PHIL 260

Philosophy of Science

Please note: this is archived course information from 2021 for PHIL 260.

Description

In this course we will examine questions like the following: What distinguishes science from “pseudoscience?” How does science explain the world? Is the ultimate goal of science to uncover laws of nature? Why should we feel licensed to believe in things we cannot directly observe? Do scientific theories give us literally true accounts of how the world is, or are they just useful tools for predicting and making sense of things?  

We will study these questions, and others, by discussing influential philosophical accounts of science and examining cases from historical and contemporary scientific research. Science majors are encouraged to take this course; however, no particular background in science is assumed or expected.

A particular focus in this course is on honing your critical thinking, reasoning and writing skills, with an emphasis on writing concisely about complex, interdisciplinary topics.

Prescribed Reading: All readings will be available electronically on Canvas.

Assessment: Coursework only

Availability 2021

Semester 2

Lecturer(s)

Lecturer(s) Dr Emily Parke

Reading/Texts

Prescribed Reading: All readings will be available electronically on Canvas.

Points

PHIL 260: 15 points

Prerequisites

30 points in Philosophy or 60 points

Restrictions

PHIL 360