General topics in the philosophy of science

1. General topics in the philosophy of science

Topic 1

2. definition of the term

• "Philosophy of science" is the name given to
that branch of philosophy that reflects on and
critically analyzes science. As a discipline, it
tries to understand the aims and methods of
science, along with its principles, practices,
and achievements.

3. two approaches of science

• In the twentieth century, two disparate
approaches have been dominant. It were
logical positivists and logical empiricists, they
set rigorous standards for the conduct of
philosophy of science. Logical empiricists and
logical positivists were also concerned with
establishing clear meanings for all the terms
used in science.

4. Criticism of logical positivists and empiricists

• The standard view fails to take account of the
bearing of history of science on the
philosophy of science. Critics of the standard
view cite Thomas Kuhn's Structure of Scientific
Revolutions , which argues that most scientific
textbooks ignore history and distort the real
nature of progress in science.

5. four themes in philosophy of science

Explanation
Induction and Confirmation
Realism and the Nature of Scientific Theories
Scientific Change: Perspectives and Proposals

6. scientific explanation

• The first step in clarifying the notion of
scientific explanation is to draw a sharp
distinction between explaining why a
particular phenomenon occurs and giving
reasons for believing that it occurs. Аn
explanation is an attempt to render
understandable or intelligible some particular
event or some general fact.

7. Why - question in scientific explanation

• Not all why-questions are requests for
scientific explanations
• that some scientific explanations are answers
to how-possibly-questions
• We will leave open the possibility that some
explanations cannot suitably be requested by
why-questions.

8. scientific explanation

• any explanation consists of two parts, the
explanandum and the explanans.
• The explanandum is the fact that is to be
explained.
• The explanans is that which does the
explaining. It consists of whatever facts,
particular or general, are summoned to
explain the explanandum.

9. An argument

• An argument is simply a set of statements,
Scientific Explanation.
• Scientific Explanation one of which is singled
out as the conclusion of the argument. The
remaining members of the set are premises.
• There may be one or more premises; no fixed
number of premises is required. The premises
provide support for the conclusion.

10.

11. deductive and inductive arguments

• All logically correct arguments fall into two types,
deductive and inductive, and these types differ
fundamentally from one another.
• Inductive arguments come in different matter. In
some inductions An argument is totally valid or it
is in- the premises support the conclusions valid
more strongly than in others.
• Deductive validity and inductive correctness do
not hinge on the truth of the premises or the
conclusion of the argument.