Science, Truth and Bias

PHI 375-001 Fall 2001

Aug. 28 Introduction to the course

Aug. 30 McErlean pages 1– 27, 96 – 97; Stephen & Hilary Rose "The Myth of Neutrality in Science" (xeroxed article handed out Aug. 28)

Sept. 4 McErlean 1.1 (Chapter 1, article #1) Ayer: "The Elimination of Metaphysics;" McErlean 1.2 pp. 35-43 Carnap: "Theoretical Laws and Theoretical Concepts"

Sept. 6 McErlean 1.3 Popper: "Truth, Rationality, and the Growth of Scientific Knowledge"

Sept. 11 McErlean 1.4 Hempel & Oppenheim: "Studies in the Logic of Explanation;" McErlean pages 456 – 468; McErlean 7.42 Hempel: "Theoretical Reduction"

Sept. 13 McErlean pages 98 – 115; recommended - McErlean 2.8 Quine "Two Dogmas of Empiricism"

Sept. 18 McErlean 2.9 Hanson: "Observation;" Levy: "The Confirmation Bias" and "The Assimilation Bias"

Sept. 20 McErlean 2.10 Shapere: "The Concept of Observation in Science and Philosophy;" Longino on background assumptions (xeroxed article handed out Sept. 13))

Sept. 25 McErlean 2.11 Kuhn: "Paradigms"

Sept. 27 **(located in xeroxed packet of readings purchased from the instructor) Kuhn: "The Nature and Necessity of Scientific Revolutions"

Oct. 2 **Kuhn: "Objectivity, Value Judgments, and Theory Choice"

Oct. 4 Wrap up Kuhn -- no new readings

Oct. 9 **Latour: "Opening Pandora's Box" (from Science In Action)

Oct. 11 **Longino: "Objectivity and Values"

Oct. 16 Fall Break

Oct. 18 McErlean pages 201 – 211 Exam 1 due

Oct. 23 McErlean 3.16 Stevenson: "Is Scientific Research Value-Neutral?"

Oct. 25 McErlean 13.17 E. O.Wilson: "Human Decency is Animal;" McErlean 3.18 Lewontin, Rose and Kamin: "Not in Our Genes"

Oct. 30 McErlean 3.19 Shreeve: "Terms of Estrangement;" **Harding "Eurocentric Scientific Illiteracy -- a Challenge for the World Community"

Nov. 1 McErlean 3.20 Payer: "Borderline Cases: How Medical Practice Reflects National Culture;" Allchin: "Points East and West: Acupuncture and Comparative Philosophy of Science"

Nov. 6 **Dickson: Preface and Introduction to The New Politics of Science

Nov. 8 **Young: "Marxism and the History of Science"

Nov. 13 McErlean pages 252 – 263; Cohen "The Notion of a Balance"

Nov. 15 McErlean 4.26 Dilthey: "Introduction to the Human Sciences"

Nov. 20 Exam 2 due

Nov. 22 Thanksgiving

Nov. 27 McErlean pages 378 – 388; McErlean 6.34 Hubbard: "Science, Facts, and Feminism"

Nov. 29 McErlean 6.35 Rosser "Toward Inclusionary Methods;" 6.36 Koertge: "Are Feminists Alienating Women from the Sciences?"

Dec. 4 McErlean 6.37 Longino and Doell: "Body, Bias, and Behavior;" The Biology and Gender Study Group: "The Importance of Feminist Critique for Contemporary Cell Biology"

Dec. 6 McErlean 6.39 Harding: "Feminist Justificatory Strategies"

Dec. 11 Last day of class. McErlean 6.40 Pinnick "Feminist Epistemology: Implications for Philosophy of Science"; 6.41 Hughes: "Significant Differences: the Construction of Knowledge, Objectivity, and Dominance"

Dec. 17 Research paper due