20914 Issues in Philosophy of Science 1
Credits: 6 advanced credits in Philosophy or in Sciences - General
Prerequisites: 36 credits, including Philosophy of Science and one course in Natural or Life Sciences. Students must also fulfill all English requirements and take bibliographic instruction in the Library.
Recommended: Problems in Moral Philosophy
The course is based on a reader edited by Yemima Ben-Menahem.
The course is designed for students who took Philosophy of Science (20202) and wish to expand their knowledge on the subject. Special emphasis is placed on developing the skills of critical reading, reflection and philosophical reasoning.
Topics: Science and Reality – this part of the course deals with the central question in philosophy of science: Do scientific theories provide truths about the world? The positions of Hilary Putnam, Paul Feyerabend and Willard van Orman Quine on this question are examined. Theory and Observation – Problems concerning inductive logic, with special reference to the theoretician’s dilemma and Goodman’s paradox. Explanation and Causation – Criticism of Hempel’s model of scientific explanation; analysis of the concept of causation.
1There is some overlap in the content of this and other courses. For details, see Overlapping Courses.