AS 150.431 - Introduction to Philosophy of Science

Institution:

Johns Hopkins University

Subject:

Description:

This course introduces students to some major philosophical problems about science, including these three: (1) Is there a universal set of rules constituting the “scientific method” that scientists must always follow in order to be rational? (2) Can science provide knowledge of an “unobservable” world underlying our experiences, and if so how? Or is science confined to speaking about the world of observation? (3) Are there important differences between philosophy and science? We will consider disputes between rationalists (e.g., Descartes) and empiricists (e.g., Newton) on scientific method, historical and contemporary debates between scientific realists and instrumentalists about the reach of science, as well as different viewpoints concerning the relationship between philosophy and science. No particular science or philosophy background is presupposed.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.jhu.edu

Phone Number:

(410) 516-8000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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