PHI2800 : Philosophy and Science
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Miriam Baldwin
- Owning School: School X
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The aim of the module is to foster analytical thinking and critical engagement. The module will introduce students to seminal thinkers in philosophy of science and social sciences, and present counter-currents to scientism. The module is compatible with interdisciplinary study. Lectures will introduce key theorists and seminars will underpin these.
Outline Of Syllabus
Content subject to change depending on staff teaching interests.
Key Topics:
• Introduction to Philosophy of Science (Induction/Deduction/Theory Dependence of Observation). Falsification/Hypothetico-Deductive Method (Popper).
• Paradigms and Scientific Revolutions (Kuhn).
• ‘Against Method’ and Theoretical Anarchism (Feyerabend).
• Romantic Counter-Cultural reactions to Science and Enlightenment Rationalism: Primacy of feeling over scientific rationalism (W.H. Wackenroder).
• Knowledge, feeling and suffering (John Keats).
• Wisdom versus Science in The Birth of Tragedy (Nietzsche)
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 52:00 | 52:00 | Review lecture material, prepare for small group teaching and assessment |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 20:00 | 20:00 | Essay preparation and completion |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | Specific research or reading activities developed and directed a academic staff |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 8 | 1:00 | 8:00 | Tutorials |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 1:00 | 2:00 | N/A |
| Total | 100:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The aim of the module is to engender independent, critical skills and an ability to navigate seminal ideas at epistemic, axiological and methodological levels. The rationale of teaching methods based on lecture followed by seminar schedule, is to enable (1) delivery of concepts and their embedding in the pedagogic landscape and (2) through the seminar facilitate student skill in interrogating and critically engaging with material.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essay | 1 | A | 100 | 2000 word essay |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The essay assessment on this module appropriately and realistically tests for student competences given the material studied.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- PHI2800's Timetable