Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
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Course code
HIF6105.HT
old course code
HIF6105
Course title in Estonian
Sissejuhatus teadusfilosoofiasse
Course title in English
Introduction to the Philosophy of Science
ECTS credits
5.0
Assessment form
Examination
lecturer of 2023/2024 Spring semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
lecturer of 2024/2025 Autumn semester
Not opened for teaching. Click the study programme link below to see the nominal division schedule.
Course aims
To provide opportunities and guidance for students to develop knowledge and understanding of the basic issues within Philosophy of Science. Such understanding should include insight into the principal positions upon: the nature of theories, laws and scientific explanation, problems of scientific confirmation, problems with science and scientific change, and sociological perspectives on science.
To create the preconditions and guide development of the skills necessary to properly engage with, evaluate and synthesize the material covered within the course. Skills developed for this purpose should also be transferable to further material and other fields.
To provide opportunities to develop and demonstrate the skills necessary to transmit knowledge and understanding synthesized, both in regards to material covered in this course and in a transferrable sense, through various approaches: i.e. in written word, oral communication etc.
Brief description of the course
In this course we examine the attempts of philosophers to address the fundamental aspects of science that science itself is ill-equipped to deal with. Can we make sense of the nature of theories, laws, and scientific explanation? Is there a way to explain the special relationship to empirical evidence that we often take science to have? Does science really describe the world? We also take a brief look at more critical sociological perspectives on science – is science at heart a social phenomena? How influenced by factors such as gender and race is the supposedly objective nature of science?
Learning outcomes in the course
Upon completing the course the student:
- has got the capacity for critical evaluation of the philosophical, historical and theoretical value, relevance and strengths of the various positions examined during the course;
- has got a firm grasp of the scope of PoS, the basic philosophical problems that face science, the relationship between philosophy and science in solving these, and an informed perspective upon the value and tenability of both.
Teacher
Andres Luure
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