Philosophy of Science

This course investigates the epistemological, methodological and ontological dimensions of science.

Students will study the relation between perception, evidence and theory in the context of scientific research. They will explore different inferential accounts of this relation, paying particular attention to how evidence is used, and how it ought to be used, to confirm or disconfirm theories.

Lessons from the history of science will provide checks and balances to these accounts as well as to accounts of the exact limits of scientific knowledge.

Finally, students will reflect on some related topics in the metaphysics of science such as what are laws of nature and what constitutes a good scientific explanation.

Members of the Northeastern University London Philosophy faculty who have a special interest in the debates related to Philosophy of Language include Dr Brian Ball and Dr Ioannis Votsis.