Phil-Sci

Printable Syllabus

PHIL 380: Philosophy of Science

Instructor: Jonathan Tsou

Iowa State University

Office: Catt Hall 429

Course Description: This course examines some central issues of 20^th century (post-positivist) philosophy of science. The class focuses on Thomas Kuhn’s Structure of Scientific Revolutions and the philosophical literature that followed Kuhn’s landmark work. Specific issues addressed in the course include the nature of scientific change, values and objectivity in science, the underdetermination of scientific theories by evidence, scientific realism, and relativism. Students will read a variety of philosophical perspectives on science, including writings by Thomas Kuhn, Paul Feyerabend, Larry Laudan, Helen Longino, Bas van Fraassen, and Ian Hacking. In addition to reading these philosophers of science, students will become acquainted with important episodes in the history of science (i.e., the Copernican revolution, the chemical revolution, and the transition from Newtonian physics to relativistic physics).

Course Texts:

• Thomas S. Kuhn ([1962] 1996). The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, 3^rd edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (required)
• Martin Curd and J. A. Cover (eds.) (1998). Philosophy of Science: The Central Issues. New York: Norton. (required)

Course Evaluation:

1) Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30%

2) Assignment 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15%

3) Assignment 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15%

3) In-Class Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20%

4) Final Exam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20%

Participation includes attendance (20%), participation during in-class activities and discussion (5%), and periodical quizzes on the readings (5%). For the assignments and in-class exam, students will be prompted to answer specific questions about the readings. The final exam will be multiple-choice and will test students on materials covered during the entire course.

Course/ Reading Schedule:

Readings should be read for the week they appear under

* SSR = Thomas S. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

* C&C = Martin Curd & J. A. Cover (eds.), Philosophy of Science.

1. Introduction/ What is Science?

• No assigned readings

2. Paradigms

• SSR, chs. 1-3 (pp. 1-34)

3. Normal Science

• SSR, chs. 4-7 (pp. 35-76)

4. Scientific Revolutions

• SSR, chs. 8-9 (pp. 77-110)

5. Incommensurability

* * * * * * * * ASSIGNMENT 1 DUE IN CLASS * * * * * * *

• SSR, chs. 10-11 (pp. 111-143)

6. Scientific Progress

• SSR, chs. 12-13 (pp. 144-173)

7. Criticisms of Structure

• SSR postscript (pp. 174-210)

8. Values, Objectivity, and Rationality

* * * * * * * ASSIGNMENT 2 DUE IN CLASS * * * * * * *

• Thomas Kuhn, “Objectivity, Value Judgment, and Theory Choice” (C&C, pp. 102-118)
• Ernan McMullin, “Rationality and Paradigm Change in Science” (C&C, pp. 119-138)

9. Critics of Kuhnian Scientific Rationality

• Larry Laudan, “Dissecting the Holist Picture of Scientific Change” (C&C, pp. 139-169)
• Helen Longino, “Values and Objectivity” (C&C, pp. 170-191)

10. Underdetermination and the Duhem-Quine Thesis

• Pierre Duhem, “Physical Theory and Experiment” (C&C, pp. 257-279)
• W. V. Quine, “Two Dogmas of Empiricism” (C&C, pp. 280-301)

11. Responses to Underdetermination

• Paul Feyerabend, “How to be a Good Empiricist” (C&C, pp. 922-949)
• Larry Laudan, “Demystifying Underdetermination” (C&C, pp. 320-353)

12. Scientific Realism

* * * * * * * IN-CLASS EXAM * * * * * * *

• "Empiricism and Scientific Realism" (C&C, pp. 1049-1051)

13.

* * * * * * * THANKSGIVING BREAK * * * * * * *

14. Against Scientific Realism

• Bas van Fraassen, “Arguments Concerning Scientific Realism” (C&C, pp. 1064-1087)
• Larry Laudan, “A Confutation of Scientific Realism” (C&C, pp. 1114-1135)

15. Alternative Perspectives on Realism

• Ian Hacking, “Experimentation and Scientific Realism” (C&C, pp. 1153-1168)
• Arthur Fine, "The Natural Ontological Attitude" (C&C, pp. 1186-1209)

16. Review Class

* * * * * * * FINAL EXAM * * * * * * *