Subject 'Basics of Science Philosophy'

Year:   2011/2012    2012/2013    2013/2014    2014/2015    2015/2016    

There are three topics in this syllabus:
# General introduction to the philosophy and to the philosophy of science.
# Concepts used by scientists and analyzed by philosophers of science (scientific explanation, laws of nature, pseudoscience, theoretical concepts).
# The influence of external factors such as ethnicity, gender, political opinion, religiosity etc. to the scientists and scientific results.

The purpose of the course is to obtain (i) the elementary skills of philosophical argumentation, (ii) the ability to distinguish science from pseudoscience in the paradigmatic cases and (iii) the ability to give paradigmatic examples of the influence of external factors to the scientists and scientific results.

The student who has completed the course
• distinguishes philosophy from every other way to get knowledge about the world;
• distinguishes philosophy of science from other branches of philosophy and other studies of science and technology;
• analyzes the basic concepts used by scientists;
• confirms the importance of history of science and sociology of science to the understanding of science and technology;
• confirms the influence of society to the scientific activities and results;
• distinguishes science from pseudoscience;
• values philosophical argumentations and its results;

Lectures, seminars, independent reading of articles, answering questions in writing.

Recommended literature:
Chalmers,A.F. 1998. Mis asi see on, mida nimetatakse teaduseks: arutlus teaduse olemusest ja seisundist ning teaduslikest meetoditest. Tartu.
Kuhn,Th.S. 2003. Teadusrevolutsioonide struktuur. Tartu.
Sismondo, Sergio 2008. "Sissejuhatus teaduse ja tehnika uuringutesse".
Gould, Stephan Jay 2001. Vääriti mõõdetud inimene.
Hvostov, Andrei 1999. Mõtteline Eesti.
Klein, Stefan 2007. Kas kõik on juhus.
Fox-Keller, Evelyn 2001. Mõtisklusi soost ja teadusest.
Goldacre, Ben. Paha teadus.

Determination of grade: pass/failure grading is used. The final result is either "passed", "not passed" or "failure to appear". The students who have attended all the lectures and have filled in the work sheets at the end of each lecture get "passed" at the end of the course. The students who have missed lectures have to submit written papers based on contemporary philosophical texts. The exact instructions and grading criteria of papers are presented by the lecturer.

Teadusfilosoofia alused - Priit Pärnapuu

2019: RR  

2018: AT  ET  HE  KK  ME  RA  RG  RR  TD  TE  TK  TL*  

2017: AT  ET  HE  KK  KT  ME  RA  RG  RR  RT  TD  TE  TK  TL*  TT  

2016: AT  ET  HE  KT  ME  RA  RG  RR  RT  TD  TE  TK  TL  TT  

2015: AT  ET  HE  KT  ME  RA  RG  RR  RT  TD  TE  TL  TT  

2014: AT  ET  HE  KT  ME  RA  RG  RR  RT  TD  TE  TL  TT  

2013: AT  ET  HE  KT  ME  RA  RG  RR  RT  TD  TE  TL  TT  

2012: AT  EI  ET  GI  KT  LI  MI  RA  RR  RT  TD  TEI  TI  

2011: AT  EI  GI  KT  LI  MI  RA  RR  RT  TD  TEI  TI  

2010: AT  EI  GI  KT  LI  MI  RA  RR  RT  TD  TEI  TI  

2009: AT  EI  GI  KT  LI  MI  RA  RR  RT  TD  TEI  TI  

* Optional subject