PHIL 360
Philosophy of Science
Please note: this is archived course information from 2018 for PHIL 360.
Description
The picture we learn in school of “the scientific method” tends to greatly simplify what science is, how it works, and the logic of how we learn from it. The philosophy of science is concerned with developing a deep understanding of all of those points.
In this course we will examine questions like the following: What distinguishes science from “pseudoscience?” How does science explain the world? Is the ultimate goal of science to uncover laws of nature? Why should we feel licensed to believe in things we cannot directly observe? Do scientific theories give us literally true accounts of how the world is, or are they just useful tools for predicting and making sense of things?
We will study these questions, and others, by discussing influential philosophical accounts of science and examining cases from historical and contemporary scientific research. Science majors are encouraged to take this course; however, no particular background in science is assumed or expected.
A particular focus in this course is on honing your critical thinking, reasoning and writing skills, with an emphasis on writing concisely about complex, interdisciplinary topics.
Availability 2018
Semester 2
Lecturer(s)
Lecturer(s) Dr Emily Parke
Points
PHIL 360: 15 points
Prerequisites
30 points at Stage II in Philosophy or HISTORY 240 and SCIGEN 201
Restrictions
PHIL 260
