Course Description

In this course we will examine the metaphysical, epistemological, and methodological assumptions which underlie modern science. While some of the words in the previous sentence may be intimidating to the novice philosophy student, they serve well to pinpoint the main concerns of our philosophical investigation of modern science in this course. Let's take a moment to briefly consider each of these philosophical areas in turn.

Metaphysics is an inquiry about the nature of reality - about what entities, properties, laws, etc., form the basis our universe. This is a topic about which modern science has a lot to say - at least at the theoretical level. It is also a topic about which many interesting philosophical questions can be raised. For example, having seen the cast of basic entities, properties, and laws adhered to by scientists change significantly over the past few centuries, we might wonder whether the current cast will fair any better in the future. That is, we may wonder whether the quarks, photons, neutrinos etc., which populate current physical theories really exist or are truly a part of reality. We may even wonder whether it makes any difference whether they really exist or not- whether they form the basic elements of reality or not.

Epistemology - literally episteme logos or discourse about knowledge- is an inquiry about human knowledge - about the scope and limits of human knowledge and our means of gaining this knowledge. Again, this is a topic about which modern science has a great deal to say. It is widely thought that a great deal of knowledge about the universe we live in has been acquired in the past few centuries and the science is the producer and repository of this precious commodity. This too is a subject about which many interesting philosophical questions can be raised. For example - to start with- exactly what is to count as scientific knowledge and what is the source of such knowledge?

Methodology is simply "discourse about method" . Obviously modern science makes important assumptions about how knowledge of reality can be aquired. In fact, we often hear it said that it is the "scientific method" which distinguishes science from all other forms of inquiry into the nature of reality ( e.g., mythology, theology, etc. ) Science, presumably, provides us with "true" knowledge because it employs a method which somehow generates accurate and true information about the universe. Again, this a topic about which requires philosophical scrutiny. To begin with we might wonder what the "scientific method" is- and whether it's claim to superiority over other means of investigating the universe can be sustained.

Typical of all courses in philosophy, this course will raise many more questions than it answers. Hopefully, it will open your mind to new ideas and to new possibilities, and ultimately to the full realization that the universe is truly a wonderous and mysterious place.