| Unit name | Philosophy of Natural and Social Science |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PHIL20037 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Professor. Ladyman |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites | |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of Philosophy |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The chief question discussed in this course is whether the methods determined by philosophers of science in relation to the natural sciences, ought to be considered a good model for the methods of the social sciences (e.g. anthropology, economics, sociology, psychology etc.). We will look at theories of scientific explanation, prediction, causation and laws discussing them in relation to both the natural and social sciences. We will also examine some general topics in the philosophy of the social sciences including the explanation and interpretation of action; naturalist and hermeneutic social theory; reductionism and methodological individualism; rational choice theory and relativism.
