Course Identification

The course will examine several topics from the history and philosophy of science, the overarching theme being the tension between the objectivity of science and the contribution that man makes to the content of scientific theories. The topics that we will cover will be among the following:

* The Copernican revolution 

* The problem of induction (Hume vs. Kant)

* Evolutionary theory and teleological concepts

* Atoms and elements

* Confirmation and falsification (Carnap, Popper, Quine)

* The concept of race in biology and in politics

Upon successful completion of this course students should be able to:

1. Place scientific material in a broader historical context; display acquaintance with the thought of major philosophers of science in history (Aristotle, Kant, etc.). 
2. Critically and philosophically assess scientific frameworks; distinguish clearly between theory and methodology and identify the philosophical commitments that are involved in a methodological choice. 
3. Engage with issues that spill over from science to current issues in politics and society. 

To be given