J.D. Trout

The separation of science and philosophy is a relatively recent phenomenon. Historically, the term "philosophy" or "natural philosophy" named the enterprise that attempted to understand the nature of the world and our knowledge of it. In this course, we will explore the relation between science and philosophy, using evidence from the subject matter and practice of science to address enduring philosophical issues concerning knowledge and reality. The lectures and discussions will engage questions such as the following: What is a theory? Is physics the only genuine science? Does science have a special purchase on claims to rationality? Are technological advances good evidence of that rationality? In what does scientific expertise consist? Can a theory be useful without being true? In order to address these questions, we will have to explore traditional philosophical themes in metaphysics and epistemology, having to do with the role of observation in the production of knowledge, the nature of causation, the confirmation of laws, the social character of knowledge, and so on.

Grading Policy: Your grade in this course will be determined by one 4-5 page paper (20%, due on February 17), a midterm exam (15%, on March 3), one 10-12 page paper (30%, due on April 21), a final exam (25%, Tuesday, May 10, from 10:20-12:20), and class participation (10%).

This percentage for class participation often plays an important role in deciding borderline grades at the end of the semester. Although showing up to class is a good start, it is only a necessary, not a sufficient, condition for doing well in this category. Class discussion will play a vital role in the elaboration and clarification of philosophical issues raised in the readings. So you will need to come to class not only having read the assignment, but also having made some effort to think critically about the content of that assignment. Also, you will find it difficult to write acceptable papers and survive torturous exams if you don't attend class.

Although I will provide paper topics, I encourage you to formulate your own paper topic for the final paper. If you choose this option, you will need to plan quite a bit in advance. The topic should be approved by me at least three weeks before the paper is due. So please feel free to come by my office and explore problems or topics in the course that interest you.