PHIL 750

Philosophy of Science 2

Please note: this is archived course information from 2021 for PHIL 750.

Description

This course will focus on the philosophy of climate science. Climate change is at the forefront of public discussion, and raises critical ethical and political issues. While these will necessarily be part of our discussions, our main focus will be on topics in philosophy of science through the lens of climate science in the 21st century.

We will examine questions such as: How do values and science interact? (How) is climate science special with regard to this interaction? How do climate scientists generate predictions, and infer causal relationships, using complex models and simulations? How should we understand and communicate about the probabilities and uncertainties involved? What factors contribute to public understanding of climate science (or lack thereof)? While students with scientific background are welcome, no particular background in science (climate or otherwise) will be assumed. 

Assessment

Coursework only

Availability 2021

Not offered in 2021; planned for 2022

Lecturer(s)

Lecturer(s) Dr Emily Parke

Reading/Texts

All readings will be made available electronically in 2020.

Points

PHIL 750: 15 points