General Methodology of Science WF-FI-N112-OMN
The philosophy of science is a philosophical discipline that analyses science and its methodology, as well as their place in a broader historical and social context. During the lecture, we will explore the basic issues and concepts of the philosophy of science, as well as their development throughout history. We will pay particular attention to how cultural and social changes and developments in the natural sciences have influenced the philosophical understanding of science and its methods.
The lecture is divided into three parts. In the first part, we will present the basics of scientific methodology to enable students to freely use specialist terminology. The second part is devoted to classical philosophy of science – we will discuss the main concepts of proper scientific work and the boundaries between science and pseudoscience. In the third part, we will focus on the ‘new wave’ of philosophy of science, which treats science as a cultural activity and seeks to understand its specific historical development.
The aim of the lecture is to familiarise students with the full spectrum of philosophical reflections on science, from methodology, through metatheoretical issues, to the historical and philosophical context of the development of science.
The exercises extend and supplement the topics covered in the lecture. They consist of discussions of designated texts and other materials related to the philosophy of science and research methodology. During the classes, students formulate and jointly analyse key issues related to theory and methodological practice.
The aim of the exercises is to familiarise students with the most important issues in the philosophy of science, including the specifics of the philosophy of natural science, and to develop their ability to independently analyse scientific texts, summarise authors' positions and formulate their own conclusions and assessments. Students will learn to analyse texts by the most important philosophers of science on how to treat old scientific theories and the general approach to the history of science, as well as to interpret arguments and positions in a broader philosophical and methodological context.
The course aims to stimulate interest in the critical reading of philosophical and scientific texts and to develop the competences necessary for methodological reflection.
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Term 2023/24_L:
None |
Term 2024/25_Z:
The lectures provide a presentation of the basic issues and concepts in the philosophy of science and present them in a broader historical context. Discussing these issues in a historical context will allow students to understand how philosophical reflection on science and scientific methodology has developed. It will also allow them to indicate how philosophers concerned with scientific methodology have been influenced by cultural and social changes, as well as changes in natural science itself. In order to facilitate students' understanding of the topics discussed, the lecture has been divided into three parts. The first part will deal with the discussion and presentation of the basics of the methodology of science, so that students can use its terminology freely and with understanding. Mastering the knowledge from the first part will be the starting point for the second part, which will present in chronological order the main concepts of classical philosophy of science, focusing on defining the methods of correct scientific work and creating a demarcation line separating science from pseudoscience. The third part of the lecture will present the concepts of the ‘new wave’ philosophy of science, which focuses on science as a specific cultural activity and tries to understand the specifics of its historical development. In the course of the lectures, students will be introduced to a full cross-section of issues related to the philosophical reflection on science, ranging from methodology to meta-scientific issues to reflections on the history and philosophy of science. During the exercises, students will read and discuss articles on selected problems and issues in contemporary philosophy of science. |
Term 2025/26_Z:
The lectures provide a presentation of the basic issues and concepts in the philosophy of science and present them in a broader historical context. Discussing these issues in a historical context will allow students to understand how philosophical reflection on science and scientific methodology has developed. It will also allow them to indicate how philosophers concerned with scientific methodology have been influenced by cultural and social changes, as well as changes in natural science itself. In order to facilitate students' understanding of the topics discussed, the lecture has been divided into three parts. The first part will deal with the discussion and presentation of the basics of the methodology of science, so that students can use its terminology freely and with understanding. Mastering the knowledge from the first part will be the starting point for the second part, which will present in chronological order the main concepts of classical philosophy of science, focusing on defining the methods of correct scientific work and creating a demarcation line separating science from pseudoscience. The third part of the lecture will present the concepts of the ‘new wave’ philosophy of science, which focuses on science as a specific cultural activity and tries to understand the specifics of its historical development. In the course of the lectures, students will be introduced to a full cross-section of issues related to the philosophical reflection on science, ranging from methodology to meta-scientific issues to reflections on the history and philosophy of science. During the exercises, students will read and discuss articles on selected problems and issues in contemporary philosophy of science. |
(in Polish) E-Learning
(in Polish) Grupa przedmiotów ogólnouczenianych
(in Polish) Opis nakładu pracy studenta w ECTS
Subject level
Learning outcome code/codes
Type of subject
Course coordinators
Term 2021/22_L: | Term 2022/23_L: | Term 2024/25_Z: | Term 2023/24_L: | Term 2025/26_Z: |
Learning outcomes
Graduate… (knows and understands / is able to / is ready to)
FI1_W02: presents historical and contemporary models of the relationship between science and society, analyzing the functioning of norms regulating scientific institutions (e.g., the university, research grants).
