P r o s p e c t u s

Philosophy of Science
Philosophy 425
Spring 2012
Michael Goodman, Humboldt State University

Required Texts:

Recommended Text:

January

February

March

Spring Break: March 12-16

30 Cesar Chavez Day (campus closed)

April

May

Important dates: 1.23.12: Last day to add classes without instructor approval. 2.13.12: Last day to drop classes without instructor's & department chair's signatures, and serious and compelling reason. 3.12.12: Last day to opt for Credit/No Credit. 2.2.12: Last day to register at Testing Center for February 25 GWPE. 4.3.12: Last day to drop a class with serious and compelling reason; need instructor's and department chair's signatures.

Course Requirements

a.1.) Quizzes 1. The quizzes are meant to keep you reading for, and coming to, class. There will be true/false, multiple choice, essay, and fill in the blank questions on the quizzes. Each quiz is worth 10 points. The one lowest quiz score will be dropped. Combined quizzes = c.33% of course grade.* There are no make-ups on any quizzes.

a.2.) Quizzes 2. Quizzes will be given on each Friday of the semester. However, given the intention of including quizzes as part of the requirements of this course, if it should be the case that they are not doing the work intended, then quizzes will be added on either Mondays or Wednesdays, or both, and will be unannounced, and will be given at the beginning of class. If it is the case that there is a quiz on a Monday or a Wednesday, or both, of any week, there will still be a quiz on the Friday of that week. The Monday & Wednesday quizzes will be worth 5 points each. Only the lowest of the 10 point quizzes will be dropped in computing the course grade. There are no make-ups on quizzes. * = the assumption that there will be no Monday or Wednesday quizzes.

b) Weekend Questions. See above for dates. There will be two Weekend Questions during the semester. You will receive your question(s) on a Friday and must turn in your answers the next Monday, in class. Specific instructions will accompany each round of Weekend Questions. c.33% of course grade.

c) Final Paper. This is a research paper and must make use of at least one of the chapters in one of the books/papers we are reading for the class. At least two sources outside our readings are to be used, not including any internet source you use. I have listed a number of texts below which may be interesting to you. You can count at most one source in the history of science for your paper. The other one outside reading source must come from philosophy of science proper. If you have any question about any of this, please ask. In the main, I am looking for a paper from you which will show the depth of your knowledge on a specific topic. It is to be original (plagiarized material warrants a failing grade with no questions asked). The paper must be a critical, reflective exposition of a specific topic. While your opinion matters, it should not take up the bulk of the work. My view on this matter is that you should show that you know the relevant literature on a topic prior to giving your own opinion. The paper must be typed (12 point type), double-spaced, with one inch margins all around. A length of somewhere in the area of 8-12 pages is expected. Full and proper footnoting (that is, endnoting) is essential. c. 33% of course grade. The paper is due: May 13th , 10am, in BSS 506B. Please use the information at the following URL when writing your papers for me: www.humboldt.edu/~mfg1/writing.html.

d) Instructor Evaluations. All instructor evaluations will be done in class. The university has prohibited online evaluations for all classes except online classes. Also, the student comments on the evaluations will no longer be typed by the support staff in the department. Hence, any person who does not want me to see her/his handwriting on the student evaluations, and who is interested in commenting on my teaching effectiveness, is invited to type the comments and turn them in with the scantron evaluations. The evaluation form asks for three sorts of comments: 1. Please comment on the instructor's overall teaching effectiveness, 2. Please comment on the content of the course (for example, topics, tests, texts, organization, etc.), 3. Other comments. The instructor evaluations will take place during the last week of classes.

e) Please obtain a copy of "Editing Notation" (You can find it on the web at the following address: www.humboldt.edu/~mfg1/ednotes.html). This will help in writing your paper and the weekend questions. Late work will be accepted (except quizzes), with the result that one full grade (10%) will be deducted per calendar day. Please use endnotes in the papers, formatting them as follows: Author, title of paper/book, title of journal, (copyright date, publisher), page number(s).

f) Grade breakdown: 100-93 = A, 92-90 = A-, 89-87 = B+, 86-83 = B, 82-80 = B-, 79-77 = C+, 76-73 = C, 72-70 = C-, 69-67 = D+, 66-63 = D, 62-00 = F. I do not grade on a curve. Hence, you will not be competing with your classmates for a grade.

