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Birth
Alan Chalmers was born in Bristol, England in 1939 -
Chalmers earns PhD
After receiving a bachelor's and master's degree in physics he attended the University of London trying to earn his PhD not in physics but in the philosophy of science. His dissertation was written on the electromagnetic theory of James Clerk Maxwell. Chalmers then became a professor at the University of Sydney where he started as a professor of general philosophy and eventually became the department head of History and Philosophy of Science. -
Chalmers Publishes "What is this Thing Called Science"
In 1976 Chalmers publishes his most successful work and provides a textbook on the philosophy of science where he makes his own conclusions and examines philosophers of the past. This enabled him to make further contributions to the philosophy of science with the opportunities it opened up to him. Chalmers, A. What is this thing called science? 4th ed. 2013. Summary of "What is this Thing Called Science" -
Chalmers Retires
In 1999 Chalmers retires as a professor, but that didn't stop his work. Chalmers continued as a lecturer and traveled around the world proliferating his views on the philosophy of science specifically in reference to a recurring topic which is that evidence confirms physical theories in precise ways. -
Chalmers Publishes "The Scientist's Atom and the Philosopher's Stone"
Chalmers publishes his work where he examines why the ancient philosophers were unable to understand the concept of the atom but scientists were. This book goes deeper and examines why scientific knowledge is superior to the old philosophical ways of the past. Chalmers, A. The Scientist's Atom and the Philosopher's Stone. 2009.