Philosophy of Science

Course manual 2025/2026

Course content

In this course, we will critically reflect on science as a knowledge-generating practice. What are we actually up to in science, and how does that differ from other ways of trying to understand or navigate the world? What (if anything) explains the special kind of status or authority that science is often taken to have? What counts as good evidence for something’s being true? How do scientific theories and explanations operate? In what sense (if any) should science be understood as rational or objective? How should we understand the ways in which science changes over time? What role do values play in scientific practice, and how should science relate to society more broadly?

These are big and complicated philosophical questions at the heart of science (and they are only made more challenging by the scale, complexity, and interdisciplinary nature of the problems FPS is trying to grapple with). The goal of the course is to develop some preliminary conceptual and argumentative tools to help you think through such questions carefully so that you are equipped to be a reflective participant in science throughout the rest of your studies and career.

Study materials

Other

• Study materials will be made available via Canvas.

Objectives

• Students can recognize different models, perspectives, and paradigms that are used across a broad range of sciences.
• Students can describe underlying assumptions behind these approaches, how they differ, and their implications for the research practice.
• Students can combine insights from various scientific approaches, in order to address complex global problems.
• Students can apply a range of conceptual tools in order to assess the role of science in addressing complex global problems.
• Students expand their academic and critical thinking skills (including writing and self-reflection).

Teaching methods

• Self-study
• Seminar
• Lecture

Each week will consist of one lecture and one workgroup. The lecture will introduce and frame the core questions, concepts, and arguments of that week's theme, and the workgroups will function to further expand and interrogate the material. While the lecture will be interactive, the workgroups will provide more space, in a smaller setting, for students to discuss the material.

Separate readings will be assigned to prepare for the lecture and the workgroups. Students will also need to submit a preparatory assignment prior to each workgroup (which may draw on any of the readings or lecture material, more info below).

Learning activities

Attendance

Additional requirements for this course:

For this course, an attendance requirement applies to the work groups. During the work groups, the following learning objectives are addressed: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. The guidance, discussions, and exercises during the work groups ensure that the learning objectives can be achieved. These are tested in the exam and prep assignments.

If a student misses two workgroups, they will be graded with an NAP. Students must submit their preparatory assignments by the deadline in order to have their attendance counted in the workgroup. If you are facing a situation which prevents timely submission, talk to your workgroup leader in advance to see what can be arranged.

Assessment

Grades will be determined on the basis of a comprehensive final exam. The exam will be a closed-book, hand-written exam that covers the whole course. It will consist mainly of short-answer essay questions (but may include some other question types, e.g., multiple choice, T/F, fill in the blank, etc.)

• If students score < 5.5 on the exam, they will have a resit opportunity on January 5th.

In addition to the exam, students must submit weekly preparatory assignments for each workgroup (due by 11am on Weds before the first workgroup of that week). Students will get one point per adequate submission and must earn 5 total points, in order to pass the course. 

• Students will have the opportunity to make up for ONE missing/inadequate submission.

Inspection of assessed work

An inspection moment (and student sign-up sheet) will be announced via Canvas after the final exam.

Assignments

• Preparatory Assignments: For each week's workgroup, you will be given a prompt to structure your thinking about the topic/readings. These will also help guide workgroup discussion and prepare you for the exam. They will require about 500 words of work. Specific instructions for each week's preparatory assignment will be posted on Canvas in the "assignments" tab.
• Final Exam: If you have done the readings carefully, paid close attention in the lectures, prepared the preparatory assignments thoughtfully, and participated actively in the workgroups, you should be prepared for success on the final. If you haven't done these things, you may find it challenging. More details on the format and studying strategies will be posted on Canvas or discussed in class.

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Additional information

It is important that everyone feels safe at the UvA and Future Planet Studies. We are committed to provide social safety and we offer various forms of support for people experiencing inappropriate or unsafe situations. Consult the UvA website or Future Planet Studies Canvas page for more information and contact info.

Last year's student feedback

In order to provide students some insight how we use the feedback of student feedback to enhance the quality of education, we decided to include the table below in all course guides.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. Colin Hickey PhD

The workgroup teachers are:

Merel Talbi (m.m.talbi@uva.nl)

Lilian Kingma (l.c.kingma@uva.nl)