Sharyn Clough: OSU Course Outlines

Philosophy of Science (Phil. 470/570)

Instructor: Dr. S. Clough
Office: 102B Hovland Hall
Email: Sharyn.Clough@oregonstate.edu
Office Hours: 2-3 PM Weds., or by appoint.
Http://oregonstate.edu/~cloughs
Phone: 541-737-9801

Course Description:

We will begin by examining a philosophical debate about what, if anything, separates scientific explanations from astrological, psychological, theological, or political explanations.  We all probably have some intuitions about this, but when it comes to formally articulating the difference between science and non-science, things get pretty sticky.  The rest of the course will continue with this problem in mind, as we examine philosophical debates about the confirmation and disconfirmation of scientific theories, the nature of scientific discovery and scientific revolutions, and the relation of the values in a science community to the science the community produces.  Near the end of the course we will apply this material directly to the science/non-science debate by examining evolution vs. creationism.

Required Texts:

Reading packet available at bookstore

Course Requirements:
10%: (Phil 470) Discussion and distribution of an outline of the material from the previous class. (Phil 570) Discussion and distribution of an overview of one of four sections of course material.
30%: Three "position" papers, 2 -3 pp. each, only top two papers count (15% each).*
20%: Worksheet on each reading, checked randomly 5 times (4 points ea. all or nothing).**
10%: Draft of final paper/Comments on colleague's draft (10 points, all or nothing).
30%: (Phil 470) Final paper, 5 - 7 pp. (Phil 570) Final paper 10 - 15 pp.

*Late papers will be accepted, but only if you have cleared it with me ahead of time and/or experienced a life-changing event that was beyond your control, otherwise you will lose points for each day that the paper is late.

**The worksheets for each reading are intended to get you prepared to talk about the reading in class. Checking the worksheets is a measure of class participation. Therefore, if you miss class on a day when I check the worksheets, it makes no sense to hand in your worksheet late.  If, for reasons beyond your control, you miss a class where a worksheet has been checked, and you let me know ASAP, you will still get the 4%.  If you don't have a good excuse you will get a zero for that worksheet.
 

If you have a disability that makes some part of your experience in this class unnecessarily difficult for you, please contact me within the first two weeks of class or as soon as possible, and we'll see what accommodations we can work out.

Reading and Discussion Schedule:

This schedule is subject to change, so please stay in touch.  You are responsible for knowing about any changes announced on days you were absent.
 
 

Week one:
Discuss readings/assignments; Schedule student reviews; Lecture on Science &  Pseudoscience.
Discuss Popper; Discuss Kuhn.

Week two:
Student review of Popper; Review of Kuhn; Discuss Mayo.
Student review of Mayo; Discuss Collins and Pinch.

Week three:
Student review of Collins & Pinch ; Student overview of Sec. I; Lecture on Induction vs. Deduction.
Discuss Salmon (skip Sec. II "Attempted Solutions").

Week four:
Student review of Salmon; Discuss Goodman.
Student review of Goodman; Overview of Sec. II; Note: 1st. paper due (on Science vs. Pseudoscience); Lecture on Objectivity & Values.

Week five:
Discuss Okruhlik (skip Sec. II "Varieties of Feminist Critique").
Student review of Okruhlik; Discuss Longino and Doell.
Student review of Longino & Doell ; Student overview of Sec. III;   Note: 2nd paper due (on Objectivity & Values); Lecture on Realism/Anti-Realism. 

Week six:
Discuss Maxwell (skip pp. 1059-1060).
Student review of Maxwell; Discuss van Fraassen (skip Sec. 3 "Inference…").
Student review of van Fraassen; Discuss Hacking.

Week seven:
Student review of Hacking; Student overview of Section IV;   Note: 3rd paper due (on Induction vs. Deduction); Lecture on Creationism vs. Evolution.
Discuss Gould; Discuss Bowler.

Week eight:
Student review of Gould; Student review of Bowler pp. 333-49; Student review of Bowler pp. 350-64; Discuss ICR website (http://www.icr.org). 

Week nine:
Student reviews of ICR (about icr); (icr TBA); Discuss Ruse/Laudan.
Student review of Ruse; Review of Laudan;

Week ten:
Drafts of Final paper due (on Realism/Anti-realism or Creationism/Evolution).
Return drafts; snacks, celebrating, etc.

Final versions of 4th paper due in my office by noon.