PL 593 Philosophy of Science (Fall: 3)
An introduction to the central themes of twentieth-century history and philosophy
of science. Topics to be discussed include the classic and contemporary
problems of demarcation, explanation, confirmation, laws of nature, inter-theoretic
reduction, social and historical critiques of neo-positivism, and the realism/anti-realism
debate. We will examine some philosophical perspectives sometimes thought
to be closely associated with science including empiricism, pragmatism,
naturalism, and physicalism. We will also discuss a number of other issues,
including questions about objectivity and the role of values in science,
the methods, scope, and limits of science, and whether science provides
anything like a worldview.
Patrick Byrne
Last Updated: 01-FEB-13