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Philosophy of a Specific Discipline: Philosophy of Natural Sciences

Master

Philosophy of Natural Sciences is a specialisation of the MA programme Philosophy of a Specific Discipline. The two-year Master’s programme in Philosophy of a Specific Discipline is intended for students in a particular academic discipline who are interested in the philosophical foundations and methodological aspects of that discipline.

For information about the objectives and general structure of the programme, the MA thesis and the requirements for graduation, please see the website of the MA in Philosophy of Specific Discipline. For a brief description of this specialisation click on ‘Informatie’ above.

Structure of the programme

First Year

  • 10 EC / MA course in Philosophy

  • 10 EC / MA course in Philosophy

  • 10 EC / Specialist MA course in Philosophy of Natural Sciences

  • 30 EC / MA courses in Natural Sciences

Second Year

  • 10 EC / Specialist MA course in Philosophy of Natural Sciences

  • 10 EC / MA courses in Natural Sciences

  • 10 EC / Literature Study in the area of the MA thesis

  • 30 EC / MA thesis

Eerste Jaar

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Specialist courses in Philosophy of Natural Sciences
Philosophy of Natural Sciences I 10
Philosophy of Natural Sciences II 10

MA courses in Philosophy
Ancient and Medieval Philosophy of Language and Semantics 10
Emotion, Cognition and Rationality 10
Filosofie van de literatuur II 10
Filosofie, psychiatrie en neurowetenschappen 10
Free Will and Determinism 10
History of Ancient Philosophy: Plato Timaeus: Science, Nature and Humanity 10
Morality and Rationality 10
Nietzsche and Politics 10
Political Obligation 10
Rationality and Action 10
Rechtvaardige en onrechtvaardige oorlogen. De traditie van de 'justum bellum' 10
Seminar Ancient Philosophy: Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics: philosophical issues, rhetorical aspects 10
The Great Debate over the Rationality of Science: Kuhn, Popper, Feyerabend, and the Vienna Circle 10
Truth and Truthfulness 10
Walter Benjamin 10
Wijsgerige antropologie 10
Wijsgerige antropologie IV 10
Wittgensteins Tractatus 10

Meer info

Description

Philosophy of Natural Sciences covers ontological, epistemological, and methodological issues arising from the natural sciences.

Ontological issues pertain to the ultimate constitution of the world studied by natural scientists. What sorts of objects are acknowledged by the natural sciences? How are these objects defined and identified? In what senses can they be said to be real?

Epistemological issues pertain to the nature and limits of our knowledge of the natural world. How are concepts related to the world? What is the status of theoretical entities? What is the difference between observation and experiment?

Lastly, methodological issues pertain to the practice and dynamics of research in the natural sciences, including the interpretation of empirical data, theory formulation, and hypothesis test. A particular focus is the diversity of the natural sciences, which range from law formulating sciences such as physics to historical sciences such as earth science. A selection of these topics is selected for discussion each academic year.

Specialisation co-ordinator

Dr. J.W. (James) McAllister
j.w.mcallister@phil.leidenuniv.nl