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What is Science - PHL232

How does science work? Should scientific method be privileged over other ways of knowing? How do scientific theories change over time? Should the history of science be seen as an unfolding tale of intellectual and technological progress, or as a messier and ambivalent process? This unit introduces central issues in the philosophy of science, including: the nature of observation and experiment; the question of scientific realism; the rationality or irrationality of scientific revolutions; the relation between science and values; and the nature of explanation. This unit presumes no particular background in science – it is suitable for students with a background in arts disciplines as well as for students in the social, behavioural, biological, and physical sciences.

Credit Points: 3
When Offered:

S2 Day - Session 2, North Ryde, Day


Staff Contact(s): Dr Karola Stotz



NCCW(s): PHIL232
Unit Designation(s):


Unit Type:
Assessed As: Graded
Offered By:

Department of Philosophy

Faculty of Arts

Course structures, including unit offerings, are subject to change.
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