2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
HPSC2202 Theories and Observations in Science
20 creditsClass Size: 100
Module manager: Juha Saatsi
Email: J.T.Saatsi@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2008/09
Pre-requisite qualifications
HPSC1200 How Science Works orPHIL1001 Introduction to Philosophy or
PHIL1004 Introduction to the History of Philosophy or
PHIL1008 Introduction to Logic
Module replaces
HPSC2330 Theories and Observations in ScienceThis module is not approved as an Elective
Module summary
What is the relationship between scientific theories, models and the phenomena created in the lab? This will be our focus as we seek to go beyond the influential, but over-simplified, picture of science presented by prominent philosophers and scientists of the early 20th Century, enquiring: How do scientific theories explain? What are laws of nature? How does evidence bear for and against a theory; and how does one come by experimental evidence anyway? What even, in fact, makes a theory scientific?Teaching will be by lectures and tutorials. Pre-requisites are either HPSC 1200 How Science Works, or PHIL 1200 Reason and Argument and Phil 1400 Introduction to Theoretical Philosophy. Also available in a 10 Credit version for Joint Honours HPS students. Contact c.g.timpson@leeds.ac.ukObjectives
On completion of this module students should be able to describe and critically assess a variety of views concerning:a) the relationship between theories and observation in general;
b) the nature and role of confirmation and falsification in science;
c) the nature and role of laws and models in science;
d) the nature of observation and experimentation in general.
Syllabus
i) The Received View of Theories and the Nature of Laws of Nature
The 'Received View' of theories; the difference between laws and regularities; laws necessity and causality.
ii) Explanation in Science
The 'Deductive-Nomological' view of explanation; problems with the D-N view; causal accounts of explanation; explanation and models.
iii) Verification and Falsification
Logical positivism and verifiability; from verification to confirmation; falsifiability; recent accounts of confirmation in science.
iv) Phenomenological Laws and the Epistemology of Experiment
Truth and the nature of phenomenological laws; the autonomy of models; the separate life of experiment.
Teaching methods
Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
Lecture | 16 | 1.00 | 16.00 |
Tutorial | 4 | 1.00 | 4.00 |
Private study hours | 180.00 | ||
Total Contact hours | 20.00 | ||
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200.00 |
Private study
6 hours reading and preparing per lecture: 96 hours;6 hours reading and preparing for tutorials: 24 hours;
Essay preparation: 30 hours;
Exam revision: 30 hours.
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
1 x 2,000 word essay to be submitted mid-semester and returned with comments.Methods of assessment
Coursework
Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
Essay | 2,000 words | 50.00 |
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 50.00 |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Exams
Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc) | 2 hr 00 mins | 50.00 |
Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 50.00 |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 22/01/2009
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