University of Pennsylvania - Philosophy of Science
- Offered byCoursera
- Public/Government Institute
Philosophy of Science at Coursera Overview
Duration | 12 hours |
Total fee | Free |
Mode of learning | Online |
Difficulty level | Intermediate |
Official Website | Explore Free Course  |
Credential | Certificate |
Philosophy of Science at Coursera Highlights
- Shareable Certificate Earn a Certificate upon completion
- 100% online Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
- Flexible deadlines Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
- Intermediate Level
- Approx. 12 hours to complete
- English Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish
Philosophy of Science at Coursera Course details
- For the last four centuries, scientists have aimed to provide us with an understanding of the world around us. By all appearances, science has made substantial progress during this time. But is this progress real or illusory? And if it is real, how has this progress been made? This four-week course will consider these important questions. Specific topics will include how scientists generate knowledge through observations, experiments, and simulations; scientific objectivity and failures of scientific objectivity; the self-correcting nature of the scientific community; the positive and negative influences that values can have on science; the relationship between science and religion; and the role of the public in guiding the scientific enterprise.
Philosophy of Science at Coursera Curriculum
Introduction and Core Examples
1.1 Science: Past and Present
1.2 ? Example 1: Evolutionary Theory
1.3a ? Example 2: Aging the Universe
1.3b ? Example 3: Climate Change
1.3c ? Example 4: A Theory of Mind
1.4 ? Diverse Subjects, Common Methods
Introduction to the Course and your Instructor
Week 1 Readings
Week 1 Quiz
Scientific Methods
2.1 ? Intro to Scientific Empiricism
2.2 ? A Grounding in Observation
2.3a ? Straight Observation
2.3b ? Observation with Telescopes
2.3c ? Practicing to Observe
2.3d ? Making Observation More Efficient
2.3e ? Mill?s Methods
2.4a ? Isolating and Creating Phenomena
2.4b ? The Logic of Experiments
2.5 ? Simulations: Empirical and Reliable?
2.6 ? Reliable Detection
Week 2 Readings
Week 2 Quiz
Scientific Objectivity
3.0 ? The Power of Collective Knowledge
3.1 ? Defining Scientific Objectivity
3.2 ? Mechanisms of Scientific Objectivity
3.3 ? Shedding Bias and Approaching Truth
3.4 ? Failures of Objectivity
3.5 ? Science, Pseudoscience and Uncertainty
Week 3 Reading
Week 3 Quiz
Values in Science
4.1 ? Science in the Political Arena
4.2 ? Should Science Be Value-Free?
4.3 ? Scientific Freedom and Responsibility
4.4 ? Cultivating Scientific Skepticism
Week 4 Reading
Week 4 Quiz
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