Logic and Philosophy of Science

6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 2 with catalog number 1020814AER for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester

1st and 2nd semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Possible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

Dutch

Faculty

Faculty of Languages & Humanities

Department

History, Archaeology, Arts, Philosophy and Ethics

Educational team

Bart Van Kerkhove (course titular)

Activities and contact hours

52 contact hours Lecture
4 contact hours Seminar, Exercises or Practicals
20 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

First semester. In the logic part of this course, a synthesis is presented of the fast development of logic during the previous century. Two basic systems are dealt with, namely propositional and predicate logic (of first order. In the second (philosophy of science) part a chronological overview is presented of the developments in the 20th century as to the question what can be a scientific method (Carnap, Popper, Kuhn, Lakatos, Feyerabend, ...), including a short specific application to psychology.

Second semester. In the logic part a number of many-valued systems and intuitionistic logic are dealt with. Are discussed in the philosophy of science part: the Bayesian method, the nature of scientific explanation, the realism/empiricism-debate. Also, brief introductions to the philosophy of historiography and the philosophy of mathematics are given.

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Logica en wetenschapsfilosofie, Jean Paul van Bendegem en Bart Van Kerkhove, Canvas

Additional info

This course unit is also offered to students of TTKA.
Study materials: own course text available via Canvas.

Learning Outcomes

General competencies

The student can describe and explain the developments in modern logic and in the philosophy of science from the 20th century onwards. The student can demonstrate the relevance of logic to philosophy of science.
The student can handle the basic logical systems in a practical way. The student is able to analyse the problems surrounding the question of what a scientific method may be.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Schriftelijk examen with a relative weight of 1 which comprises 100% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The exam is oral, but with a written preparation. The exam is 'open-book'. This means all materials can be used: course text, solved exercises, personal notes.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context