...A selection of questions to be discussed: * Scientists: are they discovering or are they making it up? * Do the facts dictate our theories? * Is there any secure basis for our future expectations? -- or is it just a matter of crossing our fingers and hoping for the best? * Does science explain -- does it help us to understand anything? or does it merely describe? ------- * Is everything relative, or is there always something absolute behind what is relative? ------- * How do or should scientific revolutions affect our view of science? * Scientific theory choice: is it objective? Or does it depend on cultural, historical, or subjective factors? * If historical factors do play a role, can science still be a search for truth? Texts: 1. T. Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions 2. C. G. Hempel, Philosophy of Natural Science 3. Course Packet #1: Lecture Outline (Includes examples, diagrams, and background material as well as the weekly schedule of readings) 4. Course Packet #2 : additional readings, needed in addition to the textbooks 5. Books on Reserve in Firestone (A list is included with this syllabus) Course Packets are available at Print-It, 15 Witherspoon St. [Go back to top of this course syllabus] COURSE REQUIREMENTS: NOTE 1: Revising your work in response to comments will be central to the requirements. The first and second assignments each consist of two parts: an initial version and...
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...The problem of the interaction between philosophy and science is well known. Some philosophers say that philosophy is a science while others say that it is not a science. So, philosophy differs from science as well as from religion by its methodology of cognition and also by world outlook, while science and religion consider that knowledge has only one beginning therefore there is only one true knowledge and only one true methodology of cognition. I think that scientific methodology is in many ways close to the religious one. Science supposes that there is only one proper basis of knowledge, it is experiment and rational analysis of nature, just as religion considers that there is only one source of knowledge, God (or other Absolute). Therefore there is only one methodology of searching for science (scientific theories and experiments) and only one way of cognition for religion (revelation and spiritual dialogue with God). By contrast, philosophy agrees that there are many ways of cognition, just as there are many forms of knowledge and many beginnings of that knowledge. Wisdom in my mind is the form of personal knowledge. That is why there is neither a scientific philosophy, nor a religious philosophy, but there is philosophy of science and philosophy of religion, which describe the phenomena of scientific and religious thinking. Philosophy is always personal experience and cogitation and there is no universal wisdom, which would be the same for all the people, just as there...
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...ON PHILIOPHY OF TEACHING SCIENCE By: Mr. Irjo M. Goopio Introduction: What makes a scientist different from a philosopher? A Scientist observes what happens. He manipulates variables whenever possible in order to observe what happens under controlled circumstances. He is able to discover and explain the laws of nature which lead them to formulate theories. A Philosopher does none of the above-mentioned activities. Instead he asks himself questions like: “what is the law of nature?” “What is a scientific theory?” He explains the role of deduction in science. Philosophy is unlike science, pure verbal, analytical, and reflective. Then how can a scientist be a philosopher? Discussion: * What is philosophy? * Remote from the usual human interest and quite beyond normal comprehension. * Extremely complex intellectual activity. * A form of Inquiry – a process of analysis, criticism, interpretation and speculation. (Singer – 1990) * The search for the ultimate, conducted by reason, in order to satisfy man’s curiosity about himself and the universe. * Why study philosophy? * Makes a man think – think about the basic foundations of: * His beliefs * Outlook in life * His knowledge * It is from our human needs and immediate concerns * What is philosophy of science? * Set forth principles more basic and comprehensive than the conclusions of individual sciences. * Proved a positive...
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...1. The problem of the interaction between philosophy and science is well known. Some philosophers say that philosophy is a science while others say that it is not a science. So, philosophy differs from science as well as from religion by its methodology of cognition and also by world outlook, while science and religion consider that knowledge has only one beginning therefore there is only one true knowledge and only one true methodology of cognition. I think that scientific methodology is in many ways close to the religious one. Science supposes that there is only one proper basis of knowledge, it is experiment and rational analysis of nature, just as religion considers that there is only one source of knowledge, God (or other Absolute). Therefore there is only one methodology of searching for science (scientific theories and experiments) and only one way of cognition for religion (revelation and spiritual dialogue with God). By contrast, philosophy agrees that there are many ways of cognition, just as there are many forms of knowledge and many beginnings of that knowledge. Wisdom in my mind is the form of personal knowledge. That is why there is neither a scientific philosophy, nor a religious philosophy, but there is philosophy of science and philosophy of religion, which describe the phenomena of scientific and religious thinking. Philosophy is always personal experience and cogitation and there is no universal wisdom, which would be the same for all the people, just as there...
