Science and Pseudoscience (HPSC10002)

What is science? What makes an idea or a theory ‘scientific’? For example, why is astronomy considered science, but not astrology? Questions like these matter because of the authority science has in society. We rely on the answers to inform our decisions about what evidence to trust. Questions about what makes something scientific are important in untangling controversy, for example, whether climate change can be attributed to human activities, and whether vaccines can cause autism. The subject introduces the ‘demarcation debate’ – a long-standing debate between philosophers over whether we can ever answer the question of what makes science ‘scientific’. It will introduce different philosophers' attempts at demarcation. And it will look at the way science is demarcated in practice, by scientists themselves and by the public. It investigates demarcation through various case studies ranging from string theory and psychology to acupuncture and climate change scepticism. The subject will introduce students to current approaches in philosophy and sociology of science, and develop new understanding of how science operates.