Event Timeslots (1)

Thursday
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
What is the nature of scientific knowledge? Is it ultimately based on pure observation, or is there an active ingredient of the mind to it? What science is striving for? Is it truth, knowledge, or understanding, and what is the relation between the three? How can we confirm scientific theories and what are potential obstacles? Should we believe the claims made by scientific theories because of their predictive success, or must we be satisfied with a more modest picture? In this seminar, we will cross these topics starting with some bits of history and leading right up into contemporary debates. For a proper understanding, it is useful (though not strictly required) to have some knowledge of formal logic. | | | Literature: De Regt, H. W., Leonelli, S., and Eigner, K. (2009). Scientific Understanding. University of Pittsburgh Press Ladyman, J. (2002). Understanding Philosophy of Science. Routledge McCain, K. and Kampourakis, K. (2020). What is Scientific Knowledge? Routledge Salmon, M.H. et al. (1992). Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Prentice-Hall Schurz, G. (2014). Philosophy of Science: A Unified Approach. Routledge Staley, K. (2014). An introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Cambridge University Press