Philosophy of Science

(2.5-3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This module deals with issues in the philosophy of language as well as with the methods and procedures of natural science. Component 1: Philosophy of Science - Dr. Simone Marini (email) The sciences are widely considered to be our most reliable sources of knowledge about the world. In this component we will investigate the main philosophical issues concerning the nature and status of scientific knowledge and methodology. The questions we will be asking include: What is specific to the scientific method, as opposed to other ways of knowing? Is the scientific method a good way of uncovering objective truths about the world? How can we characterise the structure of scientific explanation? How do scientific explanations relate to other sorts of explanatory practices? How are scientific theories constructed and confirmed? Component 2: Philosophy of Language - Dr. Simone Marini (email) It is hard to overestimate the importance of language to human beings. We use it to mediate our interaction with each other and the world, and we rely on it to make possible the expression of thought. In this component we will explore a range of foundational issues in 20th century analytic philosophy of language, including meaning, reference and propositional attitudes. In particular, we will be concentrating on philosophical attempts to understand our capacity to represent the world in thought and language. We will also consider the connections between the philosophy of language and issues in the philosophy of mind and epistemology.