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...PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE Religious tradition • Religious traditions make it their task to impart a definite doctrine, and to preserve it, pure and unchanged. • It is the task of a school to hand on the tradition, the doctrine of its founder, its first master, to the next generation in its inviolate form. Religious tradition • A school of this kind never admits a new idea. • New ideas are heresies, and lead to schisms. • But the heretic claims, as a rule, that his is the true doctrine of the founder. • All changes of doctrine, if any, are surreptitious changes. Religious tradition • School founded by Pythagoras had the character of religious order, with a characteristic way of life and a secret doctrine. • A member of that school was drowned at sea because he revealed certain secret doctrines. Critical Tradition • School of Thales (Ionians) allowed or encouraged critical discussion between various schools and within one and the same school. • Thales seems to have been able to tolerate criticism and what is more, he seems to have created the tradition that we ought to tolerate criticism. Critical Tradition • This tradition leads to the realization that our attempts to see and find the truth are not final, but open to improvement. Criticism and critical discussion are our only means of getting nearer to the truth. Critical Tradition • Philosophy may be defined as a search for truth that involves following arguments and evidence, without recourse to authority...
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...HUM1000 Philosophy and Science HUM1000 May 29, 2016 HUM1000 The philosophy of science is the area that deals with what science is, such as morals and the laws of the land that develop how one should live and ethics. An intrinsic good is not a means to something else, as cash can be a means to valuable pleasure. Instrumental good is something considered as a beneficial to some other good, an instrumental good leads to something else that is worthy. Science is a logical approach to studying the natural world. It is a determination of what is most likely to be accurate at the current time with the evidence at our view to determine the facts. The philosophy of science is the area that deals with what science is, how it and other things work, and the logic through which we develop scientific knowledge. Enlightenment philosophers have had a deep influence on the develop of society, they basically have given the structure to government today. European masterminds, for example, John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are a portion of the European political scholars who have changed the course of history. John Locke was a 1600s English scholar that delivered thoughts which turned into the way to the Enlightenment. He trusted that individuals have a characteristic right to life, freedom, and property. These rights had a place with all people from the season of birth. Locke contended that rulers have an obligation to ensure its subjects...
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...The philosophical study of social research is an important dimension of social science which has been placed to analyze the problems of social science description and its relationships. Philosophy of social science deals with the generalized meaning of the thing & centered on the sharing of experience about the social world in which people’s perspective differs from one another. The various approaches analyze the social research on the basis of three grounds: Thematic analysis, meta-narratives and mini-narratives and lastly, cause-effect analysis. The changing pattern of the philosophical foundations continuously enriches itself with new dimensions and views about social world. Approaches of philosophy of science in social research There are certain approaches of philosophy of science in social research- * Realism * Empiricism * Positivism * Post positivism * Idealism * Rationalism * Functionalism * Structuralism * Utilitarianism * Instrumentalism * Feminism * Materialism * Skepticism * Nomothetic and Ideographic * Solipsism * Atomism * Holism * Perspectivism * Relativism These are described below- * Realism: Realism is a perspective of social research which represents itself as a dominant indicator on International politics. Context makes the situation. * Ontology: Social reality is stratified into three domains: * the empirical observations are made up of experiences and events...
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...Philosophy of Science lecture by Floris van den Berg Video Summary by Kristina Petrova The video shows part of a lecture on the topic “Philosophy of Science” held by Floris van den Berg. The focus falls on the question what science is and how it could be distinguished and defined. The lecturer lists some scientific methods and gives examples of characteristics of science. First of all, Floris van den Berg explains the three fundamental methods of science – deduction, induction and abduction. Deduction is said to be the method all scientists aim for, because it is the only one that gives 100% certainty in knowledge. It can be used only for closed systems, which are not influenced by outside factors, examples being logic and mathematics. The method of induction is based on continues observations and claims that if something happens twice, it will happen again. Abduction, on the other hand, means making reasonable guesses about what could something be. The latter two methods could not give absolute truth guarantee. Secondly, the lecturer puts the methods on the probability scale of knowledge, which measures the certainty of truth from 0 to 100%. Deduction (Mathematics and logic) is first with 100%, followed by induction (Physics) and abduction (Social sciences) and ending with mythology and religion with 0%. Afterwards, the demarcation problem is addressed in defining whether something is scientific or not. Floris van den Berg explains that not the opinion of the majority...
