PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
Focus on various central questions in philosophy of science, potentially including topics from the history of philosophy of science as well as topics important to contemporary philosophy of science. Topics might include: What is science? How does scientific explanation work? How do scientists generate and use evidence? What is the relationship between science and social or political values? What are the aims of science? May also include discussion of specific subdisciplines of philosophy of science, such as philosophy of biology, philosophy of physics, philosophy of medicine, and more.
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: Sophomore standing. Not open to students with credit for PHILOS 220. Course Designation: Core GenEd - Humanities & Arts Breadth - Humanities or Social Science Level - Intermediate L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Think critically about philosophical and scientific arguments. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Interpret complex texts accurately and analyze them logically. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Communicate precisely and concisely in both writing and speech. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Explain several central concepts in science and philosophy of science, such as explanation, confirmation, underdetermination, objectivity, (anti)realism, scientific revolutions, pluralism, reductionism, models, measurement, data, research ethics Audience: Undergraduate 5. Reflect on their own society's relationship to science or scientific advancements Audience: Undergraduate 6. Synthesize and understand multiple perspectives in philosophy of science or other science studies disciplines (e.g., history and sociology of science) Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Think critically about philosophical and scientific arguments. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Interpret complex texts accurately and analyze them logically. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Communicate precisely and concisely in both writing and speech. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Explain several central concepts in science and philosophy of science, such as explanation, confirmation, underdetermination, objectivity, (anti)realism, scientific revolutions, pluralism, reductionism, models, measurement, data, research ethics Audience: Undergraduate 5. Reflect on their own society's relationship to science or scientific advancements Audience: Undergraduate 6. Synthesize and understand multiple perspectives in philosophy of science or other science studies disciplines (e.g., history and sociology of science) Audience: Undergraduate
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027