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2021　Philosophy of Science A

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Academic unit or major
Humanities and social science courses
Instructor(s)
Tagoyama Wakako 
Class Format
Lecture     
Media-enhanced courses
Day/Period(Room No.)
Mon5-6(W933)  
Group
-
Course number
LAH.T106
Credits
1
Academic year
2021
Offered quarter
4Q
Syllabus updated
2021/3/22
Lecture notes updated
-
Language used
Japanese
Access Index

Course description and aims

・This course focuses on various methodologies of science in the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe, from the point of view of the history of science and ideas, including the history of Christianity & the history of philosophy.
・This course covers key concepts or themes of modern science (the laws of nature, the relation between experiment and experience, empiricism, time and space, premodern Christianity etc.), and it gives an overview of cultural/historical backgrounds of the relation between science and religion.

Student learning outcomes

At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) understand these concepts of premodern scientific methodologies aforementioned,
2) explain their common cultural and historical background.

Keywords

History of science and ideas, laws of nature, experience, experiment, empiricism, early modern science, scientific revolution, religious revolution, the relationship between science and religion

Competencies that will be developed

✔ Specialist skills ✔ Intercultural skills Communication skills ✔ Critical thinking skills Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

In the last 20-30 minutes of each class, students should summarize topics of the the class on attendant papers. If they have time, they can add their opinions or questions there.

Course schedule/Required learning

  Course schedule Required learning
Class 1 Introduction: current researches on the relationship between science and religion understand the meaning of learning thoughts of modern natural science in the context of Christianity
Class 2 The concept of laws of nature in the 17th century understand the source of the concept of laws of nature which appeared in the 17th century and played a central methodological role in the pre-modern natural science
Class 3 What is ‘experiment’? understand the concept of experiment from the relation to the concept of experience
Class 4 Mechanism in the pre-modern natural science understand the idea of mechanism which was one of facets of the concept of experience in the pre-modern natural science
Class 5 Empiricism and Protestantism understand British empiricism from the standpoint of Christianity, and the close relationship between Progressivism and Christianity
Class 6 time and space understand various theories about space and time, especially comparing Newton and Leibniz. in conclusion, understand and summarize variety of methodologies of the pre-modern natural science, and recent revaluation between science and religion
Class 7 conclusion understand the theme of this course, and prepare term papers

Out-of-Class Study Time (Preparation and Review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

none required

Reference books, course materials, etc.

course materials will be posted on OCW-i in advance

Assessment criteria and methods

Student's course scores are based on term papers (80%) and exercise
(submission of papers) (20%). Term papers must be handed in to the
instructor after the final class is over. Full attendance is
compulsory. The instructor may fail a student if he/she repeatedly
comes to delay in submission.

Related courses

  • LAH.T102 ： History of Science A
  • LAH.T202 ： History of Science B
  • LAH.T302 ： History of Science C

Prerequisites (i.e., required knowledge, skills, courses, etc.)

non prerequisites

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