Kursübersicht "Philosophy of Science (B 07a)"

Lehrende(r) der Kurseinheit: Prof. Dr. Nils Rauhut, Coastal Carolina University

Learning Outcomes / Competencies

The main goal of the course is to give students the chance to explore some important aspects of the Philosphy of Science. In addition, students will have the chance to practice their analytical skills and their English language competence.

This course will give students the opportunity to explore a number of philosophical issues about science. Among the issues we will discuss are these: (1) Demarcation. What distinguishes science from non-science? (2) Scientific Explanation. What is it to explain something? Does explanation require universal laws?? (3) Confirmation. How are scientific theories confirmed? (3) Values and Objectivity. Is science necessarily value-laden? To what extent does the intrusion of the values of the scientist diminish or make impossible objectivity in science? (4) Realism. Do highly theoretical entities really exist, or are they just fictions or useful tools for making predictions? Does science discover the truth about the real world, or create a world of its own?

Teaching Methods

Interactive Lecture with various active learning exercises. The language of instruction is English.

Prerequisites

Formal: Full-time student of Business Administration (MA Program) in the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences (WISO).

Academic: This course does not build up on any other courses offered on campus. It is therefore suitable for first-semester students. As the language of instruction and assessment will be English, students need to be fluent in English - both in terms of oral and written communication.

Assessed Work

Various in-class tests to be announced in class(70%), written paper (30%)

Prüfungsanmeldung:
bis Ende 1. Halbsemester:
bis Ende 2. Halbsemester:	X
individuelle Anmeldung bis:	_________ (Datum)

Bewertung

Die Prüfungsleistung ist erbracht und ECTS-Punkte werden zuerkannt, wenn Prüfungsleistungen zu zwei verschiedenen Kurseinheiten des Gesamtmoduls bestanden worden sind.

Die Prüfungsleistung für diese Kurseinheit geht zur Hälfte in die Prüfungsleistung für das Gesamtmodul ein.

Literaturhinweise

A.F.Chalmers: What is this thing called science? 3rd edition Hackett, 1999. [The Chalmers’ book will function as the core text of the lecture. Students should try to have access to that text.]
Martin Curd and J.A. Cover (ed): Philosophy of Science: The Central Issues Norton, 1998.
Kuhn, Thomas: The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 3rd edition University of Chicago Press, 1996.
DeWitt, Richard: Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science. Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.
Rosenberg, Alex: Philosophy of Science: A contemporary Introduction. Routledge, 2011.