PHIL390 RATIONALITY THEORIES OF SCIENCE
| Course Code: | 2410390 |
| METU Credit (Theoretical-Laboratory hours/week): | 3 (3.00 - 0.00) |
| ECTS Credit: | 5.0 |
| Department: | Philosophy |
| Language of Instruction: | English |
| Level of Study: | Undergraduate |
| Course Coordinator: | Assoc.Prof.Dr. SAMET BAĞÇE |
| Offered Semester: | Fall or Spring Semesters. |
Course Objectives
Some of the central philosophical problems of science highlighted by the success, methods and social settings of modern science.
Topics and problems to be covered throughout the course will be selected from the following list –not all topics may be covered in any one semester:
* What is special about the scientific method? What constitutes a scientific approach to investigating the world? Why be scientific? Science vs. pseudo-science or good vs. bad science.
* Does science make inductive assumptions? Does it simply generalise from the cases already investigated? If so, how are such inductive assumptions to be justified?
* Can evidence ever establish scientific theories? If not, what exact role does empirical testing play in science? The role of experiment in the scientific method; the Duhem-Quine Problem; the empirical basis of science; weight of evidence and predictive success.
* Are there any special problems concerned with testing statistical or probabilistic theories?
* Scientific explanation; what are ad hoc explanations and moves? Why should they be avoided in science?
* What is the status of presently accepted scientific theories? The problem of theory-choice (or theory-change) and scientific rationality. What are revolutionary-theory-changes in science? How do revolutionary-theory-changes in science affect the view that science consists of a body of established truths? And how does the phenomenon of revolutionary changes in science affect traditional notions of scientific rationality? Do scientific revolutions involve changes in scientific methodology?
Course Content
Historical and epistemological evaluation of some rationality theories, e.g., Popper`s Falsificationism, Kuhn`s Scientific Revolutions, Feyerabend`s Liberalism, Lakatos`s MSRP and Structural Realism.
Course Learning Outcomes
Student, who passed the course satisfactorily should be able to (not necessarily in that order):
- Have the skills of critical thinking, analytical approach, problem spotting, defining and solving, multi-dimensional view, making inferences and interpretations regarding to philosophical and scientific ideas.
- Interpret the historical development of scientific and philosophical questions.
- Comprehend the basic theories and issues in the history of, and the philosophy of science.
- Examine and analyse a subject matter and make philosophical interpretations on it.
- Identify the basic concepts and issues in the history of, and the philosophy of science.
- Have self-confidence and develop original ideas regarding to the philosophy of science.
- Have knowledge about contemporary scientific and philosophical issues.
- Improve professional and personal skills lifelong.
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