PH 250 Philosophy of Science

A philosophical study of the nature of science. Questions may include the following: What are scientific theories and scientific explanations? Does science have a distinctive method? Does the history of science demonstrate progress? How do cultural values and social and political factors influence the conduct of science? What do we mean by rationality, objectivity, truth, and bias in science? What is pseudo-science? What are scientific revolutions? Do different scientific fields provide us with separate kinds of knowledge, or can this knowledge be brought together into a single, coherent scientific view of the universe? Is science compatible with religion or is conflict between the two inevitable? Are scientists bound by ethical and social obligations above and beyond the pursuit of knowledge? Prerequisites: EN 102 and PH 100. Liberal Arts Core/University Designation: PH-2. (3)