The Evidence for the Top Quark: Objectivity and Bias in Collaborative Experimentation

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Kent W. Staley (St Louis University, Missouri)

The Evidence for the Top Quark

Objectivity and Bias in Collaborative Experimentation

Kent W. Staley (St Louis University, Missouri)

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English

Cambridge University Press
03 March 2011

Philosophy of science; Particle & high-energy physics

The Evidence for the Top Quark offers both a historical and philosophical perspective on an important recent discovery in particle physics: evidence for the elementary particle known as the top quark. Drawing on published reports, oral histories, and internal documents from the large collaboration that performed the experiment, Kent Staley explores in detail the controversies and politics that surrounded this major scientific result. At the same time the book seeks to defend an objective theory of scientific evidence based on error probabilities. Such a theory provides an illuminating explication of the points of contention in the debate over the evidence for the top quark. Philosophers wishing to defend the objectivity of the results of scientific research must face unflinchingly the realities of scientific practice, and this book attempts to do precisely that.

By: Kent W. Staley (St Louis University Missouri)
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 20mm
Weight: 540g
ISBN: 9780521174251
ISBN 10: 0521174252
Pages: 360
Publication Date: 03 March 2011
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction; 1. Origins of the third generation of matter; 2. Building a detector and a collaboration to run it; 3. Doing physics: CDF closes in on the top; 4. Writing up the evidence: The evolution of a result; 5. Run Ib: 'Observation' of the top quark, and second thoughts and 'evidence'; 6. A model of the experiment: Error statistical evidence and the top quark; 7. Bias, uncertainty, and evidence; Epilogue.

Reviews for The Evidence for the Top Quark: Objectivity and Bias in Collaborative Experimentation

Review of the hardback: '... a significant contribution to the history and philosophy of both experiment and science.' Allen Franklin, University of Colorado at Boulder, author of The Neglect of Experiment Review of the hardback: 'It should become a model of how philosophers do a case study in the history of science ... The philosophy, history and sociology are fully integrated. All in all, it's a wonderful book.' Craig Callender, University of California, San Diego The discussion of the personalities, politics and funding as well as the science should make this book interesting to a diverse group of people including historians, philosophers, physicists, and well-informed nonscientists. R.L. Stearns, emeritus, Vassar College, Choice It should become a model of how philosophers do a case study in the history of science...The philosophy, history and sociology are fully integrated. All in all, it's a wonderful book. Craig Callender, University of California, San Diego