Key facts
Details for course being taught in current academic year
Level 1 - 12 credits - spring term
E-learning links
Resources
Course description
Course outline
What makes something a science? Is there a scientific method? What are laws and what role do they play in science? Are the special sciences (such as biology, psychology, sociology) autonomous, each one delivering its own distinctive kind of explanation? What sorts of relations might one science (e.g.Psychology) bear to another (e.g. Neuroscience or Physics)? How does scientific thought alter and evolve? Is science really a rational enterprise through and through?
Learning outcomes
- Students will come to grasp some central theories and arguments in the field of Philosophy of Science, and will become familiar with the works of some major philosophers.
- They will learn to analyze the structure of complex problems, to identify textually-based arguments, and to subject arguments (both their own and others) to rigorous logical and philosophical scrutiny. They will learn to use detailed examples to support or criticize generalizations.
- Students will learn to think and reason clearly, to express their ideas and to critically reflect upon their own views and prejudices. They will learn how to use library and web-based resources as tools for independent research. They will learn to participate in group discussions and to present and defend their own views and the views of others.
In sum, they will learn to critically yet fairly review unfamiliar ideas, to explore even ill-defined questions, and to assess complex arguments.
Assessments
| Type | Timing | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | 30.00% | |
| Essay (2000 words) | Spring Week 8 | 100.00% |
| Unseen Examination | Summer Term (1 hour 30 minutes) | 70.00% |
Resit mode of assessment
| Type | Timing | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Unseen Examination | Summer Vacation (1 hour 30 minutes) | 100.00% |
Timing
Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.
Weighting
Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.
Teaching methods
| Term | Method | Duration | Week pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Term | LECTURE | 1 hour | 2222222222 |
| Spring Term | SEMINAR | 1 hour | 1111111111 |
How to read the week pattern
The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.
Contact details
Dr Robert Clowes
Assess convenor
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/informatics/profile23608.html
Dr Ron Chrisley
Convenor
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/informatics/profile476.html