UNDERSTANDING SCIENCE

This course is part of the wide range of interactive labs offered annually by the International College

1) a good grasp of the basic concepts and of some of the debates in the philosophy of science
2) basic understanding of the role and relevance of philosophical argument in the realm of scientific reasoning
3) critical appreciation of the use of science in social practice

Students in this course should also be able to acquire:
- the capacity to reason in an analytic style of argument
- the capacity to single out and discuss the practical implications of the questions and problems raised by the contexts that profit from a philosophical understanding of science.

no basic knowledge of the disciplinary field is required

Understanding science and its role in the context of contemporary 'knowledge society' is a task that jointly requires competence and responsibility.
This course will pursue this task by articulating the discussion at two related levels.
First, a number of concepts will be introduced to describe central aspects of scientific discourse (method, explanation, evidence, model), paying particular attention to different formulations as emerging from different traditions of analysis.
Second, these concepts will be analysed in the context of social practices and debates where science is appealed to in view of achieving, or inducing, effects of trust and objectivity.

Ladyman, J. Understanding Philosophy of Science, Routdlege 2002.
Cartwright, N., Hardie, J., Evidence-Based Policy. A Practical Guide to Doing it Better, Oxford University Press 2012

Final assessment will comprise both class participation in discussion and a short essay (approx 2000 words) on a question as emerged from class discussion and formulated beforehand with the class tutor.

two interactive seminars, possibly including an invited speaker

written and oral