Philosophy in Action III
Full course description
The course ‘Sociology and Philosophy in Action III, Books and Letters’ challenges students to understand science philosophical and sociologic positions, as well as multiple views of science and the relationship between science and society, to apply this knowledge to explain or contrast these different views through a twofold process of first familiarising oneself with a subset of them and subsequently use these positions to participate in ongoing scientific debates.
To this end, students will read, in full, an approved book drawn from the philosophy, sociology or history of science and translate its conceptual apparatus to a scientific debate of their own selection. This will allow them to synthesize conceptual understanding of biomedical science with actual scientific problems or public dilemmas and constructively participate in scientific exchanges.
As part of the course, students will receive instructions in the form of lectures and meetings to help them review the relevant literature, draft their own contributions, review peer contributions, work with reviews of their own work and compile all elements in a portfolio. The course will be assessed through two written assignments. The book review counts towards 40% and the portfolio of letters and reviews counts towards 60% of the grade.
Course objectives
Detailed learning objectives are listed in the coursebook:
- You will have knowledge and understanding of science philosophical positions, as well as of multiple conceptualisations of science and the relationship between science and society;
- You can apply this knowledge to explain or contrast or confront one view of science and scientific practice with others, as they populate science and society;
- You can assess science philosophical problems critically and provide arguments for said assessment;
- You can position science theoretical and science political issues (within the broader realm of the biomedical sciences) in a wider societal perspective.
- You can synthesize conceptual understanding of biomedical science with actual scientific problems or public dilemma’s.
- You can translate conceptual understanding from its source [book project] to real-world problems [the letter project].
- You can actively and constructively participate in scientific exchanges.
- C.T. Ghergu
- T.A. Griffin