Dr. Rumsey, Knobview 200L
Dr. Forinash, Physical Science 101

This course begins with a careful look at a key period in the history of science -- the Copernican revolution. We will spend the first four or five weeks of the term studying the activities of some of the key figures during that period: Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler, Galileo, Newton and others. The rest of the term will involve an examination of the views of a number of contemporary philosophers of science, using what we have learned about the goings on during the Copernican revolution to evaluate their claims about what doing science involves.

 Texts:

• Klemke, Hollinger, and Kline (eds.) Introductory Readings in the Philosophy of Science, Revised Edition
• Kuhn, Thomas S. The Copernican Revolution

 Written and Oral Requirements:
 

1. Everyone must write a short paper (4 - 6 pages, typed, double-spaced). The topic for this paper will be assigned shortly after the semester begins. This paper may be rewritten. If you do this, and receive a better grade the second time around, then that is the grade that will count for the paper. Before rewriting, however, you must see us and discuss the project.

1. In addition to the short paper, you must do one of the following:
• Write two other papers of the same length (the first of these may be rewritten on the same terms as above), or
• Write a 12 - 17 page term paper.
Those who are taking this course to satisfy the research writing requirement must write the term paper. For others it is optional. If you elect to do this, you must make an appointment to discuss a topic with us shortly after the first short paper is returned to you. At that time we will also negotiate a date for you to hand in a first draft. The final draft of the paper will be due on the last day of class.
 
2. We consider the following questions in grading papers:
• Did the paper show a thorough understanding of the following:
• The portions of Kuhn and other readings in the history of science cited; and
• The theses of the article in Klemke which was used.
• Was the assessment well done?
• Was the assessment interesting (non-trivial) and well thought out?
• Were theses in the article clearly supported or refuted by appropriate citation of Kuhn and others?
• Could a stronger case have been made by citing more?
• Were any organizational and mechanical (grammar, spelling, etc.) hindrances to the clarity of the paper minor, or were they so bad as to get in the way of communication?

1. Beginning with the third week we will ask students to take turns in initiating discussion of reading materials assigned. Expect to do this perhaps twice during the semester. You should prepare one or two typed pages of notes summarizing key points or arguments, raising questions, disputing or elaborating on claims made by the author, or presenting related points which you want to make. No later than two meetings before the material is scheduled to be discussed you should meet with us after class (or at another time if that's necessary) to discuss your draft of these notes. Then you should revise or augment the notes in whatever ways you think necessary in the light of your discussion with us. Copies of the revised notes should then be handed out in class during the meeting before the discussion is scheduled. Finally, be prepared to give a brief opening statement (perhaps 10 minutes on whatever you find important about the reading) to help us get discussion started.

1. There will be a written final examination on Tuesday, April 28th, from 2:45 to 4:35 PM in our regular classroom. This examination will consist of essay questions which will have been handed out several days earlier. You will be expected to work out answers to the questions and then to write them in class without the help of books or notes.

Readings:

The readings for the course are listed below. Excepting those in Kuhn or Klemke, all will be placed on closed reserve in the IUS library. The readings in List 1 will be discussed in the order they are listed. Some of the readings in List 2 may be interspersed with those in List 1 as we progress through it, but for the most part they will be discussed after List 1 is completed and in the order listed. You will be expected to have read assigned materials before we discuss them in class (whether you are reporting on them or not). Some of the readings will be hard going. We suggest that you read through an assignment quickly, then go back and study slowly. Read actively: ask yourself questions and jot down problems for class discussion. After the material has been discussed in class, go over it again, this time using class discussion and notes as aids. Whenever possible, do this the same day as the class discussion so that your memory of the discussion will be fresh.
 
 

Ancient Astronomy and Physics: Kuhn, Chapters I - III, pp. 1-99
For more on ancient Greek astronomy, read the following in Young (ed.), Exploring the Universe:
Santillana, pp. 98-109 (Pythagoreans)
Rogers, pp. 110-121 (Spheres of Eudoxus and Aristotle)
Rogers, pp. 121-129 (Hipparchus and Ptolemy)

 Transition from Aristotle to Copernicus: Kuhn, Chapter IV, pp. 100-133

Copernicus: Kuhn, Chapter V, pp. 134-184
For a little more detail on the Copernican system, read:
Rosen, Three Copernican Treatises, Introduction, pp. 34-53.

