PHIL 3010

This course investigates questions basic to understanding the nature, aims, and activities of science as a human enterprise. Questions include: How do scientists produce and legitimate their knowledge claims? What is the relation between scientific laws, hypotheses, and theories? Do the theoretical entities of science really exist? Does scientific knowledge steadily increase? Is western science value free, or is it influenced by the biology, culture, social location and power of the people who work in it? What is the difference between science and religion as belief systems? Why did western science quickly become the globally dominant form of knowledge production? Do different cultures each have their own equally valid forms of "science," or does western science give us the one true account of nature? PREREQUISITE: One course in Philosophy or permission of the instructor. Lectures: Three hours a week