E. Hazelrigg
Manufacturer: Florida State University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Social Theory | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0813008905

When in Rome: An Introduction to Relativism and Knowledge (S U N Y Series in Philosophy)
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When in Rome: An Introduction to Relativism and Knowledge (S U N Y Series in Philosophy)
N. L. Gifford
Manufacturer: State Univ of New York Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Epistemology | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0873956672

Rethinking the ''strong programme'' in the sociology of knowledge [An article from: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science]
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Rethinking the ''strong programme'' in the sociology of knowledge [An article from: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science]
A. Haddock
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000RQZPY8

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, published by Elsevier in 2004. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
It is widely believed that the ''strong programme'' in the sociology of knowledge comes into serious conflict with mainstream epistemology. I argue that the programme has two aspects-one modest, and the other less so. The programme's modest aspect-best represented by the ''symmetry thesis''-does not contain anything to threaten much of the epistemological mainstream, but does come into conflict with a certain kind of epistemological ''externalism''. The immodest aspect, however-in the form of ''finitism''-pushes the programme towards a radical form of relativism about truth. Accepting these points will allow us to put an end to much unnecessary debate surrounding the strong programme, and allow a more fruitful discussion to begin.

Science, truth and history, Part I. Historiography, relativism and the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge [An article from: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science]

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Science, truth and history, Part I. Historiography, relativism and the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge [An article from: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science]
N. Tosh
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Recently, many historians of science have chosen to present their historical narratives from the 'actors'-eye view'. Scientific knowledge not available within the actors' culture is not permitted to do explanatory work. Proponents of the Sociology of Scientific Knowledge (SSK) purport to ground this historiography on epistemological relativism. I argue that they are making an unnecessary mistake: unnecessary because the historiographical genre in question can be defended on aesthetic and didactic grounds; and a mistake because the argument from relativism is in any case incoherent. The argument of the present article is self-contained, but steers clear of metaphysical debates in the philosophy of science. To allay fears of hidden assumptions, the sequel, to be published in the following issue, will consider SSK's prospects of succour from scientific realism, instrumentalism, and a metaphysical system of Bruno Latour's own devising.

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