PHIL 450L ST: Philosophy of Science

This course provides an introduction to foundational issues in philosophy of science. No background in philosophy of science or science is presupposed. Questions addressed may include: What is science, and how does it differ from pseudoscience? What does scientific objectivity and rationality really consist in? What is a law of nature? What role do natural laws play in scientific reasoning? What is a scientific explanation? Does scientific progress depend on our ability to reduce more complex theories into simpler ones?