2005/06 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
HPSC1200 How Science Works
10 creditsClass Size: 300
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2005/06
This module is approved as an Elective
Objectives
On completion of this module students should be able to describe and critically assess a range of important issues which help shed light on the question 'how does science work?'.Syllabus
The module covers four central issues: 1) Discovery: How are theories discovered? Is it simply a matter of creativity? Or is it just plain hard work? Is discovery in science different from discovery in other fields? Is there a special method to scientific discovery that distinguishes science from other fields? 2) Evidence: What is the relation between scientific theories and experimental evidence? How does experimental evidence support a theory? How do scientists generate 'evidence'? How does experimental evidence support a theory? How do scientists generate 'evidence'? How do they distinguish between 'good' and 'bad' experimental evidence? 3) Realism: Do electrons (or genes, the ego, whatever) exist? How can we be so confident they do when other scientific entities have come and gone? Should we take our best theories to be true? Or should they be regarded instead as nothing more than a kind of convenient summary of the experimental evidence? 4) Independence: Is science objective? Or do social pressures undermine any pretence to objectivity? Are scientific theories 'gender biased', for example? What is the role of these social factors in general? And can they be accomodated in a way that retains a sense of objectivity?
Teaching methods
11 lectures plus 5 tutorials
Methods of assessment
50% coursework (1 essay of 1500 words), 50% 1 hour exam at end of semester.
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 09/06/2009
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