Undergraduate Course: Philosophy of Science 1 (PHIL08005)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course introduces students to major topics in philosophy of science, aiming to address the central question: "What makes science special?" No background in either philosophy or science will be assumed. |
| Course description |
The course is organized around philosophical concepts and debates that arise in the attempt to identify, justify, and explain the distinctive features of scientific practice, including:
- the nature of scientific explanation
- laws of nature
- the realism vs. antirealism debate
- the structure and justification of inductive reasoning
- modeling vs. experimentation
- effects of gender and race bias in science
- unity or disunity of scientific disciplines
Along the way, we will also survey key issues that arise in the philosophical study of particular sciences, such as astronomy, physics, biology, economics, and climate science.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 33,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
152 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
75 %,
Coursework
25 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
1 mid-term essay (1500 words) and 1 exam at the end of the semester. Coursework counts for 25%; exam for 75%.
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| Feedback |
Not entered |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Philosophy of Science 1 | 2:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | Philosophy of Science 1 | 2:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate characteristically philosophical ways of thinking
- Express philosophical ideas and arguments, especially those characteristic of philosophy of science
- Critically assess scientific claims from a philosophical standpoint
- Articulate the key issues in debates about the philosophical status of scientific practice and the empirical relationship between scientific theories and the world
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Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Alistair Isaac
Tel: (0131 6)51 5174
Email: Jackie.Allan@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Ann-Marie Cowe
Tel: (0131 6)50 3961
Email: |
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