After this course, students will be able to
- Make explicit which implicit philosophical questions, concepts, and assumptions undergird the discipline of physics.
- Reflect on the philosophical concerns toward which contemporary physics is oriented.
- Understand how issues regarding the normative power of science in general are closely related to the ongoing interplay of physics and metaphysics.
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Physics as a discipline has had, and still has, a profound impact on how we understand the world. While technological applications of physics have changed the world, physics has also transformed our thinking and our view of the world to a considerable degree. Conversely, however, physics itself has been influenced by philosophical views and ideas. In short, contrary to what some people believe, physics and philosophy are strongly intertwined.
This course focuses on the interplay of the scientific discipline of physics on the one hand, and philosophical worldviews on the other. After an historical introduction to the development of physics, centering around the Scientific Revolution and the associated transition to a mechanistic worldview, each class will focus on a specific philosophical theme or question related to modern physics. Among these are the debate between reductionism and holism, the relation between theory and experiment, and the question of whether quantum theory can provide understanding of the world. Moreover, we will discuss issues related to the philosophy of string theory, the relation between mathematics and nature, as well as normative implications of science.
Form of tuition: lectures and in-class discussions.
N.B.: although there is no attendance requirement, attending the lectures is highly recommended.
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This course is intended for MSc-students in the natural sciences
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Group paper (90%) + obligatory participation in discussion (10%)
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