Fictions in Science
The seminar is concerned with the question whether ideas developed as part of the philosophical analysis of fiction can contribute to the understanding scientific discourse.
The first part of the seminar will be devoted to Kendall Walton’s analysis of fiction in literature and art (this part of the seminar should be of interest to philosophy students and to students interested in arts, rhetoric etc.). We will then ask whether these ideas can be applied to central question in philosophy of science. A large part of the discussion will be developed to recent views on scientific modeling that regard models as fictions.
Students should try to get their hands on Kendall L. Walton Mimesis as make-believe. Harvard University Press. 1990. We will not read the entire book, but will devote considerable time to parts of it.
Full sylabus and reading list will be posted at the beginning of the semester.
