Course Identification

Philosophy of science
20223122

Lecturers and Teaching Assistants

Dr. Tamar Schneider
N/A

Course Schedule and Location

2022
Second Semester
Thursday, 14:15 - 16:00, WSoS, Rm C
31/03/2022
19/08/2022

Field of Study, Course Type and Credit Points

Life Sciences: Lecture; Elective; Regular; 2.00 points
Life Sciences (Systems Biology Track): 2.00 points
Life Sciences (Molecular and Cellular Neuroscience Track): 2.00 points

Comments

N/A

Prerequisites

No

Restrictions

30

Language of Instruction

English

Attendance and participation

Obligatory

Grade Type

Numerical (out of 100)

Grade Breakdown (in %)

10%
20%
30%
40%
Weekly assignments are very short reading responses

Evaluation Type

Final assignment

Scheduled date 1

N/A
N/A
-
N/A

Estimated Weekly Independent Workload (in hours)

2.5

Syllabus

This course explores some of the central philosophical questions raised about the nature of scientific knowledge. What is the nature of science which distinguishes it from other sources of beliefs? What is unique about the scientific cognitive practices and methodologies that make them reliable? But also, what are the limits of scientific understanding, and why is it important to examine them? What is scientific objectivity? How is scientific inquiry related to human and social values?   Examining these questions, we will look into current issues such as biomedicine, data analysis, and climate change.

Students will engage with philosophical writing encountering the work of some of the principal recent and contemporary philosophers of science, including Nancy Cartwright, Thomas Kuhn, Helen Longino, Angela Potochnik, and Kyle Whyte.


 

Requirements:

10 points – In-class participation

20 points – Weekly reading responses (two to three sentences or questions

30 points – One in-class presentation and leading discussion including a handout or slides

40 points – Two to three pages long final paper based on the readings

 

 

Reading

Topic

Date

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/if-you-say-science-is-right-youre-wrong/#

 

https://www.wired.com/story/science-isnt-about-the-truth-its-about-building-models/

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/science/space/a-black-hole-mystery-wrapped-in-a-firewall-paradox.html

 

Introduction

31.03

Intro Ch. 2 “Scientific Reasoning” sections 1,3,4 (pp. 16-20 (top), 23-26 midddle).

 

Carl Hempel (1966), The Role of Induction in Scientific Inquiry. Readings in the Philosophy of Science: From Positivism to Postmodernism, by Theodore Schick, Jr. Pp.41-49

Scientific reasoning

(kinds of reasoning and argument)

07.04

Jacob Stegenga, “Is Meta-Analysis the Platinum Standard of Evidence? Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C, 42 (2011) 497–507 

Scientific reasoning

(Evidence and theory)

14.04

 

Passover – no class

21.04

 

Holocaust memorial – no class

28.04

 

Independent day – no class

05.05

Intro ch. 4 “Realism and anti-Realism” pp. 54-66; optional: “Underdetermination” pp. 66-70

 

Angela Potochnik (2015) The diverse aims of science

Aims of Science

(truth)

12.05

Nancy Cartwright, The Truth Doesn't Explain Much. American Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 2 (1980), pp. 159-163

Aims of Science

(truth)

19.05

Ana M. Soto, Carlos Sonnenschein (2018) Reductionism, Organicism, and Causality in the Biomedical Sciences: A Critique

Aims of science

(Explanations)

26.5

Chris Anderson, “The End of Theory: The Data Deluge Makes the Scientific

Method Obsolete” Wired Magazine 16, 7 (2008)

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/16-07/pb_theory

 

Sabina Leonelli, “What Difference Does Quantity Make?” Big Data and Society 1-11, (2014)

Aims of Science

(Predictions)

02.06

Intro ch.5 scientific revolutions pp.74-86

 

Thomas Kuhn, “The Nature and Necessity of Scientific Revolutions” ch. IX “Revolutions as Changes of World View” ch. X “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.” (University of Chicago Press 1962, 2012)

Science, Knowledge, Rationality, and Objectivity

(knowledge and scientific change)

09.06

Longino, Evidence, and Hypothesis: An Analysis of Evidential Relations. Philosophy of Science, Vol. 46, No. 1 (1979), pp. 35-56

Science, Knowledge, Rationality, and Objectivity

(rationality)

