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B.S. in Actuarial Science

Otterbein University Course Catalogs

2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

PHIL 2700 - Epistemology and Philosophy of Science

Hours: 4
This course is centered not on particular philosophers from history, but rather on various key issues in epistemology and the philosophy of science. The basic questions in the course center on knowledge: What is knowledge? How, if at all, is knowledge possible? Can memory, testimony, and perception provide us with knowledge, or are there limitations on these familiar sources? What is the methodology of science, and can it provide us with knowledge of the world? Some other questions related to science may include: What is a scientific theory? What is the difference between a scientific explanation and other sorts of explanation? What distinguishes predictions from guesses? Can we ever prove that there are true causal relationships between events in the world? What is a scientific law? Is there one “scientific method” that is guaranteed to give correct answers no matter in what specific discipline it is employed? What distinguishes a real science like astronomy from a pseudo science like astrology? Competence and familiarity with these issues is essential for a well-rounded philosophical education.