Philosophy of Science (HPSC20026)

This subject is designed to equip students with an appreciation of the nature of scientific knowledge and practice. It revolves around four questions. What is science? Here we will investigate in what way is science is thought to be distinct from other ways of knowing. We will also consider how science changes, and what is meant by scientific progress. What is science for? Contenders include: Explaining the world, uncovering causal relationships, predicting outcomes, understanding phenomena, and making interventions. How does science work? Here we examine different modes of scientific investigation, looking at the strength and limitations of various research designs. We will also consider how bias can occur within the scientific method, and whether some research methods are hierarchically superior to others. What is the relationship between values and science? Here we consider how values influence science, whether it is possible for science to be value-free, and whether it is desirable for science to be value-laden or not.