Philosophy of Science

General objectives of the Course:
The course aims to provide a basic introduction to the philosophy of science - both in its 'global' dimension (general issues concerning scientific theories and practices), and in its local dimensions (specific issues concerning particular sciences - with a focus on cognitive psychology and other cognitive sciences).

Learning Objectives of Module 1: 'An Introduction to the Philosophy of Psychology'
Module 1 aims to introduce some key questions in the philosophy of psychology, providing students with a good understanding of the basic tools by which such questions can be successfully addressed.
More specifically, by the end of the module students should get:
- A good understanding of the mind-body problem (i.e. what is the mind, and how is it related to the brain?);
- A good understanding of the interface problem (i.e.: what is the relation between 'mind sciences' and 'brain sciences'?);
- A good understanding of the problem of cognitive architecture (i.e.: how does the mind work? How different mental states are related to each other, and to external stimuli, to produce behaviour?);
- A good understanding of the empirically informed methodology by which philosophers address the three key problems just mentioned (i.e. of how conceptual analysis and empirical findings can be fruitfully integrated in the study of human cognition).

Learning Objectives for Module 2
Module 2 aims to introduce some key philosophical questions concerning scientific theories and practices in general, with a special focus on questions concerning demarcation, induction, scientific theory-change, and the epistemological value of error in scientific progress.

By the end of the course, students will get a good knowledge and understanding of some central questions in the philosophy of science, with a focus on the relationships between philosophy of science and the sciences of the mind. This will allow them to see how philosophers and cognitive scientists can fruitfully interact in advancing the study of the human mind and cognition.
More specifically, a good knowledge and understanding of the following key topics is expected:
- Folk-psychology, scientific psychology, and the interface problem;
- Functionalism and the Representational Theory of Mind;
- The 'basic cognitive architecture': the belief-desire explanatory framework, and the role of imagination in it;
- The problem of demarcation;
- The problem of induction;
- The dynamics of scientific theory-change, and the epistemological value of error in it.