- Instructor
- Jutta Schickore
- Course Description
- Scientific knowledge is often taken to be reliable because it arises from using “the scientific method”. But it is by no means easy to explain what “the scientific method” is and what the distinct rules and procedures are that make inquiry scientific. This course introduces students to philosophical and historical debates about scientific methods. The course will focus on specific topics related to empirical research. We will examine issues such as experimental control, replication, negative results, uncertainty, risk, and failure. Then, we’ll ask how scientists themselves talk about their methods, and we’ll take a look at “methods sections” in scientific articles. We will end with the history of the concept “scientific method” itself: when and why did it emerge, what roles has it played in science, and how has it changed over time?
- College of Arts & Sciences
- Department of History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine
The College of Arts