| Omschrijving |
Philosophy of science is a branch of philosophy concerned with foundational questions about the nature of science: what is science? how does science work? how does science relate to other forms of knowledge and human practices? In this course we will study classic and some contemporary assessments of these questions, with special attention to social and contextual aspects. The course is structured in three sections:
1. Demarcation and Explanation. We will discuss problems that arise when we try spell out clearly the difference between science, non-science, and pseudo-science. Then we will study the concept of scientific explanation, and the senses in which science can be explanatory. We will also look at the difficulties of an unified account of explanation, and study how the special sciences (i.e., sciences other than physics) explain. 2. Inference, Models, and Experiments. We will discuss classic issues about forms of scientific inference (induction, deduction, and abduction) and their problems. Then we will address questions about the relation between scientific models (e.g., a neuron structure, or a computer simulation of a physical or social system) and the reality that they purport to model. 3. Social Dimensions of Science. We will discuss how scientific knowledge grows, and the social context in which science occurs. We will talk about scientific changes and revolutions, and sociological and economic aspects around scientific practice. We will also discuss the role of scientists' values in (different notions of) scientific objectivity. And we will conclude with discussions about the role of science in education and policy. |
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