 Tycho, Kepler, and Galileo: Kuhn, Chapter VI, pp. 185-228
On Tycho's observations helping Kepler, and on the accuracy of his instruments and observations, read:
Hall, "Kepler and Brahe," in Young, pp. 221-225
Christianson, "The Celestial Palace of Tycho Brahe," in Young, pp. 226-231
On Kepler's struggle with the data, read:
Koestler, "Kepler ? Eight Minutes of Arc," in Young, pp. 232-251
On Galileo's discoveries of 1609, read:
Cohen, "Galileo's Discoveries of 1609," in Young, pp. 174-178
Galileo, "The Starry Messenger," in Young, pp. 174-178
On Galileo's troubles with the church, read (in Young, pp. 190-201):
Koestler, et al., "The Battle with Authority"
"The Sentence of the Inquisition"
"The Formula of Abjuration"
For Galileo's stress on the importance of mathematics in science, read:
Galileo Galilei, selection from Il Saggitore entitled "Two Kinds of Properties," pp. 27-32 in The Philosophy of Science, Danto and Morgenbesser (eds.)

The Newtonian Universe: Kuhn, Chapter VII, pp. 229-265
Kuhn does stress the importance of "corpuscularism" in the evolution of the Newtonian synthesis, but he does not discuss an important source of Newtonian views on the structure of matter -- Robert Boyle's work. On Boyle's experiments with pressure and volume of a gas, and his definition of an element, read:
Magie, Source Book in Physics, pp. 84-87
Leicaster and Kilckstein (eds.), Source Book in Chemistry, pp. 33-47
For a little of Descartes on analytic geometry, read:
D. E. Smith (ed.), Source Book in Mathematics, Vol. II, pp. 7-21
On Newton, read the following in Magie, Source Book in Physics:
On Mechanics -- pp. 30-46
On Light -- pp. 298-308
On Gravity -- p. 92
And, on fluxions, read: Smith, Source Book in Mathematics, pp. 613-618
 
 

 Reduction of one science or discipline to another:
Ernest Nagel, "The Meaning of Reduction in the Natural Sciences," pp. 288-312 in Danto and Morgenbesser

 Science and Nonscience: Read the following in Klemke, Part I:
Popper, pp. 19-27
Ziman, pp. 28-33
Feyerabend, pp. 34-44
Thagard, pp. 45-54
Kitcher, pp. 55-77

Explanation and Law: Read the following in Klemke, Part II:
Introduction by the editors, pp. 85-90
Hempel, pp. 91-108
Lambert and Britten, pp. 109-116
Cartwright, pp. 129-136
Dray, pp. 137-152

Theory and Observation: Read the following in Klemke, Part III:
Introduction by the editors, pp. 155-161
Carnap, pp. 162-177
Putnam, pp. 178-183
Hanson, pp. 184-195
Matheson and Kline, pp. 217-233

Confirmation and Acceptance: Read the following in Klemke, Part IV:
Introduction by the editors, pp. 239-245
Quine and Ullian, pp. 246-256
Kuhn, pp. 277-291
Hempel, pp. 292-304
Frank, pp. 305-316

Science and Values: Read the following in Klemke, Part V:
Rudner, pp. 327-333
Hempel, pp. 334-338
McMullin, pp. 349-370

Science and Culture: Read the following in Klemke, Part VI:
Feigl, pp. 427-437
 
 
 
 

 Office Hours:

Rumsey's office is in Knobview 200L and his office hours are 1:30 - 2:30 PM Monday and Wednesday, and 1:15 - 2:15 PM Tuesday and Thursday. Forinash's office is in 101 Physical Science and his hours are 8:00 - 9:30 AM on Monday and Wednesday, and 4:00 - 5:00 PM on Tuesday and Thursday. These hours are set aside for your benefit. Please use them to your advantage. Come to talk with one of us if you have any problems you wish to discuss, or if you just want to talk about something of interest in connection with our readings or class discussions. We are also available at other times, by appointment or if you stop by when we are free.
 
 

Phone:

Rumsey: 941-2404 (Home: 895-8414)
Forinash: 941-2390 (Home: 897-5624)
 
 

 Comments:

We have set up a page on the Web which enables you to give us anonymous comments, suggestions, criticisms, or any other feedback on the class which might help us to determine what we are doing right and where we could improve what we are doing in this course. We ask you to help us by using this as often as possible. This method of soliciting student evaluations of the class has, we think, a big advantage over the usual method (asking you at the end of term to fill out a questionnaire): you can let us know of problems while we still have time to correct them, and you can let us know what is working well so we can be sure to continue doing it. You will be asked for a user name and password before being given access to the page. We announced these to the class, but if you have forgotten them you should ask us or another student.