Focus on various central questions in philosophy of science, potentially including topics from the history of philosophy of science as well as topics important to contemporary philosophy of science. Topics might include: What is science? How does scientific explanation work? How do scientists generate and use evidence? What is the relationship between science and social or political values? What are the aims of science? May also include discussion of specific subdisciplines of philosophy of science, such as philosophy of biology, philosophy of physics, philosophy of medicine, and more.

PHILOSOPHY OF THE NATURAL SCIENCES

PHILOS 520

Nature and functions of science; the logic of scientific method; clarification of such concepts as cause, law, theory, probability, determinism, teleology.

SEMINAR: EPISTEMOLOGY

PHILOS 903

Seminar on epistemology.