Undergraduate Module Descriptor

PHL3100: Knowledge and History: Theories of Scientific Change

This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.

Module Aims

This module will introduce you to some major trends in twentieth-century epistemology. Rapid progress in the sciences has confronted epistemology with a fundamental problem: How can it accommodate its traditional task of describing conditions for acquiring true knowledge with the fact that modern science is progressing by continuously subverting knowledge once held to be true? The course will acquaint you with some prominent answers to this problem (positivism, sociology of knowledge, historical epistemology). It will present a perspective on epistemology that overcomes the existing divides between analytical and continental philosophy.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Possess a thorough knowledge of the main positions in twentieth-century epistemology with regard to the problem of induction, the nature of experiment, and the notion of scientific progress. 2. Critically evaluate these positions and to understand and analyse the arguments that have been raised for and against them
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Interpret, analyse, and discuss difficult philosophical texts. 4. Learn to deal with historical, cultural and disciplinary differences in philosophical style and develop an awareness of the dynamics of scientific knowledge production.
Personal and Key Skills	5. Construct, express, present and discuss ideas and arguments, both of your own and of others, according to academic standards. This will include the ability to criticize received wisdom as well as the ability to avoid rash conclusions.

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay plan	500 words	1-5	Verbal

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
70	0	30

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Group presentation	30	10 minutes	3,5	Verbal
Essay	70	2,500 words	1, 2, 3, 4, 5	Written
	0
	0
	0
	0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Presentation	Essay	3, 5	August/September assessment period
Essay	Essay	1, 2, 3, 4, 5	August/September assessment period

Indicative Reading List

This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.

C. G. Hempel, The Philosophy of Natural Sciences, Prentice Hall 1966.
S. Shapin, The Scientific Revolution, Chicago University Press 1998.
H.-J. Rheinberger, On Historisizing Epistemology, Stanford University Press 2010.