Explore UCD

UCD Home >

PHIL20620

Academic Year 2024/2025

Philosophy of Social Science (PHIL20620)

Subject:
Philosophy
College:
Social Sciences & Law
School:
Philosophy
Level:
2 (Intermediate)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Professor Rowland Stout
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

The module starts with developing a conception of what science itself is. What distinguishes science from pseudo-science? What are the distinctive methodologies of science? What is it to have a scientific explanation of something? How does science progress? Are scientific claims supposed to be actually true or merely useful? Then we apply some of this understanding of the nature of science to social science – in particular to Economics and Politics. We will investigate the concept of utility based on preference theory that is employed in Welfare Economics, and we will ask whether the economic conception of rationality based on maximization of expected utility makes sense. We will also consider social ontology (the nature of social reality), social epistemology and epistemic injustice.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of the module students will:
(i) have an understanding of the central ideas in the philosophy of science and the philosophy of social science;
(ii) have a philosophical understanding of some of the fundamental ideas used in Economics and in Social/Political Theory;
(iii) be able to develop their own arguments about how to employ these fundamental ideas;
(iv) be able to express these arguments in a clear, coherent and well-informed way.

Indicative Module Content:

Philosophy of Science; Scientific Methodology; Scientific realism; Philosophy of Economics; Utility; Rational Choice Theory; Social epistemology.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Autonomous Student Learning

93
Lectures

24
Tutorial

8
Total

125

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures; tutorials; independent learning in preparation for short essays and exams. There will be no opportunity to use generative Al for any of the assignments, and if a student thinks they need to use ChatGPT, Grammarly or some other version of GenAI they must discuss this with the module co-ordinator in advance.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Additional Information:
This module is only available for stage 2 PPE students.


 

Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Exam (Open Book): Mid-term exam on material from first half of the module Week 6 Graded No

25

 No
Assignment(Including Essay): 1500 word essay on material from second half of the module Week 10 Graded No

25

 No
Exam (In-person): End of semester 2 hour exam with 3 questions at least one to be answered from each half. End of trimester
Duration:
2 hr(s)
 Graded No

40

 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Tutorial participation Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 9, Week 10 Graded No

10

 No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback on the essay is provided in the form of comments and a grade within two weeks of the submission deadline.

Name Role
Professor James O'Shea Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.