PHI 321: Philosophy of Science

Course Schedule

April

• April 30: Glymour, “Theoretical Realism and Theoretical Equivalence”
• April 28: Worrall, “Structural Realism”
• April 23: van Fraassen, “To Save the Phenomena”
• April 16: Laudan, “A Confutation of Convergent Realism”
• April 14: McMullin, “A Case for Scientific Realism”

March

• March 26: Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Preface + pp. 1-22)
• March 10: Psillos, Scientific Realism (selection); Maxwell, “The Ontological Status of Theoretical Entities”
• March 5: Popper, Conjectures and Refutations (second half of selection)
• March 3: Popper, Conjectures and Refutations (first half of selection)

February

• February 24: Lipton, “Inference to the Best Explanation”
• February 17: Salmon, “Foundations of Scientific Inference” (pp. 5-55)
• February 10: Schlick, “Positivism and Realism”
• February 5: Weinberg, “Against Philosophy”; Rovelli, “Science is Not About Certainty”

This syllabus outlines the readings for the course. Please ensure you complete the assigned readings before each session to facilitate discussion.