The course of Philosophy of Science is part of the program in Philosophy and it is included among the characterizing training activities. The course is an introduction to the key problems of the philosophy of science. Among these, students will have to familiarize with issues concerning the nature of scientific explanation, of laws of nature, of the relationship between hypothesis and evidence, and of the cognitive content of scientific theories in light of radical scientific changes. These general topics will be introduced by a direct reading of some classics of 20th century philosophy of science, with the aim to develop the competences that are necessary to formulate and evaluate philosophical arguments.
Students will be able to apply the knowledge acquired in the discussion and argument both from a theoretical and a historical-philosophical perspective. At the end of the course the student will acquire:
-) Ability to analyze and interpret philosophical texts;
-) Properties of language and argumentation;
-) Ability to contextualize the acquired knowledge in the Philosophical debate.
Students will be able to apply the knowledge acquired in the discussion and argument both from a theoretical and a historical-philosophical perspective. At the end of the course the student will acquire:
-) Ability to analyze and interpret philosophical texts;
-) Properties of language and argumentation;
-) Ability to contextualize the acquired knowledge in the Philosophical debate.
scheda docente
materiale didattico
K. Popper Science and Philosophy
C. Hempel Philosophy of the natural sciences , some chapters available online on the professor's website
R. Carnap Philosophical foundations of physics available online on the professor's website
For physicists 3 CUF.
Okasha Il mio primo libro di filosofia della scienza, Einaudi
Carnap I fondamenti filosofici della fisica, Il saggiatore (capitoli disponibili sul sito del docente)
Mutuazione: 20702666 FILOSOFIA DELLA SCIENZA in Scienze della Comunicazione L-20 DORATO MAURO
Programma
The course is an introduction to central themes and problems in philosophy of science and theory of knowledge, such as scientific explanation, the nature of reasoning and hypotheses in the sciences, the cognitive content of theories, seen also in the light of key episodes in the history of science, and the demarcation between science, philosophy, religion and ethics. While in the first part of the course we will present these general issues using Okasha's text, in the second part we will make direct reference to texts and authors, reading and commenting on texts and articles by three important 20th century philosophers of science: Karl Popper Karl Hempel and Rudolf Carnap. The fundamental problem addressed by the course is the objectivity of scientific knowledge and thus an attempt to respond to Kant's question: what can we know?Testi Adottati
Okasha S. Philosophy of science: a very short introductionK. Popper Science and Philosophy
C. Hempel Philosophy of the natural sciences , some chapters available online on the professor's website
R. Carnap Philosophical foundations of physics available online on the professor's website
For physicists 3 CUF.
Okasha Il mio primo libro di filosofia della scienza, Einaudi
Carnap I fondamenti filosofici della fisica, Il saggiatore (capitoli disponibili sul sito del docente)
Modalità Erogazione
Frontal lecturesModalità Frequenza
mixed lecture (streaming and frontal lecturesModalità Valutazione
5 short answers to questions about topics dealt with in class