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Philosophy of a Specific Discipline: Philosophy of Social Science

Master

Philosophy of Social Science is a specialisation of the MA programme in 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 Social Science

  • 30 EC / MA courses in Social Science

Second Year

  • 10 EC / Specialist MA course in Philosophy of Social Science

  • 10 EC / MA courses in Social Science

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

  • 30 EC / MA thesis

First Year / Second Year

The following MA courses in Philosophy and specialist MA courses in Philosophy of Social Science are on offer in 2010-2011:

Vak EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Specialist courses in Philosophy of Social Science
Philosophy of Social Science I 10
Philosophy of Social Science II 10

MA courses in Philosophy
The Vienna Circle and Logical Positivism 10
The Problem of Objectivity in History 10
Science and Humanities in the Ancient Philosophical Curriculum 10
Filosofie en literatuur II (PAC) 10
Rechtvaardigheid en macht: 16e-eeuwse politieke theorieën 10
Reasonable Disagreement 10
Nietzsche and Politics (EP) 10
Wijsgerige antropologie III 10
De revolutie in de kunst 10
Scientific Revolution 10
Language and the Mind 10
Filosofie, psychiatrie en neurowetenschappen 10
Contemporary Utilitarianism 10
Philosophy of Mind and Action 10
Filosofie van het internationale recht 10
Wijsgerige antropologie IV 10
Wikisofie 10

Meer info

Description

The specialisation Philosophy of Social Science aims at philosophical reflection on the (foundations of the) social sciences as well as their application. This reflection is rooted in two types of concerns regarding the social sciences.

First, there are methodological concerns. Are social structures better conceived of as systems of laws and forces, or as webs of meanings and practices? Is social action better viewed as rational behaviour, or as self-expression? And is the proper aim of the social sciences to explain the social world in a manner worked out for the natural world, or should we aim to understand the social world from within? These questions and others are the topic of Philosophy of Social Science I.

h3 Detailed information about the programme

Information about objectives, programme and graduation requirements is available on the general webpage of the MA in Philosophy of a Specific Discipline# (click on “informatie”).
The second type of concern is normative. What is a just society? How should we evaluate the institutions that govern our everyday lives? How do freedom and equality relate? And also, what type of agent is presupposed by all this? These questions come up in the second specialist course Philosophy of Social Science II.

Specialisation co-ordinator

Dr. B.J.E. (Bruno) Verbeek
b.verbeek@phil.leidenuniv.nl