g) Catalog description of PHL 425: Critical examination of aims, assumptions, and norms of science. Nature of satisfactory explanations, nature of theories, and their criteria of acceptability. Study of scientific progress, limits of science, reasoning in science & scientific method. Recommended preparation: PHL 100.

h) Academic honesty. It is the student's responsibility to know policy regarding academic honesty. For more information, go to the HSU catalog.

i) Students with Disabilities. Persons who wish to request disability-related accommodations should contact the Student Disability Resource Center in House 71, 826-4678 or 826-5392. Some accommodations may take several weeks to arrange.

j) Attendance & disruptive behavior. It is the student's responsibility to know the policy regarding attendance and disruptive behavior. For more information, go to the HSU catalog. As to this class, attendance is required and disruptive behavior will yield a prompt and decisive response from me.

k) Format and grade. The format of this course is lecture/discussion and is a required course for the Philosophy major. The minimum satisfactory grade in this course for fulfilling the requirement for the major is C.

l) Learning outcomes. The following are the learning outcomes for this course, approved by the Department of Philosophy, 2008: a) Students will learn to define concepts and use traditional vocabulary of philosophy; b) Students will increase the ability to use the logical methods of analysis and to critically assess philosophical arguments; c) Students will learn to apply methods of philosophy to specific issues and problems; d) Students will increase the ability to read and analyze philosophical writing.

m) Late work. Late work will be acceptable on all assignments except quizzes. There will be a 10% reduction of grade for each day the assignment is late. Example: If the assignment is due in class, then it is one day late if it is not turned in in class. If turned in the next day, it is 2 days late, and so on.

n) Website. Please go to "http://www.humboldt.edu/~mfg1/web321.html" for additional information about this course.

o) Writing Guidelines. It will be helpful to visit the following website for important information about writing for this class: http://users.humboldt.edu/goodman/writing.html

Some goals of the course.

Philosophy of Science is one of the major branches of philosophy in the 21st century. This is partly because science has gained a dominant personality in western culture over the past 100-150 years and people have been interested in understanding nature from the philosophical perspective on science. Perhaps the primary goal here is to come to a good understanding of some of the philosophical problems which arise out of the doing of science. Developments in quantum mechanics, in fact, have some philosophers reeling -- Is the concept of causality lost to us now in scientific explanations and predictions? Alas, though, we first must ask, What is scientific explanation? And: On what is prediction based? And: What does "scientific progress" mean? And: In what sense, if any, is science objective? And: What sort of reasoning is right for scientific inquiry?

I believe that some knowledge of the history of science is requisite for a good understanding of the work of the philosopher of science. Being able to give examples of events in history that are relevant to philosophical thinking about science increases our chances of understanding both the science as well as the philosophy. For example, there will continue to be controversy about whether Pluto should be considered a planet. There are arguments on both sides of this debate. Having knowledge of discoveries about Pluto, its orbit, its gravitational force, its makeup, plutinos and so on, can help us understand more about such concepts as scientific reasoning and explanation. To get you started on your study of the history of science, I have listed a number of books that I recommend to you. I urge you to choose one of these books, acquire it, read it during the course of the semester, and incorporate some of what you have read into the final paper you write. I would expect that the historical examples you cite in your paper might largely come from this book.

While our goal in the class will not be to uncover the TRUTH, perhaps, in answering the above questions (and other important questions), we will examine what some influential thinkers have taken to be at least reasonable answers to them.

It is important to attend class everyday and to participate in class discussions. I will come prepared everyday to discuss with you the readings and ideas arising from them. I believe we will each learn from one another. Please do not hesitate to ask any questions.

Selected Readings in the History of Science:

Links:

Philosophy of Science Association
British Society for the Philosophy of Science
History of Science Society
British Society for the History of Science
Oxford Museum for the History of Science

University of Pittsburgh, Center for Philosophy of Science
Minnesota Center for the Philosophy of Science
Indiana University History & Philosophy of Science
Cambridge University, Dept of History & Philosophy of Science
London School of Economics, Center for Philosophy of Natural & Social Science

Laws of Science