The student will become familiar with the literature in science and the philosophy and history of science, as well as with those figures who play a prominent role in these fields. It is expected that the student will come away from the class with a more mature mindset towards science. Issues on the frontiers and fringes of science will be confronted and this confrontation will encourage students to develop attitudes about problems they may have heretofore avoided. Attendance and active classroom participation will be expected. Although the grading of participation can be quite subjective, there are clear objective criteria for distinguishing between absent, present, but silent, present and participating solely for credit, and present and participating because, having thought through the issues, you have creative insights to share.
Unnecessary absence is discouraged.
It is almost impossible to experience philosophy from the reading of someone else's notes. Participation in class discussion is required. Two unit exams and a final will be given. The final will include a third unit exam and a comprehensive section covering the entire semester. These exams cover the factual material presented in class and in the assigned readings over that unit.