Phil 2130 Philosophy of the Sciences

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Course description

This course covers a number of fundamental issues in the philosophy of science. Questions addressed include: Can we know what will happen in the future on the basis of our past experiences? What is it for some evidence to support a hypothesis, and under what conditions does it do so? What is an explanation? And are we justified in believing our best scientific theories at least approximately true? Topics covered include Hume¡¦s problem of induction, the Raven and Grue paradoxes of confirmation, explanation, and scientific realism.

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Instructor

Dan Marshall

Office: 307

Email: danm@hku.hk

Office hour(s): By appointment

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Course website

Define the course website go to the philosophy department website and click on courses.

The course website will contain:

i) seminar handouts,

ii) readings,

iii) essay questions, and

iv) other important information.

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Mode of delivery

Seminars:

Wednesdays 2pm-4pm, Main Building, room M122

There will be 10 two hour seminars during the course.

Tutorials:

Time and place to be announced

There will be two tutorial classes (class 1 and class 2). Each student needs to join one of these classes. Each class will have 5 tutorial one hour sessions during the course.

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Seminars

Date of Seminar	Provisional Topics
7 September	Introduction/Hume¡¦s problem of induction
14 September	Hume's problem of induction
21 September	The Raven¡¦s Paradox
28 September	The Raven¡¦s Paradox
5 October	No seminar (Chung Yeung Festival)
12 October	The Grue Paradox
19 October	No seminar (Reading week)
26 October	The Grue Paradox/Explanation
2 November	Explanation
9 November	Explanation
16 November	Scientific Realism
23 November	Scientific Realism

The details of the above course schedule may change. Any changes will be announced in seminars.

Each topic will have required (as well as optional) readings. These readings will be announced in seminars.

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Tutorials

Each tutorial session will be devoted to one of the five topics covered in the seminars. Before each tutorial session, you must read the required readings for the topic the tutorial is on. You also expected to come up with an answer to it least one of the following questions:

i) What parts (if any) of the required readings did you disagree with?

ii) What parts (if any) of the required readings did you agree with?

iii) What parts (if any) of the required readings did you find difficult to understand?

iv) Can you offer a solution to any of the problems raised in the required readings?

You must be prepared to explain and discuss your answer in group discussion in the tutorials.

The purpose of the group discussion in tutorials (as well as in seminars) is to increase student¡¦s verbal argumentation skills and overall understanding of the course material. To support this end, everyone is expected to contribute to creating a friendly and supportive environment where everyone's opinions are respected and everyone feels able to contribute.

You are not required to have worked out everything before the tutorial starts. You are required to have carefully read and worked through the required readings for each tutorial beforehand. The understanding you acquire through this work will help you to write good essays and contribute to class discussion.

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Course objectives

This course aims to introduce some of the major topics in the philosophy of science.

It also seeks to provide training in:

i) critical thinking and problem solving,

ii) interpretation and evaluation of other people's views, and

iii) spoken and written expression and argumentation.

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Student Outcomes

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

i) describe some of the important issues, theories and arguments in the philosophy of science,

ii) critically examine a range of views and arguments, and formulate responses to them, and

iii) demonstrate interpretive, critical argumentative and problem-solving skills in both verbal discussions and written essays.

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Assessment

Assessment 1: Essay 1

A 1500 word essay will be due on 5pm Wednesday 19 October. This essay will constitute 30% of your final mark.

Assessment 2: Essay 2

A 2500 word essay will be due sometime in early-mid December. The precise date will be announced later in the semester. This essay will constitute 50% of your final mark.

Assessment 3: Class participation

Participation in discussions in tutorials and seminars will constitute 20% of your final mark

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Handing in essays

All essays need to be both

i) Submitted in a hardcopy form to the philosophy office, and

ii) Submitted electronically to PHIL2130@y7mail.com with your name and student number.

Late essays will lose 2% of marks per day late.