PHL304 Philosophy of Science (8)
CSU Discipline Area: Ethics and Philosophy (ETHPH)
Duration: One session
Abstract:
This subject will examine the on-going philosophical debates about the nature of scientific knowledge. These debates revolve around such issues as the objectivity of scientific knowledge, and the viability of the science/non-science distinction.
+ Subject Availability Modes and Locations
| Session 2 | |
|---|---|
| Internal | Wagga Wagga |
| Distance | Wagga Wagga |
Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: PHL304
Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.
Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
Know, in broad outline, the course of the Twentieth Century philosophical debates about scientific knowledge.
Have a working knowledge of particular issues in the philosophy of science.
Be familiar with the work of at least one major philosopher of science.
Syllabus:
The subject will cover the following topics:
1. Philosophical theories and theorists a) Logical positivism b) Falsificationism c) Scientific paradigms d) Anarchist theory of science e) The new Realism f) Social Dimensions of Science 2. Issues a) Scientific explanation b) Theories and facts c) Reductionism d) The relation between the physical sciences and the social sciences e) The existence and reducibility of social facts
The information contained in the 2013 CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: 24 April 2013. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.