Attendance requirement (basic pass/fail):

• Miss more than 2 classes means you fail the class.
• This allowance is for serious unforeseen circumstances and should not be used simply for taking time-off, job interviews, working or planned into holidays or similar.
• Do not switch sessions/classes to which you are allocated. Allocations are made to maintain group spread, mix and size and meet room fire safety restrictions.
• Any absence from class should be notified to the course tutor in writing (via email) well in advance of class.

Lectures

The lectures address Western philosophy of science, and the historical rise of modernity as reflected in scientific understanding. 

Historical background to periods and biographical details for key philosopher will be provided; this places ideas in a social/political/cultural context (this will not be directly assessed in the exam). These aspects will be posted as videos or slides the week before and are for self-study, they will not be presented in class, but can be discussed.

Traditional lecture format with presentation and overheads. Clarifying questions are welcome and encouraged, but should not be frivolous. These may be restricted if affecting the ability to deliver the material for a given class.

Reading Assignment Seminar Groups Sessions (approx. 40min)

The text and related issues will be discussed, and students expected to engage and participate. Sessions do not necessarily address all the questions set.

Sessions allow clarification, confirmation of reading contents and meaning, relationship to lecture material and debate over topics. All students are expected to participate. If you consistently fail to engage this will count against your participation grade. No use of electronic devices is permitted in class. Bring notes on issues you wish to raise and maintain attention to the discussion.

1. 50% Final Exam: – Individual assessment
2. 20% Reading Assignments (4 in total, but only 2 randomly selected are fully graded á 10%): – Individual assessment
3. 20% 'Policy Document' - Group Project with Presentation & Report: Group assessment - All students must present
4. 10% Class Participation: – Individual assessment
5. Extra Points
   4% Points maximum via informed Forum posts (1-2% max per post)

HPoS Grading Scale:
Letter grade…………Range…………(interpretation)
1   …………………100% to 90% ………(very good)
2  …………………..< 90% to 80%.........(good)
3  …………………..< 80% to 70% …….(reasonable)
4  …………………..< 70% to 60% …….(pass)
5  …………………..< 60% to 0% ………(fail)

none

Please log in with your WU account to use all functionalities of read!t. For off-campus access to our licensed electronic resources, remember to activate your VPN connection connection. In case you encounter any technical problems or have questions regarding read!t, please feel free to contact the library at readinglists@wu.ac.at.

Upon appointments
contact: christian.kerschner@wu.ac.at

Required Reading:

There is no textbook for this class. Lectures provide content, specific reading tasks are assigned for seminars and supplementary (optional) reading provided. 

General Reading

Two general books for the philosophy of science are suggested as useful background reading: 

• Chalmers, A.F. (1999). What is this thing called Science? Buckingham: Open University Press.
• Okasha, S. (2016). Philosophy of Science: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: University Press.

A book that poses the need for realism in social science within the context of postmodern challenges to older approaches is

• Sayer, A. (2000). Realism and Social Science. London: Sage

Additional recommended Reading:

• Spash, C. L. (2024). Foundations of Social Ecological Economics: The Fight for Revolutionary Change in Economic Thought. United Kingdom: Manchester University Press.
• Ravetz, J. (2006). The No-Nonsense Guide to Science. United Kingdom: New Internationalist. 

Reading Assignments Literature:

Amongst the more specific selected readings discussed in class the following provide insight across a range of issues covered. They require reading more than once!

• Danermark, B., Ekstrom, M., Jakobsen, L., Karlsson, J.C. (2002) Generalization, scientific inference and models for an explanatory social science. In: Explaining Society: An Introduction to Critical Realism in the Social Sciences. London, Routledge: pp. 73-114. 
• Sayer, A. (2010) Theory, observation and practical adequacy. In: Method in Social Science: A Realist Approach. London, Routledge: pp. 31-57. 
• Georgescu-Roegen, N. (1979). Methods in economic science. Journal of Economic Issues, XIII (2): pp. 317-328.
• Pollini, J., 2013. Bruno Latour and the Ontological Dissolution of Nature in the Social Sciences: A Critical Review. Environmental Values 22, pp. 25-42.

An excellent critical guide to theories of causation, a central topic in philosophy of science, is:

• Mumford, S. and R. L. Anjum. 2013. Causation: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: University Press

REQUIRED READING MATERIAL WILL BE UPLOADED ON CANVAS