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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2013/2014 -
- ARCHIVE as at 1 September 2013 for reference only
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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences : Philosophy

Undergraduate Course: Philosophy of Science 1 (PHIL08005)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences CollegeCollege of Humanities and Social Science
Course typeStandard AvailabilityAvailable to all students
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) Credits20
Home subject areaPhilosophy Other subject areaNone
Course website http://www.philosophy.ed.ac.uk/phil_students/undergraduate/course_guides.php Taught in Gaelic?No
Course descriptionThe lecture content is divided into Three Parts.

Part One focuses on the scientific method and will introduce some classic topics in philosophy of science, such as the old and new problem of induction, Popper's falsificationism, Kuhn's structure of scientific revolutions, Lakatos's methodology of scientific research programs, and Feyerabend's methodological anarchism.

Part Two will provide an introduction to the literature on scientific realism and antirealism: starting with Putnam and Boyd's original definition of scientific realism, we will move on to Bas van Fraassen's constructive empiricism and Ian Hacking's experimental realism.

Part Three will discuss laws of nature, scientific explanation and scientific models.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Students MUST NOT also be taking Science and Society 1A (SCSU08001)
Other requirements None
Additional Costs None
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus?Yes
Course Delivery Information
Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1) Learn enabled:  Yes Quota:  None
Web Timetable Web Timetable
Class Delivery Information Lecturers:
Dr Michela Massami
Mr Cameron Boult
Dr Suilin Lavelle
Dr Alasdair Richmond
Mr Orestis Palermos
Dr Alistair Isaac
Course Start Date 16/09/2013
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Lecture Hours 33, Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10, Summative Assessment Hours 2, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 151 )
Additional Notes
Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) Written Exam 75 %, Coursework 25 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours:Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)Philosophy of Science 12:00
Resit Exam Diet (August)Philosophy of Science 12:00
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
to introduce the student to characteristically philosophical ways of thinking

to enable the student to express philosophical ideas and arguments
Assessment Information
1 mid-term essay (1500 words) and 1 exam at the end of the semester. Coursework counts for 25%; exam for 75%.
Special Arrangements
None
Additional Information
Academic description Not entered
Syllabus Not entered
Transferable skills Not entered
Reading list Not entered
Study Abroad Not entered
Study Pattern Not entered
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Michela Massimi
Tel: (0131 6)50 3662
Email: Michela.Massimi@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Sarah Nicol
Tel: (0131 6)51 3083
Email: Sarah.Nicol@ed.ac.uk
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