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...Blaise Pascal Report Blaise Pascal made many contributions to math, Christian philosophy, and science. Blaise Pascal was born on June 19, 1623 in Clermont-Ferrand, France. During his lifetime he worked on conic sections and geometry. Around the 1600’s, Pascal created a early version of the calculator. He is well known for his series of letters defending his faith, and his notes in Pensees. Blaise Pascal was born on June 19, 1623. He was the third child and only son to Etienne and Antoinette Pascal. His father Etienne, was a mathematician and tax collector. After his mother passed away when he was three years old, he grew closer to his two older sisters. Blaise and his family relocated to Paris, France in 1831. His father wanted to give his children an unorthodox curriculum so he taught them at home. Some sources have said that Blaise might have been homeschooled because of a illness. Etienne did not allow his son to learn math until he was 15 so he could focus on the classical subjects. Blaise’s early education focused on learning Latin and Greek. Etienne’s plan to eliminate math from Blaise’s life failed. The idea of math not being allowed made him more interested in the subject. When he was 12 he started working with geometry by himself. He used his own terms and eventually worked...
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...Philosophy vs. Science by Joseph Rowlands The historical relationship between science and philosophy has not been a friendly one. Philosophers like to start with their conclusions, and work to prove them. When it came to trying to figure out what the world was like, philosophers tended to argue about what the world should be like. Science was born as a rejection of this method. Its goal was to figure out what the world was really all about, and its primary tool was actual experimentation. We've all seen philosophy at its worst. Philosophers are often completely disconnected from reality and, more recently, don't care. Rationalism, the view that only deductive knowledge is really reliable, is commonplace. Philosophers often expound their ideas from armchairs and ivory towers, where the facts of reality don't concern them. It's not surprising science would want to distance itself from philosophy. It becomes even more personal for the scientist when he's told that he must conform to preconceived views of the world. It started with Galileo having to renounce his scientific views on astronomy, but continued through the ages. Countless other scientists have had to hide their views on topics like evolution, the age of the earth and the existence of glaciers, with a range of punishments from the inquisition and burning at the stake to losing their jobs or financing. Philosophy, often in the form of religion, does not seek the truth. It seeks believers, and the truth is an...
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...Three Issues Considered The first question I will address is “Are science and philosophy closely interrelated, or are they different in their goals and methods? Science supposes that there is only one proper basis of knowledge, it is experiment and rational analysis of nature. Philosophy tends to say that there are many ways of understanding, just as there are many forms of knowledge and many beginnings of that knowledge. In the beginning there were sciences but no actual scientist. They were all known as philosophers. Philosophy invented intellectual thought and rigorous reasoning which in turn is what invented the sciences. Philosophy continues to influence science by questioning the science's weaknesses. Some people think that the sciences can stand apart from philosophy. That philosophy is all questions, never giving a real answer. Where as, science is a methodology that is based on research and experimentation. “The specific sciences cannot and should not break their connections with true philosophy” (Spirkin, A.). By doing this they would have no questions for them to research and experiment. According to Wolff, the Milesians who are considered philosophers were also scientist. Thales who is known as the first philosopher was an astronomer. By his knowledge of the stars he could predict the weather (Wolff, 14). “Following Thales were the Milesians Anaximander and Anaximenes, who expanded and developed speculative theories about the basic components of nature and...
