Jagdish Hattiangadi

Instruction: Wednesdays: 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. McLaughlin College112

Office Hours: Tuesdays 12:00 noon -12:50 p.m., S437 Ross, by appointment

Email: jagdish@yorku.ca, Tel. Ext. 77524

This course will deal with the main issues and points of view in the subject of philosophy of science..  We will take up the nine topics in the subject matter that are put together in the compendium by Clover, Curd et. al.  Before class, we will have already discussed, on Moodle, each topic that has been assigned for the week. In each class we will discuss further the material found in the Moodle posts. In this manner, we will try to engage in the arguments that underlie each piece of writing rather than look at them superficially. The papers to be discussed will cover some of the most commonly discussed topics in the subject. At the end of this course, you should have a good background understanding of the main issues under discussion in the general subject of Philosophy of Science.

Required Course Text / Readings:

Philosophy of Science, The Central Issues, ed. Martin Curd,, J. A. Cover and Christopher Pincock, Second Edition.

(The Bookstore has announced that it will rent the book to students for the term.)

Recommended prerequisite:

Samir Okasha, Philosophy of Science, A Very Short Introduction,

1) Moodle Discussion 30%             Every week, 48 hours before class

2) Mid term exam        30%             February 25, Open Book Exam

3) Final Paper             40%             April 2, 2019 by 2:30 p.m.

Late penalty 2% per day

TOTAL                        100%

1) Moodle Discussion (30%)

This is in lieu of a midterm paper, and it will cover all of the material from the beginning of the course. You must post some contribution to the discussion each week to fulfill this component. Contributions are small and pithy, rather than essays. Discussion on Moodle counts toward a final grade when posted at least 48 hours before the topic is taken up in class, so you must read the material even prior to that. Moodle discussion will be taken up further in classroom discussion. Moodle discussion is graded for relevance, the clarity and importance of the points made and its impact on subsequent discussion. This 30% will also be modulated for classroom discussion as a participation grade.

2) Midterm Exam (30%) (Required)

The midterm exam will be held in class for two hours, It is an Open Book Exam and it will cover all of the material in the course up until the week before. The midterm exam will consist of short answers, rather than an essay. Students enrolled in this course who do not sit for a midterm exam cannot obtain a passing mark on the course.

3) Final  Paper (40%)

The 12-15 page paper (double spaced) will address any of the issues raised in the course, your choice. The assignment must be submitted in two formats, or TWICE: electronically on the Moodle web site for the last week listed, and also in printed form, to be dropped off in the designated box outside the Departmental office. Please note the late penalty.

A mixture of lecture and discussion over three seminar hours each week.

Any student who completes this course will have,

• A knowledge of the main theories involving philosophy of science
• Some critical appreciation of how theories are evaluated
• A familiarity with the major positions taken up currently in philosophy  of science
• An improved ability to read and write in a critical manner on different subjects

IMPORTANT DATES

Weekly topics have been marked on the Moodle website for the course. Please consult the website.