PHIL10200 Intro Philosophy of Science

Academic Year 2020/2021

What is the nature of science? When is a theory scientific? What distinguishes a scientific from a non-scientific or pseudo-scientific explanation? In this course we subject the aims and methods of science to philosophical analysis. The course has five parts, covering the following topics. First, we will look at the most important attempts to characterize science by its method. This will lead us to the philosophical problem of induction and we will discuss the nature of scientific explanation. Second, we consider the issue of theory change and the skeptical challenge that there is no objective progress in science, because different scientific paradigms are 'incommensurable'. The third part addresses metaphysical questions concerning the debate about scientific realism (and anti-realism). In the forth part, we ask whether there is a divide between the natural and the social sciences and whether the explanation of human actions is fundamentally different from the explanation of natural events. The final part addresses the question of whether science can be fully objective and value-neutral.

Lectures and tutorials will be online on Brightspace.
Go to: PHIL10200 on Brightspace > My Class > Virtual Classroom > enter Course Room

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete this course will have (1) a good grasp of the central issues in the philosophy of science, (2) engaged critically with the most important views and arguments in this area, and (3) developed some independent thoughts and arguments on some of those issues.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24

Tutorial

8

Autonomous Student Learning

93

Total

125

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures, tutorials, and class participation. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Essay: 1500 words Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No

45

Continuous Assessment: Submission of short discussion questions in the tutorials. Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

10

Essay: 1500 words Week 7 n/a Graded No

45


Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Mr John Rogers Tutor