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...International Journal of Arts and Sciences 3(15): 238-254 (2010) CD-ROM. ISSN: 1944-6934 © InternationalJournal.org Filipino Philosophy and Post-Modernity Raymundo R. Pavo, University of the Philippines Mindanao, Philippines Abstract: Post-Modernity, with its stress on freedom and creativity, is a vantage point that can dispose Filipino thinkers to philosophically formulate, construct and develop thought systems. This liberating milieu can be reckoned as a fertile occasion where Filipinos can explore the conditions of possibilities that grant a philosophical status to thoughts, statements or constructions that either come from or pertain to the Filipino mind. Such that when we use the concept Filipino Philosophy, we are well-conscious of these two interrelated points – The Identity and Referential Nature of the concept Filipino, and the connotation/intension of the term Philosophy. Is it Filipino? Is it philosophical? These are the questions that have guided the ruminations in this philosophical treatise. And as an initial insight to such questions, we propose a kind of vantage point that can address the identity and referential nature of the term Filipino in a Filipino Philosophy and the philosophical substance of its claim. This perspective, we shall argue, may be construed by a social-scientist-philosopher. As a social scientist, this thinker is mindful of the descriptions or characteristics that may be regarded as telling of the Filipino milieu. As a philosopher, this...
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...ACCRA, NOVEMBER, 2011 Table of content pages Introduction 1 1. Philosophy of history 1 2. Philosophy of religion 4 3. Logic 6 4. Ethics 8 5. Cosmology 10 6. Philosophy of mind 12 7. Metaphysics 14 8. Philosophy of beauty 16 9. Philosophy of language 18 10. Philosophy of science 20 11. Epistemology 21 Conclusion 23 Bibliography 24 Introduction Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom. Philosophy at this contemporary world has gone through a lot of changes before getting to this stage. It can be seen in the historical perspective and also the topical perspective. The historical or chronological is when we look at the ideas of some philosophers in the past how they influence society with their way of thinking and the motive behind them. In these chronological system is the ancient era, the medieval era, the modern era and presently the contemporary era. In the beginning all systematic search for knowledge was philosophy. This is clearly seen in the modern university where the highest degree granted in all of the science and humanities is the Ph. D. the doctor of philosophy. But the children began to leave home. The first to leave was physics and astronomy. As they begun to develop experimental techniques of their own. This exodus, led by Galileo and Isaac Newton and Johannes...
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...It is normal to underestimate the power of philosophy. It is a social science that has lost influence in the 21st Century because many do not understand how this science can help humans achieve true happiness. Though philosophy is a heavy subject, it is the science with the most results regarding human nature and knowledge. Philosophy offers guidance to understand human behavior as well as to question our presence and our real role in society. It is one of the leading social sciences because many world leaders have tried to grasp it and understand the meaning of it thus showing how important it is to study philosophy. Nevertheless, not only should world leaders study philosophy but also everyone should be aware of the different philosophical teachings in order to differentiate well from wrongdoing. It is no surprise that philosophers understood ethics and politics before others, therefore showing the depth and practicality of philosophy as well as defining academia. Philosophy should not only be considered a social science but also a lifestyle; to better explain, philosophy is applicable in the daily routine as well as in the professional world making it both a theoretical and pragmatic. As a lifestyle, philosophers focused on how philosophy could be applicable to the daily life to improve one’s being. One of the main philosophies, still applicable today, and serves as guide for those looking for a healthier life is Confucianism. This philosophical ideology analyzes ethics,...
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...Study Guide: Lesson 1 What is Philosophy? Lesson Overview Welcome to this introductory course in philosophy. For our first lesson, we are going to examine the question: What is philosophy? There are 4 ways you can get to know what a discipline is: define it, describe it, contrast and compare it with other disciplines, and finally experience it. In this first lesson, we will aim to accomplish the first 3 of these activities. The rest of the course will be an exercise in experiencing philosophy. Tasks View and take notes of the presentation, “Misconceptions about Philosophy”. Read and take notes from chapter 1 of Prelude to Philosophy: An Introduction for Christians, “What is Philosophy?” As you read, make sure you understand the following points and questions: • List 4 reasons students often presuppose a low view of philosophy. o They think you have to be super intelligent to do philosophy o Most students study it late in their academic development o Most people do not think philosophy is practical o They do not know what it is or how it can benefit them • Know Socrates’ quote: What is the unexamined life? What did he mean when he said it wasn’t worth living? o Socrates was saying that the unexamined life is when people go through the motions of life without making the effort to reflect and think about what life is about. When Socrates says the unexamined life is not worth living, he is saying that we are...
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