16.06

Sharon Crasnow, Feminist Philosophy of Science: Values and Objectivity. Philosophy Compass 8/4 (2013): 413–423, 10.1111/phc3.12023

Science, Knowledge, Rationality, and Objectivity

(Objectivity)

23.06

Koffi N. Maglo, Some epistemic and ethical considerations. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, volume 53, number 3 (2010):357–72

Science and Values (race)

30.06

Kyle Whyte, Indigenous science (fiction) for the Anthropocene: Ancestral dystopias and fantasies of climate change crises. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 2018, Vol. 1(1–2) 224–242

Science and Values (de-colonialism)

07.07

Kristina Rolin, Objectivity, trust, and social responsibility. Synthese (2021) 199:513–533

Last class

14.07
 

 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course students will:

  • Become familiar with key issues and debates in philosophy of science;
  • Acquire tools, such as argument analysis and assumption detection, for the evaluation of philosophical claims about the sciences
  • Develop abilities to raise philosophical questions about particular scientific claims or scientific inquiry in general.

Reading List

 

Reading

Topic

Date

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/if-you-say-science-is-right-youre-wrong/#

 

https://www.wired.com/story/science-isnt-about-the-truth-its-about-building-models/

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/science/space/a-black-hole-mystery-wrapped-in-a-firewall-paradox.html

 

Introduction

31.03

Intro Ch. 2 “Scientific Reasoning” sections 1,3,4 (pp. 16-20 (top), 23-26 midddle).

 

Carl Hempel (1966), The Role of Induction in Scientific Inquiry. Readings in the Philosophy of Science: From Positivism to Postmodernism, by Theodore Schick, Jr. Pp.41-49

Scientific reasoning

(kinds of reasoning and argument)

07.04

Jacob Stegenga, “Is Meta-Analysis the Platinum Standard of Evidence? Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C, 42 (2011) 497–507 

Scientific reasoning

(Evidence and theory)

14.04

 

Passover – no class

21.04

 

Holocaust memorial – no class

28.04

 

Independent day – no class

05.05

Intro ch. 4 “Realism and anti-Realism” pp. 54-66; optional: “Underdetermination” pp. 66-70

 

Angela Potochnik (2015) The diverse aims of science

Aims of Science

(truth)

12.05

Nancy Cartwright, The Truth Doesn't Explain Much. American Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 17, No. 2 (1980), pp. 159-163

Aims of Science

(truth)

19.05

Ana M. Soto, Carlos Sonnenschein (2018) Reductionism, Organicism, and Causality in the Biomedical Sciences: A Critique

Aims of science

(Explanations)

26.5

Chris Anderson, “The End of Theory: The Data Deluge Makes the Scientific

Method Obsolete” Wired Magazine 16, 7 (2008)

http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/magazine/16-07/pb_theory

 

Sabina Leonelli, “What Difference Does Quantity Make?” Big Data and Society 1-11, (2014)

Aims of Science

(Predictions)

02.06

Intro ch.5 scientific revolutions pp.74-86

 

Thomas Kuhn, “The Nature and Necessity of Scientific Revolutions” ch. IX “Revolutions as Changes of World View” ch. X “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.” (University of Chicago Press 1962, 2012)

Science, Knowledge, Rationality, and Objectivity

(knowledge and scientific change)

09.06

Helen Longino, Evidence and Hypothesis: An Analysis of Evidential Relations. Philosophy of Science, Vol. 46, No. 1 (1979), pp. 35-56

Science, Knowledge, Rationality, and Objectivity

(rationality)

16.06

Sharon Crasnow, Feminist Philosophy of Science: Values and Objectivity. Philosophy Compass 8/4 (2013): 413–423, 10.1111/phc3.12023

Science, Knowledge, Rationality, and Objectivity

(Objectivity)

23.06

Koffi N. Maglo, Some epistemic and ethical considerations. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, volume 53, number 3 (2010):357–72

Science and Values (race)

30.06

Kyle Whyte, Indigenous science (fiction) for the Anthropocene: Ancestral dystopias and fantasies of climate change crises. Environment and Planning E: Nature and Space, 2018, Vol. 1(1–2) 224–242

Science and Values (de-colonialism)

07.07

Kristina Rolin, Objectivity, trust, and social responsibility. Synthese (2021) 199:513–533

Last class

14.07
 

Website

N/A