This is an introductory course into the philosophy of science and the philosophy of the social sciences. It deals with questions concerning the aims of scientific inquiries, the differences between science and non-science, the potential validity of reasoning based on empirical data in distinction to deductive reasoning, and the presuppositions of all empirical inquiries.

The questions we will pursue are (i) questions in the philosophy of science and the history of the philosophy of science, (ii) epistemological and (iii) metaphysical or ontological questions.

        In order to answer these questions we will look into the beginning of philosophical reasoning from Antiquity to the Middle Ages to the “Scientific Revolution”. What are early views of “demonstration” of empirical investigations (Aristotle, Francis Bacon)? We will then focus on the scepticism concerning the foundations of such methods (David Hume), and Immanuel Kant's dissolution of these doubts in his „Copernican Turn“. Toward the end of this course we’ll have a brief look into the rise of the idea of “social sciences” in the 19th century  (J. St. Mill, William Whewell, Auguste Comte) and the development of a "new mathematical" logic by Gottlob Frege and George Boole. Then we will focus on the most influential methodological views in the 20th century based on this "mathematical" logic: Logical Empiricism and Critical Rationalism and Critical Theory. 

(Part A) the philosophy of science - part, i.e. the lecture part of this course consists in 5 lectures: 

“1. Scientific Reasoning in Antiquity”: 9. March 2021

“2. Scholasticism and the Scientific Revolution ...”: 16. March 2021

“3. The Presuppositions of all Empirical Observation”: 23. March 2021

EASTER BREAK 

“4. 'Social Science' – and the development of a “new”, mathematical logic”: 13. April 2021

“5. Theories of confirmation in the 20^th century: 20. April 2021: This is the last lecture, the last session before the Q&A session and the final exam of part A  (part A: no attendance requirement, no synchron lectures). 

Q&A-Sessions: 23. April 2021 

MC EXAM: 28. April 2021 (a Wednesday!)

(Part B) The philosophy of the social sciences - part  (11.5., 18.5., 25.5.): 100% attendance requirement

We will discuss and apply the various methods of scientific reasoning (studied before) onto questions in the social sciences. 

Learning outcomes in general:

(i) to develop an appreciation for the scientific enterprise as such, to become familiar with the history of methodological thinking, (ii) to develop the deductive and analytical skills needed in scientific reasoning to enhance the ability to approach questions in the empirical sciences by raising questions about the adequate methods, (iii) to gain knowledge of the debates about the potential difference between natural and social sciences

The learning outcomes in particular of part (A) are:

(i) to gain knowledge on the history of methodological thinking, (ii) to construe premises and valid conclusions in deductive syllogistic arguments, (iii) to be able to identify the specific character of inductive arguments, (iv) to understand the limitations concerning the possibility of justifying the results of empirical inquiries (v) to apply various methods of empirical reasoning in the light of these limitations

in part (B):  (vi) to understand the difference in the ontological status of the social sciences, (vii) to become familiar with various views about the goal of the social sciences.

This is a course that is divided into a lecture part (part A) and a “Uebung” (part B), i.e., a part, in which we will apply the general consideration in respect to questions about the status of the so called „social sciences“. 

For the lecture-part (part A) of this course NO attendance is required. The lecture- sessions will be held synchron. The last of the 5 lectures in part (A) is on the 20th of April. The last session in part A on Friday the 23rd is a Q&A session.

Between Part (A) and Part (B) the MC exam will take place: on the 28th of April 2021.

The “Uebungs”-part (part B, i.e. 3 last sessions) will require 100% attendance — online attendance is required in the synchron sessions and attendance will be checked.

Part B = sessions on the 11.5., 18.5., 25.5. For more information about the lecture part (A) and the UE part  B) of this course, please look at course content (above) . 

Lecture-part, part (A) of this course: 

(unsurprisingly) lectures;

there exists a lecture-manuscript as text in Learn, slides + MC/SC questions with automated feedback; to make sure that we all are "on board", there are weekly assignments (in groups), and weekly MC/SC tests (in groups, + don't worry you can do them in a certain time period twice), (plenty of) literature (primary and secondary) is made available in Learn,

Uebungs/Discussion part, (part B) of this course: 

reading of papers, analysis, discussion of conclusions, questions and/or problems; world-café.

to avoid any further redundancy about time periods of parts (A) and (B) see class structure/content above; 

Please study the requirements and the assessment information carefully :

1. Final MC/SC-test: 30 questions (30 minutes): max. points: 60. (20 points have to be reached in order for this part to count as positive). 

2. weekly assignments: 4 weekly assignments — in groups (max 5), 5 questions, 3 max points for every question, 15 max points for every assignment, in total, for 5 x 4 assignments = 60 points. Points are given on an all or nothing principle: 7 - 15 points = 15 points  0 - 6 points = 0 points. 2 weekly assignments have to be positive. Assignment 2: 15 points for every group. Assignment 4: will not be graded according to the all-or-nothing rule.

ATTENTION: There are weekly deadlines (see Learn) : assignments have to be uploaded at time. assignments that are sent to Ms. Gerdenich or me because they cannot be uploaded anymore will not be graded. I am sorry: since this is a course of 260 students, assignments can also not turned in a second time. 

3. weekly MC/SC test as another part of the weekly assignment: 5 (!) MC/SC tests in the same groups as the assignment groups (max 5) , every test = 5 points, total 25 points. Points are given on an all or nothing principle: 0 - 60% = 0 points, 61 - 100 % = 5 points. 3 MC tests have to be turned in/have to be positive for this part to count as positive (15 points minimum). 

4. contribution in discussion sessions + short group presentation and short paper (groups of max 10),  max point: 55 ( 30 points have to be reached in order for this assessment part to count as positive) 

5. Short paper/handout (55 points), deadline: May 24, 23:55.

*+ points: answering questions of your colleagues in the “foren”: max 1, 5 points (0, 5 point for answering a question of a colleague of yours).

 The final MC test, the weekly MC tests, the short paper have to be positive. So please, spend some time on these required parts (weekly MC tests, final MC test, paper presentation) of this course. What are the min. points needed for every assessment part of this course? - see above. 

Points in total: 200

182 - 200:      very good (1)

162 - 180:      good (2) 

140 - 160:      satisfactory (3) 

110 - 138:      sufficient (4) 

below 110:     fail (5)

180, 5 181, 181, 5 points will be treated as „in-between“-grades  (as 160, 5 etc.) with the possibility to get a higher grade by adding points from your contribution to “foren”- discussions (f.e. answering questions of your colleagues in the “foren”: see above. So if you had in total 181, 5 points and if you had answered 1 questions in the foren, you would receive a 1 as final grade.