1
Philosophy 352: Philosophy of Science
Dr. Jacquelyn Ann Kegley
Office: Faculty Towers 103-D 664-2249/2291 Fax: 665-6904
E-mail: (I do not accept any assigned work by e-mail)
Website:
Office Hours: Mon. & Wed- 4-5:30p.m.; Tues. 2-3 and by appointment.
Required Text
E.D. Klemke, Robert Hollinger, David W. Rudge, A. David Kline, Editors, Introductory Readings in the Philosophy of Science. (1998: Prometheus Books)
Course Description
The course will critically examine the underpinnings of scientific knowledge through an analysis and evaluation of various scientific concepts such as “scientific laws,” “explanation,” “observation,” and “theory.” It will seek to provide an understanding of the methods, presuppositions and biases of scientific knowledge claims.
Course Goals
A student who successfully completes this course should be able
- To philosophically examine, critically analyze and compare various views of the nature and goals of the scientific enterprise.
- To read philosophical texts with critical understanding.
- To have improved skills in thinking, writing, and reading.
Course Requirements
Your success in this course will be assessed by
- Participation and class attendance. This is a class in which we will share our observations, ideas, and critical reflections. In this process, we should gain a wider understanding of the philosophical texts and hopefully will learn much from each other. Attendance and participation is thus mandatory. If you must miss class for a legitimate reason, please contact me ahead of time. Each unexcused absence warrants a five-percent reduction in the final grade. In addition to the necessity of attending class, you need to come prepared. This means that you have to read the entire assignment, have thought about it, and are ready to discuss it.
- Preparation for Class: You will be asked to hand in written answers to selected study questions in each section of the text. (These efforts will be worth 25%of the final grade.) You should also be prepared to discuss the case study and may hand in your analysis of that for extra credit. In all of your assignments, you must write grammatically correct English that is spelled correctly. You should use your dictionaries and consult the writing center if you need additional help.
- Mid-Term and Final Examination: These exams will require you to write critical, analytic answers to short essay questions. Each exam effort will be worth 20% of the final grade or a total of 40% of the final grade for both exams.
- Final paper: This paper is due on the last day of the class and a term paper proposal is expected April 27. Further instructions are provided below. This is worth 35% of the final grade.
Final Paper
Term paper proposal – Due April 27
This proposal should be about two printed pages identifying
- The topic you propose to explore in your term paper research,
- The sources you intend to use in your term paper research and
- The type of paper you expect to write (see below).
Term paper - Due June 3
This paper should be about 10 printed pages not including bibliography. It should be a critical reflection on what you learned in your research for the paper on one of the following types of explorations.
- A partial history of some scientific or science-related concept, viewpoint, or theory.
- A critical exposition of two viewpoints related to science.
- A critical exposition of a specific philosophical theory, spelling out its strengths and weaknesses.
- A defense of a prominent theory or viewpoint against specific criticisms.
- A case study of an important scientific experiment, discovery, or theoretical development and a discussion of its significance for some issue in the philosophy of science.
PAPERS MUST BE YOUR OWN WORK. Plagiarism is grounds for failure of the course. Plagiarism includes the use of someone else’s ideas or words without giving the appropriate reference or credit. If you are in doubt, ask me.
Letter grades and equivalents
93-100= A83-86= B 73-76=C63-66=D
90-92 = A-80-82= B-70-72= C-60-62+ D-
87-89 = B+77-79= C+67-69= D+Below 60 + F
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Tuesday, March 30Introduction to some of the issues and history.
Thursday, April 1Read: Karl Popper, “Science, Conjectures and
Refutations,”pp. 48-47; and John Ziman, “What is Science?” pp.48-53.
Prepare to hand in Study Questions 1-5, p.100.
Tuesday, April 6Read: Carl Hempel, “Studies in the Logic of
Explanation,” pp. 206-224. Prepare to hand in
Study Questions, 2-5.
Thursday, April 8Read: Karl Lambert and Gordon Britten, “Laws &
Conditional Statements.” 225-232; and Nancy
Cartwright, “The Truth Doesn’t Explain Much,”
pp. 233-240. Prepare to hand in Study Questions
7-16.
Tuesday, April 13Read: Wesley Salmon, “Scientific Explanation:
How We Got From There to Here,” pp.241-263.
Study Question 20.
Thursday, April 15Read: Bras C. van Frassen, “The Pragmatics of
Explanation,” pp. 264-277 and Philip Kitcher,
“Explanatory Unification,” pp. 278-301. Study
Questions: 19,22,23,24 and 25.
Thursday, April 20Read: Rudolf Carnap, “The Nature of Theories,”
pp. 316-332. Study Questions: 1-2
Tuesday, April 22Read: Hilary Putnam, “What Theories Are Not,”
333-337; N.R. Hanson, “Observation,” pp. 339-
350; and T. Stace, “Science and the Physical
World,” 351-357. Study Questions: 3-8.
Term Paper Proposals Due
Thursday, April 27Read: Stephen Toulmin, “Do Sub-Microscopic
Entities Exist?” pp. 358-373. Study Questions
9 and 10.
______
Thursday, April 29Read: Carl A. Matheson & A. David Kline,
“Is There a Significant Observational-Theoretical
Distinction?”pp. 374-389. Study Questions 11-14.
Tuesday, May 4Read: Ernan McMullin, “A Case for Scientific
Realism.” – handout. We will return to this piece
again later in the quarter.
Thursday, May 6thMid-Term Examination
Tuesday, May 11Read: W.V. Quine & J.S. Ulian, “Hypothesis,”
pp. 404-414. Study Questions: 1-5
Thursday, May 13Read: Ronald Giere, “Justifying Scientific
Theories,” pp. 415-434. Study Question 6.
Tuesday, May 18Read: Thomas S. Kuhn, “Objectivity, Value
Judgment and Theory-Choice,” pp. 435-450.
Study Question 9.
Thursday, May 20Read: Carl C. Hempel, “Scientific Rationality:
Analytic vs. Pragmatic Perspectives,” pp. 450-464
& Philipp G. Frank, “The Variety of Reasons for
the Acceptance of Scientific Theories,” pp.465-
475. Study Questions: 10 & 12-16.
Tuesday, May 25Read: Richard Rudner, “The Scientist Qua
Scientist Makes Value Judgments,” pp.492-498 &
Carl G. Hempel, “Science and Human Values,”
499-14. Study Questions: 1-3.
Thursday, May 27Read: Ernan McMullin,” Values in Science,”
pp. 515-538. Study Questions: 4-7. Helen E.
Logino, “Can There Be a Feminist Science?”
Tuesday, June 1Read: Robert Hollinger, “From Weber to Habermas,” pp. 539-549. Questions 8-11.
______
Thursday, June 3Read: Ronald Giere, “The Feminist Question in
The Philosophy of Science,” pp. 550-564.
Study Questions 12-10.
RESEARCH PAPER DUE