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Why Philosophers Care What Scientists Mean:
Introduction to the Philosophy of Science

EFB 796 /EFB 797
(Course # 11556)
1 Credit Hour

INSTRUCTORS:

• Marianne Patinelli-Dubay: Adirondack Ecological Center, 6312 State Route 28N, Newcomb, NY 12852
Phone: (518) 582-4551 ext 113; FAX (518) 582-2181; email: mpdubay@esf.edu
• Dr. William Porter: Faculty of Environmental and Forest Biology, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY 13210
Phone: (315) 470-6798; FAX: (315) 470-6934; e-mail: wfporter@syr.edu


DESCRIPTION OF COURSE:
One important function of science is to use empirical means to determine what in the world is true. One important function of philosophy is to discover what in the world is knowable. One function of the philosophy of science is to establish the meaning and precision of scientific claims and investigations through the philosophical method of doubt, formulation, solution, argument and dialectic.

David Hume argued that perception is a necessary component to reality and that events cannot be considered real unless empirically evidenced. Rudolph Carnap framed the distinction between whether the structure of reality determines the structure of thought or whether the structure of thought determines the structure of reality. Is reality dependent on our direct experience? Is there a universal reality? Are reality statements always empirically grounded and if so, can any scientific concept include components that are not demonstrable?

It has been argued that the transcendental exists “behind” the empirical world, beyond a boundary that divides the accessible from the inaccessible, the way the known world was divided from the uncharted old world when map makers marked the edges of their known territory, “here be dragons.” Metaphysics is believed to exist in the realm beyond the physical, beyond sense-data. There is no method for gathering metaphysical data, no empirical evidence that anything meta even exists! Yet, in order to fully understand the meaning of scientific concepts and claims the philosopher of science must first contend with this elusive meta realm.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:
During this course, students will begin to understand the general scope, functionality and applications of philosophy and the philosophy of science through discussions of primary and contextual readings, written response to content questions provided by the instructor, individual meetings with the instructor and completion of one set of original content/discussion questions meant to stimulate conversation and to facilitate a dialogue between course participants and the texts.

COURSE FORMAT:

1 credit graduate seminar

• Two weekend salons at Huntington Wildlife Forest
• Individual meetings with the instructor
• On-line interaction with course materials, instructor and students

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

•The completion of primary readings in combination with selected content questions are intended to help students to focus on important aspects of the texts and to consider deeper and auxiliary meanings within the readings.

•Texts listed in the primary bibliography are to be read in conjunction with content questions, in advance of each salon. Students should be prepared to contribute their reflections on the content questions to the salon discourse.
•Oral participation and satisfactory completion of content questions each account for one third of the final grade.

•Completion of student’s original content/ reading questions for salon II will be used to facilitate discussions and will be submitted for one third of the final grade.

DATES:
Instructor will hold an introductory class meeting on the Syracuse campus during the first week of the semester (Date determined by student availability)
•   Salon I at Huntington Wildlife Forest, Newcomb, NY October 31 – November 2, 2008
•   Salon II at Huntington Wildlife Forest, Newcomb, NY December 12 – 14, 2008

LOCATION: Adirondack Ecological Center, Newcomb NY

COST: $220.00 for lodging and meals at the Huntington Wildlife Forest plus cost of credits.

SCHEDULE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

For further information, contact Marianne Patinelli-Dubay at mpdubay@esf.edu ; (518) 582-4551 extension 113

 

NOTE: Participation in the course is limited to 12 students. For additional information, contact Marianne Patinelli-Dubay at mpdubay@esf.edu (518) 582-4551, extension 113