There are various philosophical problems on science. Focusing on some of them, especially on ``causality'' and ``scientific explanation'', we shall introduce the backgrounds and the existing views on them. Moreover, we will explore whether or not there is a best answer or a better answer than ever.
The main aims of this course are to propose some materials for students' own thinking about sciences and to bring them to have a grounding in their own judgements.
Via this course, students will acquire some philosophically basic ideas and methods which are necessary to think for themselves about sciences.
science, philosophy, logic, metaphysics, existence, causality, scientific explanation
Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | Communication skills | ✔ Critical thinking skills | Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
70 minutes (lecture)
10 minutes (discussion and exercise)
10 minutes (question and answer)
Should the number of applicants for this course exceed the limit, a lottery system will be used to determine which students are admitted. Be sure to attend the first class.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | Introduction | Significance of philosophy of science, etc. |
Class 2 | Scientific Activities and their Elements | Analysis of scientific activities and extraction of their principal elements |
Class 3 | Some Characters of Scientific Language (1) | Consideration of some characters of scientific languages (including syntactic, semantic, pragmatic characters) |
Class 4 | Some Characters of Scientific Language (2) | Consideration of some characters of scientific languages (including syntactic, semantic, pragmatic characters) |
Class 5 | Premises (Hypotheses, Axioms, Definitions), Consequences, Data | Categories of scientific enuntiations and their methodological positions |
Class 6 | Methodology of Science | Elementary outline of methodology of science |
Class 7 | Scientific Activities and Human Abilities | Consideration of human abilities which are necessary for scientific activities |
Class 8 | Inferences in Science | Consideration of inferences which are necessary for scientific activities |
Class 9 | Scientific Explanation | Consideration of the differences between a scientific explanation and a mere combination of some inferences |
Class 10 | Justification of Scientific Knowledge | Application of some topics in epistemological justification of the modern epistemology |
Class 11 | Fallibility of Science | Some problems concerning the fact that scientific knowledge is fallible |
Class 12 | Problems of Causality | Some problems concerning causality in science |
Class 13 | Problems Concerning Theory and Existence | Investigation of some problems about the so-callled scientific realism |
Class 14 | Science and Metaphysics | Consideration of some metaphysical assumptions of science and the relation among science, metaphysics and philosophy of science |
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.
Stephen Mumford, Rani Lill Anjum, Causation: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford, 2014.
Some handouts will be distributed appropriately.
Mini Test (timely) and Term paper.
None.
Should the number of applicants for this course exceed the limit, a lottery system will be used to determine which students are admitted. Be sure to attend the first class.