FI1_W10: explains the differences and connections between scientific, philosophical, and everyday cognition, indicating the specificity of scientific methods and their philosophical foundations.
FI1_U06: formulates a philosophical problem concerning science (e.g., the limits of falsification, the status of scientific theory, the problem…).
FI1_U09: under the supervision of the instructor, prepares and presents the structure of a mini-research project (e.g., logical justification of a hypothesis, methodological framework of the study).
FI1_U02: reads and interprets passages from classical methodological texts (e.g., Popper, Kuhn, Feyerabend), correctly applying the terminology (e.g., falsification, paradigm, normal science).
FI1_K04: applies the principles of intellectual honesty in working with both others’ and own texts, identifies cases of unethical behavior in science, and analyzes their consequences.
Methods of verification of learning outcomes:
Class discussion; oral exam
Text analysis, group project
Assessment criteria
The final grade consists of:
Class attendance – maximum 2 points (2 absences allowed).
Oral examination (after passing the exercises) – maximum 8 points.
Total points available: 10 points.
To pass the course, a minimum of 5 points must be obtained (including at least 3 points from the oral examination).
Oral examination – scoring scale and requirements
3 points – 3.0 (satisfactory)
The student knows the basic concepts and theories discussed in the course and is able to refer to selected issues, but is unable to relate them to their historical context or to the thinkers who dealt with them.
4 points – 3.5 (sufficient plus)
The student correctly recognises and discusses some of the problems of the philosophy of science in relation to selected historical examples, although their interpretations are partial.
5 points – 4.0 (good)
The student is able to identify and explain the connections between the problems of philosophy of science and the methodology of science, correctly interprets the issues discussed and relates them to the historical context.
6 points – 4.5 (good plus)
The student is well versed in the issues of philosophy of science, accurately places the issues in their historical and methodological context, and is able to formulate coherent, reasoned positions.
7–8 points – 5.0 (very good)
The student has a very good understanding of the issues of philosophy of science, skilfully combines philosophical analysis with historical context, critically discusses issues and precisely justifies their own position.
Point scale – final grade (attendance + oral exam)
5 points – 3.0 (satisfactory)
6 points – 3.5 (satisfactory plus)
7 points – 4.0 (good)
8 points – 4.5 (good plus)
9–10 points – 5.0 (very good)
Bibliography
Required reading
1. Sady, W. (2000). Spór o racjonalność naukową [The dispute over scientific rationality], Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Funna.
2. Such, J., Szcześniak, M. (2000) Filozofia nauki [Philosophy of science], Poznań: Wydawnictwo naukowe UAM.
Supplementary reading
1. Psillos, S., Curd, M. (eds.) (2013). The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science, London; New York: Routledge.
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Term 2023/24_L:
None |
Term 2024/25_Z:
Sady W., Spór o racjonalność naukową, Wydawnictwo UMK, 2013 Additional literature |
Term 2025/26_Z:
Sady W., Spór o racjonalność naukową, Wydawnictwo UMK, 2013 Additional literature |
Additional information
Information on level of this course, year of study and semester when the course unit is delivered, types and amount of class hours - can be found in course structure diagrams of apropriate study programmes. This course is related to the following study programmes:
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: