COMP 101 Lecture 3: lecture-notes-all-lectures3
Ancient Greeks○
17th century, scientific method
Religion until Galileo○
Popular science mythology
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Scientists○
Institutions
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A set of propositions that attempt to describe something
A set of all accepted theories□
Contemporary Scientific Mosaic
Theories○
Aristotelian Physics: motion to center of universe□
Newtonian Physics: gravity□
Einstein - General Relativity: curved space□
3 explanations
E.g. Apples fall on Earth○
What were the major scientific mosaic?
What were the major transitions?
2 questions○
History of Science
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Is there absolute knowledge?
How do we evaluate competing theories?
What is the mechanism of scientific change?
Is there scientific progress?
What makes a theory scientific?
5 questions
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Philosophy of Science
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Week 1 Lecture
Monday, January 11, 2016
12:45 PM
HPS100 Page 1
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Absolute knowledge
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i.e.
In math, starts with definition.
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Def. + theorem theorem
Def. + def. theorem
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E.g. 1+2=3
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observation
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experiments: artificial situation
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Based on experience:
From observation, (induction), all swans are white
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E.g. Swan = white?
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Not deductible from definition
Law holds for apple and earth, water and earth…
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Based on experience
How to justify?
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E.g. Gravity
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Deducible from definitions
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Cannot contradict the results of experiments or observations.
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Holds in all possible world
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E.g. #1
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Math, logic
All propositions of formal science
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Always certain
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Analytic propositions
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Not deducible from definitions
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Can contradict the results of experiments
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Do not necessarily always hold
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Synthetic propositions
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E.g. #2
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e.g. physics, biology, economics
Where opposite is conceivable (could be imagined)
Most propositions of empirical science
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depends on how it is justified
Must be based on experience
Not always certain
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Week 2 Lecture
Monday, January 18, 2016
1:55 PM
HPS100 Page 2
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Because of 3 problems
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Reality v.s. our perception
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Never in a position to say our senses are or are not deceiving us
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Every sensation is questionable
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Will end up in circular
Can't use a theory to explain the trustworthiness of sensation
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Sensations
1.
How can individual observations concludes in a general
proposition?
If sensation could be trust at all times,
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Ends up in circles
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Based on induction from current experience, where
induction is based on the statement to be justified
Future is always similar to the present
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Induction
2.
Not a pure statement of fact, but a result of education
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Not pure statement of fact
Based on certain theories of optics of telescope
statement is theory-ladden
E.g. discover mountains on Moon.
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Not pure statement
Have to trust sensation, based on light condition
Based on theory that allows you to trust your senses
E.g. an apple in front of eye.
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Theory-Ladenness
3.
Must be based on experience
No such thing as proof in synthetic science
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Sensations
Induction
Theory-Ladenness
3 problems
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Fallibilism
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HPS100 Page 3
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Document Summary
A set of propositions that attempt to describe something. Einstein - general relativity: curved space (cid:131) (cid:131) From observation, (induction), all swans are white observation experiments: artificial situation. Law holds for apple and earth, water and earth . Cannot contradict the results of experiments or observations. Most propositions of empirical science e. g. physics, biology, economics. Where opposite is conceivable (could be imagined) (cid:131) (cid:131) Not always certain (cid:131) (cid:131) depends on how it is justified. Never in a position to say our senses are or are not deceiving us. Can"t use a theory to explain the trustworthiness of sensation (cid:96) If sensation could be trust at all times, (cid:96) Future is always similar to the present (cid:96) Based on induction from current experience, where induction is based on the statement to be justified. Not a pure statement of fact, but a result of education. E. g. discover mountains on moon. (cid:96) (cid:96) (cid:96)
