Philosopphy of Science I
This course introduces the philsophical discussion about the nature of science: What science is, How and why it works, How is it different than other ways of studying the world (those the existed before science bacame dominant in our culture, and those that science sturggles with here and now). We will examine and discuss various answers to these questions, and see in what important aspects they differ. We will begin the semester by talking about science in contemporary western societies. We will then talk about the scientific revolution and its relation to the philosophy of Bacon, Descartes, and Hobbes. After this introduction we will spend most of the semester discussing 20th century approaches to philosophy of science. By way of summary we will end the semester by discussing scientific realism, philosophical naturalism and the question of scientific progress.
Full sylabus and reading list will be posted at the beginning of the semester.
