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May 12, 2024
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HU 4311 - Philosophy of Science3 lecture hours 0 lab hours 3 credits
Course Description
We live in what might be described as a “scientific culture,” in which the influence of science and technology looms large. Often, some matter of ethics or public policy depends upon a scientific claim, and ultimately upon some philosophical view about the nature of science. In this course we will examine a variety of difficult and controversial philosophical questions about the nature and scope of scientific inquiry, including but not limited to: “Is creationism a science?” ”Can science provide ‘objective’ knowledge of reality?” ”Are socio-political and ethical values relevant to science?” etc. General topics discussed include: i) the demarcation problem, ii) scientific methodology, iii) the problem of induction, iv) scientific realism vs. anti-realism, v) scientific explanation, vi) laws of nature, and vii) science and values. Reading selections will include some of the great philosophers of science of the 20th century, such as Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, and Carl Hempel, as well as work from contemporary philosophers, such as Samir Okasha and Helen Longino. (prereq: none)
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the various traditions of philosophical theorizing about the goals, methodology, and presuppositions of science
- Articulate and address philosophical questions in a precise and disciplined way
- Reconstruct and analyze arguments in a way that displays evidence of clear, critical, and precise thinking
Prerequisites by Topic
Course Topics
- The demarcation problem
- Scientific methodology
- The problem of induction
- Realism vs anti-realism
- Scientific explanation
- Laws of nature
- Science and society
Coordinator
Dr. Francis Cabrera
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