Universität Wien

180057 SE Scientific Representation (2022W)

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 18 - Philosophie
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 30 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 11.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 18.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 25.10. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 08.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 15.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 22.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 29.11. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 06.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 13.12. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 10.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 17.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 24.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital
  • Tuesday 31.01. 15:00 - 16:30 Digital

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Content:
The course provides an advanced introduction to the current philosophical discussion of scientific representation and modeling. The topics discussed include:
- Scientific modeling
- Structuralist and pragmatist accounts of representation
- Fictional and artefactual approaches to modeling
- Computational models and interdisciplinary exchange
- Representational practices

Objectives:
Having taken this course, the student is able to understand, and participate in the philosophical discussion of scientific representation and modeling at the level of less technical papers appearing in academic philosophical journals. The student is also able to apply the more general philosophical discussion of representation to particular instances of scientific research. The course also seeks to nurture a reflective attitude to the role of representation in science and technology.

Methods:
1. short lectures by the instructors
2. careful reading and critical discussion of the literature (concepts, themes, arguments)
3. question(s) concerning the reading(s) submitted through Moodle, and participation in the Moodle discussion. The questions need to be motivated. Each student needs to submit at least one question, and one response to a question of another student.
4. co-chairing the group discussion
5. a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay on a specific theme discussed in the course.

Assessment and permitted materials

Assessment
• careful reading and active discussion of the literature
• questions in the Moodle platform
• active discussion in the Moodle platform
• (co-)chairing group discussion in the class
• a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

- active participation (10%),
- questions and online discussion of readings (20%),
- (co-)chairing a class (10%),
- a presentation and a short final thesis-oriented essay (60%).

All aforementioned components of the course have to be fulfilled for the successful completion of the grade.

One unexcused absence is permitted.

Grading table
1 – (excellent) 90 – 100 points
2 – (good) 81 – 89 points
3 – (satisfactory) 71 – 80 points
4 – (sufficient) 61 – 70 points
5 – (insufficient) 0 – 60 points

Examination topics

The course has a final essay in English, to be submitted after the course. The instructions are given in the syllabus, Moodle, and in the class.

Reading list

Boltzmann, L. 1902/1911. “Models.” Encyclopaedia Britannica (11th ed.). (638-640). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

French, S., and J. Ladyman J. 1999. “Reinflating the Semantic Approach.” International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 13: 103-121.

Suárez, M. 2003. “Scientific Representation: Against Similarity and Isomorphism.” International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 17: 225-244.

Giere, R. N. 2010. “An Agent-based Conception of Models and Scientific Representation. Synthese 172: 269-281.

Suárez, Mauricio. 2010. “Scientific Representation.” Philosophy Compass 5(1): 91–101.

Bueno, Otávio and Mark Colyvan. 2011. “An Inferential Conception of the Application of Mathematics.” Nous 45: 345–374.

Weisberg, M. 2007. “Who is a Modeler?” British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 58: 207-233.

Knuuttila, T. 2011. “Modelling and Representing: An Artefactual Approach to Model-Based Representation.” Studies in History and Philosophy of Science 42(2): 262–71.

Thomson-Jones, M. 2019. “Realism About Missing Systems.” In P. Godfrey-Smith and A. Levy (Eds.), The Scientific Imagination. Oxford: Oxford University Press (pp. 75-101).

Humphreys. P. 2004. Extending Ourselves: Computational Science, Empiricism, and Scientific Method (pp. 49-72, 88-100)

Latour, B. 1995. “The ‘Pédofil’ of Boa Vista: A Photo-Philosophical Montage.” Common Knowledge V4, N1: 144-187.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Th 11.05.2023 11:27