PHIL282 HISTORY OF SCIENCE
| Course Code: | 2410282 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 4 (4.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 6.0 |
| Department: | Philosophy |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Undergraduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Assoc.Prof.Dr. SAMET BAĞÇE |
| Offered Semester: | Fall and Spring Semesters. |
Course Objectives
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The Darwinian theory of evolution by natural selection is one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs of the modern era. Although it is a theory of biology with its revolutionary consequences in all life sciences it has also had an enormous impact on science, philosophy, religion, and politics for the last 150 years. In this course, as we examine the evolutionary thinking by the work of a number of key representative figures in the past and present we will also be questioning as to whether scientific theories, in general, and the evolutionary theory, in particular, are social constructions by searching for values inherent in scientific theories and research.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: The aim of this course is to demonstrate students by concrete examples from the history of evolutionary biology that, although science involves social (nonscientific/epistemic) values both in discovering and testing scientific theories, it, nevertheless, progresses and achieves objective knowledge by removing these values from science.
COURSE TOPICS: Problem of objectivity and subjectivity in science, epistemic (scientific) and non-epistemic (social) values in science, the role of metaphors in science.
Course Content
Problems of the development of science through history.
Course Learning Outcomes
Student, who passed the course satisfactorily will be able to:
understand basic concepts of philosophy of science and historical epochs of science.
follow basic concepts of philosophy of science in different scientific periods;
to appreciate and distinguish different scientific problems from philosophical and historical perspectives.
Program Outcomes Matrix
| Level of Contribution | |||||
| # | Program Outcomes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 1 | Have the knowledge and skills of research method which is a requirement in order to be successful in academic studies. | ✔ | |||
| 2 | Have the capacity for applying philosophical knowledge to scientific and social issues. | ✔ | |||
| 3 | Examine and analyze a subject matter and make philosophical interpretations on it. | ✔ | |||
| 4 | Have the skills of critical thinking, analytical approach, problem solving, multi-dimensional view, making inferences and interpretations regarding to philosophical texts and scientific facts. | ✔ | |||
| 5 | Identify the basic concepts and issues in philosophy. | ✔ | |||
| 6 | Evaluate and understand the underlying philosophical assumptions of fundamental and social sciences. | ✔ | |||
| 7 | Have capacity to make interdisciplinary readings and analysis. | ✔ | |||
| 8 | Have verbal and written presentation and effective communication skills, be open to team work and do interdisciplinary study. | ✔ | |||
| 9 | Make connections between contemporary ethical, social, cultural, esthetic and politic issues. | ✔ | |||
| 10 | Interpret the historical development of scientific and philosophical questions. | ✔ | |||
| 11 | Have knowledge about contemporary philosophical issues and their relations to other disciplines. | ✔ | |||
| 12 | Use modern information tools in order to make research in philosophy. | ✔ | |||
| 13 | Improve their professional and personal skills lifelong. | ✔ | |||
| 14 | Use information technologies effectively in domain applications in philosophy. | ✔ | |||
| 15 | Have self-confidence and develop original ideas regarding to philosophy. | ✔ | |||
| 16 | Have social and ethical responsibility regarding to contemporary issues. | ✔ | |||
| 17 | Have good knowledge of English, research method and computer skills and use these skills effectively. | ✔ | |||
| 18 | Comprehend the basic theories and issues in sub-disciplines of philosophy. | ✔ | |||
| 19 | Have an advanced knowledge in certain specific fields such as environment, technology, culture, art etc. | ✔ | |||
0: No Contribution 1: Little Contribution 2: Partial Contribution 3: Full Contribution