Philosophy of Science (Spring 2017)
INSTRUCTOR: Jeff Tolly
CONTACT: jtolly@nd.edu
OFFICE HOURS: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30PM-5:00PM; or by appointment
TEXT: -Philosophy of Science: A very short introduction, by Samir Okasha
-additional selected papers to be made available online on the class website
SCHEDULE
1/17: Syllabus and the demarcation problem
1/19: The demarcation problem, day 2
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Okasha, 1-2
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Bird, 1-10 (intro, “The Nature of Science”)
1/24: The demarcation problem--Popper and Falsificationism
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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X8Xfl0JdTQ (Popper and Science)
1/26: Scientific explanation, Hempel and the covering law model
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Okasha, 40-45
1/31: Scientific explanation, causal priority if empiricism
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Okasha, 45-52
2/2: Laws of nature, empiricist regularity theories
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Bird, 25-34
2/7: Laws of nature, the Dretske, Tooley, Armstrong theory
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Bird, 49-54
2/9: Hume’s problem of induction, day 1
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Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QpUrSn3cWU (Hume’s Skepticism and Induction)
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Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPlNsyXl-0c (Hume’s Skepticism part 2)
2/14: Hume’s problem of induction and inference to the best explanation
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Okasha, 27-33
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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckOch3OAyFM (the discovery of Neptune)
2/16: Hume’s problem of induction--epistemology and defending robust causation
2/21: Inference to the best explanation and Scientific Realism
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Okasha, 58-66
2/23: Instrumentalism, operationalism, and constructive empiricism, day 1
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Okasha, 66-76
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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OtiTeNWPH4 (Electrons and the cloud chamber)
2/28: Instrumentalism, operationalism, and constructive empiricism, day 2
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Bird, 141-147
3/2: Kuhn and scientific revolutions
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Okasha, 77-84
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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khIzr6610cQ (The Earth goes around the sun)
3/7: Scientific revolutions and the rationality of science
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Podcast project assigned
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Okasha, 85-92
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Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gf6YpdvtE0 (Newton and Gravity)
3/9: Scientific revolutions and realism
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Okasha, 92-94
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Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yyb_RNJWUM (From Newton to Einstein)
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Video 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVKFBaaL4uM (Can you go the speed of light?)
Experiments that support Einstein’s theory of relativity
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Video 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAxedfo1SE4 (time dialation near a massive object)
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Video 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeAVmp9MLH4 (gravitational lensing)
SPRING BREAK
3/21: Moderate forms of realism, and IBE revisited
3/23: Quantum mechanics: the double-slit experiment, metaphysical realism, and indeterminism
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Overview Video 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u_UQG1La1o
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More Detail, part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-MNSLsjjdo
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More Detail, part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ORLN_KwAgs
3/28: Quantum mechanics: evaluating competing theories of QM
(optional: more detail): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuvK-od647c
3/30: Feminist Philosophy of Science, day 1
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Godfrey-Smith, 136-144
4/4: Feminist Philosophy of Science--values in theory construction and selection
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Godfrey-Smith, 144-148
4/6: Natural kinds--What are they, and do they exist?
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Bird, 95-104
4/11: Natural kinds, day 2
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Bird, 112-120
4/13: Issues in Philosophy of Biology: Is there a biological basis for race distinctions?, day 1
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Optional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAWrwexw-To
4/18: Issues in Philosophy of Biology: Is there a biological basis for race distinctions?, day 2
4/20: Religious faith and scientific practice: are they compatible?
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Video 2: (just watch the short segment from time code 3:30-5:20):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hn92R8C4MY
4/25: Theism and scientific theory: are they compatible?
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Plantinga, 266-274 (but feel free to keep reading!)
4/27: Atheism and scientific practice: are they compatible?
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Optional video: (sorry about the cheesy music!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpQ1-AGPysM
5/2: Final class discussion and poster making workshop