What is History and Philosophy of Science?

HPS 111 History and Philosophy of Science

What is History and Philosophy of Science?

           

ü Is a discipline devoted in using a wide variety of historical and philosophical approaches to understand one of the most important conceptual and cultural enterprises of the modern world-science.

ü Take many different forms that aim of understanding how science works;

ü Analyzing the abstract structure of scientific theory and practice;

ü Examining detailed foundational issues in specific sciences;

ü Historical topic ranges from science and technology of ancient Greece to the development of quantum field theory;

ü Philosophical issues include the epistemology and metaphysics of science, the logic of theory testing and theory evaluation, the role of experiment and heuristic in science growth.

PHILOSOPHY OF SPECIFIC SCIENCE

Ø  Examines the foundations and fundamental questions of the specific sciences such as physics, biology or psychology.

WHAT IS PHILOSOPHY?

Ø  A man’s guiding principles in explaining the forces of nature and universal phenomena, myths and legends instead of reason were long held as truth beyond questionable doubt.

Ø  Extremely complex intellectual activity.

BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY

1.       Metaphysics – studies the fundamental nature of reality and the existence and/or the essence of things.

2.       Epistemology – seeks the nature, basis, and extent of knowledge.

3.       Logics – deals with the principles and methods of reasoning.

4.       Ethics – delves on the nature of right and wrong, the distinction between good and evil, human values and conduct.

5.       Aesthetics – concentrates on the creation and principles of art and beauty, including our thoughts, feelings and attitudes about any expression of art and beauty.

HISTORY OF SCIENCE

ü Examines the origins and evolution of scientific ideas and practices within cultural context.

ü It deals with questions such as the following:

1. Where do new scientific ideas, tools and practices come from?

2. How is the development of science influenced by metaphysics, religion, technology, and social institutions?

3. How does the advancement of science, in turn, shape human society and culture?

GENERAL PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

ü Analyzes the structure of scientific theories, methods, and practices

ü It deals with problems such as the following;

1. How are scientific explanation different from mythological of commonsense accounts of what goes on in the world around us?

2. Can scientist prove their theories? If not, why does science work so well?

3. Are the theories and methods used in biology, psychology, or the social science fundamentally different from those found in physical science?