Course Identification

General module: History and philosophy of science in science teaching
20256071

Lecturers and Teaching Assistants

Dr. David Kashtan
N/A

Course Schedule and Location

2025
First Semester
N/A
15/10/2024
18/02/2025

Field of Study, Course Type and Credit Points

Science Teaching (non thesis MSc Track): Lecture; Obligatory; Regular; 2.00 points

Comments

2nd year only!
קורס מתוקשב

Prerequisites

No

Restrictions

60
For students in the Rothschild-Weizmann program only

Language of Instruction

Hebrew

Attendance and participation

Expected and Recommended

Grade Type

Numerical (out of 100)

Grade Breakdown (in %)

10%
45%
45%

Evaluation Type

Final assignment

Scheduled date 1

N/A
N/A
-
N/A

Estimated Weekly Independent Workload (in hours)

3

Syllabus

The course will examine topics from the history and philosophy of science. The overarching theme will be the contrast between, on the one hand, the ancient, specifically Aristotelian, world-view, and the world-view that results from the "scientific revolution":

* The Copernican revolution 

* Forces and causation up to Newtonian mechanics

* The concepts of atom and element in chemistry, and their interaction

* Teleological concepts in biology

* Mutual influences between mathematics and science

* Space, time and causation in relativity theory

* A window into 20th century philosophy of science

Learning Outcomes

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

  1. Place scientific material in a broader historical context;
  2. Display acquaintance with the thought of major philosophers of science in history (Aristotle, Kant, etc.). 
  3. Critically and philosophically assess scientific frameworks and concepts
  4. Distinguish clearly between theory and methodology and identify the philosophical commitments that are involved in a methodological choice.

Reading List

To be given

Website

N/A