' Philosophy of Science' is an elective course offered for M.A. Philosophy offered by Amrita Darshanam - International Center for Spiritual Studies , Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
Unit I
Introduction: The Nature and Scope of Philosophy of Science
What is Science? Science and Pseudo-Science.
Induction and Its Problems: Inductive Probability, Popper’s Alternative to Induction, Goodman’s New Paradox to Induction.
Unit II
Theories: Realism, Anti-realism, Instrumentalism, Unification, Explanation and Prediction.
Unit III
A J Ayer, Karl Popper: Falsificationism, Problems with Falsificationism.
Unit IV
Thomas Kuhn and Normal science, Scientific Revolution and Incommensurability, Science and the Question of Method, Against Method- Feyraband, The Authority of Science, How to Defend Society against Science.
Unit V
Science and Society, Science and Values.
REFERENCES
- Karl Popper. The Logic of Scientific Discovery. London: Routledge, 1959. English.
- Anthony O’ Hear. An Introduction to Philosophy of Science. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1989. English.
- David Armstrong. What is a Law of Nature?.UK: Cambridge University Press, 1983. English.
- Bas Van Fraassen. The Scientific Image. New York: Oxford University Press, 1980. English.
- JakkoHintikka& Patrick Suppes (Eds). Aspects of Inductive Logic. Amsterdam: North-Holland Publishing Company Limited, 1966. English.
- Paul Churchland& C. Hooker (Eds). Images of Science. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1985. English.
- Horwich. Probability and Evidence. UK: Cambridge University Press, 1982. English.
- P. Frank. Philosophy of Science. London: Prentice-Hall, 1957. English.
- P. Kitcher. The Advancement of Science. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. English.
- John Earman. Bays or Bust? A Critical Examination of Bayesian Confirmation Theory. US: MIT Press, 1992. English.
