2. The aim and contents of the
course
• This course addresses the starting
points, objectives, and requirements of
scientific thinking and research.
• On completing the course you
understand the basic issues of
philosophy of science and ethics of
science and know the problems related
to concept and theory formation and
explaining in science.
26 February 2016 2
3. Contents
I. On the general nature of science
1. Science and world-view
2. The objectives and characteristics of science
II. Argumentation and text analysis
3. Argumentation
4. The description and analysis of text content
5. Text criticism
III. History of the philosophy of science
6. The Vienna Circle
7. Popper and Kuhn
IV. Issues of scientific methodology
8. Research methods, hermeneutics, and scientific explaining
9. Inductivism and the hypothetic-deductive method
10. Theories
V. Research ethics
11. Ethics of science
26 February 2016 3
4. Completion of the course
• A short lecture course (8 hours) and an
exam on the required reading.
– This course is worth of 3 study points
(ECTS credits).
– The course is specifically meant for those
students who are doing or preparing to do
their Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis.
• Exam dates:
Saturday 28 November 2015
Friday 15 January 2016
Saturday 27 February 2016.
26 February 2016 4
5. • Text books:
A. F. Chalmers, What Is This Thing Called
Science?
or
J. Elster, Explaining Social Behavior: More
Nuts and Bolts for the Social Sciences
• Replacement for the lecture course:
A. Rosenberg, The Philosophy of Science: A
Contemporary Introduction. Second edition
26 February 2016 5
