Philosophy of Sciences - 2nd semester
Objectives
1. To identify rationality parameters operating in scientific practice and the philosophical concepts and principles sustaining it.
2. To identify the key scientific paradigms and their philosophical assumptions.
3. To recognize and spell out with accuracy the philosophical questions raised by scientific knowledge.
4. To get to know some of the most relevant literature in the field of philosophy of science.
5. To recognize the specificity of recent contributions within philosophy of science.
General characterization
Code
711031058
Credits
6
Responsible teacher
Pietro Gori
Hours
Weekly - 4
Total - Available soon
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
None.
Bibliography
- Ladyman, J. (2002): Understanding Philosophy of Science, London and New York: Routledge.
- Okasha, S. (2016): Philosophy of Science. A Very Short Introduction, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Rovelli, C. (2018): Physics Needs Philosophy. Philosophy Needs Physics, in Foundations of Physics 48/5, pp. 481-491.
- Kuhn, T. (20124): The Structure of Scientific Revolution, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press (ou tradução portuguesa)
- Popper, K. (2002): Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge, London: Routledge (ou tradução portuguesa. Os capítulos abordados serão indicados durante o curso).
Teaching method
The course will have a double explanatory and hands-on approach. There will be theoretical classes, designed to introduce and frame the ideas of several philosophers, as well as to formulate and expand the problems under review; and classes more focused on the analysis and discussion of the literature. Students will have access to the texts to be discussed and should prepare them before class. In class teaching.
Participation to the classes is highly recommended.
Evaluation method
1. One written test at the middle of the course (35%).
2. One written test at the end of the course (65%).
Subject matter
The course will deal with Carlo Rovellis paper Physics Needs Philosophy. Philosophy Needs Physics (2018).During the first part of the course, the conceptual framework of the history and philosophy of science will be outlined. Aim of this part is that the students will gain the basic instrument to individually approach the matter and to develop a critical reflection on the fundamental topics pertaining to the history and philosophy of science. The course will especially deal with (a) the relationship between science and philosophy; (b) the basic features of knowledge, and of scientific knowledge in particular; (c) the debate on the scientific development and its methodology; (d) the issue of scientific explanation; (e) the problem of realism vs. anti-realism. The second part of the course will approach the two classic views which Carlo Rovelli deals with in his paper: Karl Poppers falsificationism and Thomas Kuhns revolutionary conception of scientific development.