Undergraduate Course: Philosophy of Science 1 (PHIL08005)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Philosophy |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
http://www.philosophy.ed.ac.uk/phil_students/undergraduate/course_guides.php |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | The lecture content is divided into Three Parts.
Part One focuses on the scientific method and will introduce some classic topics in philosophy of science, such as the old and new problem of induction, Popper's falsificationism, Kuhn's structure of scientific revolutions, Lakatos's methodology of scientific research programs, and Feyerabend's methodological anarchism.
Part Two will provide an introduction to the literature on scientific realism and antirealism: starting with Putnam and Boyd's original definition of scientific realism, we will move on to Bas van Fraassen's constructive empiricism and Ian Hacking's experimental realism.
Part Three will discuss laws of nature, scientific explanation and scientific models. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | Students MUST NOT also be taking
Science and Society 1A (SCSU08001)
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Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
to introduce the student to characteristically philosophical ways of thinking
to enable the student to express philosophical ideas and arguments |
Assessment Information
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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Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Michela Massimi
Tel: (0131 6)50 3662
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Francesca Anderson
Tel: (0131 6)50 3961
Email: |
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