Course Description
Concepts important to an understanding of the nature/goals of research in the natural sciences, such as observation, experiment, theory, law, and explanation. Philosophical problems about objectivity and conceptual change in science based on examples from the history of science. Nature of scientific knowledge. Notes: One course in natural science recommended.
Syllabus
Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:
Students successfully completing this course will be able to:
For the last four centuries, scientific research has provided our most reliable understanding of the world. Although the scientific revolution started modestly with attempts to understand stellar movement, we now know the age and constitution of the universe, the basis of heredity, and we can make and break chemical bonds at will. By all appearances, science seems to have made substantial progress from the scientific revolution to the global scientific enterprise of the 21st century. This course is about how science has generated this knowledge, and whether it has been as progressive and reliable as it seems. We will consider methodological issues such as the sources of scientific knowledge, objectivity, the growing importance of computation in the natural sciences, and the nature of modeling. We will examine products of scientific research: explanations, models, theories, and laws of nature. And we will discuss questions about science and values, including whether non-scientific values can and should enter scientific research, the relationship between science and religion, and the role of the public in guiding the scientific enterprise.
- Analyze written texts to understand how they relate to particular audiences, purposes, and contexts as a way to inform one’s own writing.
- Create and revise written texts for particular audiences, purposes, and contexts.
- Through written reflection demonstrate awareness of one’s writing choices as well as how one’s own writing contributes to ongoing conversations in the relevant discipline.
Course Grading Information:
| Activity/Performance Measure | Percentage/Points |
|---|---|
| Reading Homework Quiz | 50% |
| Short Paper | 20% |
| Final Paper (with draft and peer review and revisions) | 30% |
Attendance/Participation:
This course is asynchronous online. There is no attendance requirement.
Course Materials Purchased by the Students:
Godfrey-Smith, Peter (2021) Theory and Reality: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science, Second Edition. University of Chicago Press.
Course Letter Grade Assignments:
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 94 | A |
| 90 | A- |
| 87 | B+ |
| 84 | B |
| 80 | B- |
| 77 | C+ |
| 74 | C |
| 70 | C- |
| 67 | D+ |
| 64 | D |
| 60 | D- |
| <60 | F |
Scholarly Perspectives
This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.