PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
(PHIL 430, Sec. 1001)
    Reading Assignments

    (The readings from Theory and Reality by Peter Godfrey-Smith and The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn are listed by author and chapter number(s). Readings from The Philosophy of Science, edited by David Papineau, are listed by article author and title, followed by "PoS:" and page numbers, in parentheses. Online readings are listed by author and title and labled "online". They are either available through WebCampus-Canvas, under the side-menu Modules link, or they are linked here directly.)

  • For Jan. 26: Read Hempel, Chapter 1 (online). Then read "The Fixation of Belief" and "How to Make Our Ideas Clear" by Peirce (online).
  • For Jan. 28: Read Hempel, Chapter 2 (online). Then read Godfrey-Smith, Chapters 1 and 2 (pp. 1-40).
  • For Feb. 2: Re-read the material assigned for Jan. 28, then read Hempel, Chapter 3 (online). Next, read Godfrey-Smith, Chapter 2 (pp. 40-52) and Chapter 3 (pp. 53-66).
  • For Feb. 4: Read Hempel, Chapter 4 (online).
  • For Feb. 9: Read Goodman, "The New Riddle of Induction" (online) and then Godfrey-Smith, Chapter 3 (pp. 67-76). Then read Popper, "Scientific Method" (Essay 9), "Falsificationism versus Conventionalism" (Essay 10), and "The Empirical Basis" (Essay 11) from Popper Selections (pp. 133-161) (online).
  • For Feb. 11: Read Popper, "The Problem of Demarcation" (Essay 8) and "The Aim of Science" (Essay 12) from Popper Selections (pp. 118-130 and 162-170) (online).
  • For Feb. 16: No class for Presidents Day! But re-read the Popper assigned for last week.
  • For Feb. 18: Read Godfrey-Smith, Chapter 4.1-4.4 (pp. 77-90). Then read Putnam, "The 'Corroboration' of Theories" (online) and Godfrey-Smith, Chapter 4.4-4.6 (pp. 91-100).
  • For Feb. 23: Read Godfrey-Smith, Chapter 12. Then read Easwaran, "Bayesanism II: Applications and Criticisms" (online). [Optional Readings on Bayesianism: Glymour, "Why I am Not a Bayesian" (online) and Chihara, "Some Problems for Bayesian Confirmation Theory" (online).]
  • For Feb. 25: Read Hempel, Ch. 5.
  • For Mar. 2: Read Hempel, Ch. 6 and Godfrey-Smith, Chapter 11. Check out the topic options for the First Paper, which will be due via Turnitin.com in the Assignments listing on the WebCampus-Canvas page for the course by midnight on Saturday 3/14. Make sure you are clear on my Paper Requirements and Policies, and check out my Numbered Comments Sheet to see what sorts of writing glitches you should work to avoid. Do not use any outside resources including generative AI programs of any sort (not even Grammarly and the like) in writing your paper! Familiarize yourself with the Philosophy Department's Guidelines Regarding Plagiarism for accounts of what constitutes plagiarism (and why all AI-use is prohibited). Refer to the course syllabus for a statement of the zero-tolerance AI policy of this course.
  • For Mar. 4: Read Hempel, Ch. 7 and Ch. 8.
  • For Mar. 9: Re-read Hempel, Chapter 8. Then read pp. vii-xvii of Ian Hacking's "Introductory Essay," (through the section on Normal Science) and Kuhn's Preface (pp. xxxix-xlvi) in Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.
  • For Mar. 11: Read Kuhn, Chapters I-IV (pp. 1-42).
  • For Mar. 14: Saturday! Submit your First Paper via Turnitin.com in the Assignments listing on the WebCampus-Canvas page for the course before midnight.
  • For Mar. 23: Read Kuhn, Chapter V-VII (pp. 43-76), then read Godfrey-Smith, Chapter 5.
  • For Mar. 25: Read pp. xvii-xxvii (through the section on Crisis) of Hacking's "Introductory Essay". Then read Kuhn, Chapters VIII-IX (pp. 77-110).
  • For Mar. 30: Read Kuhn, Chapters X-XIII (pp. 111-172). Then finish Hacking's "Introductory Essay" (pp. xxvi-xxxiii). Finally, read Godfrey-Smith, Ch. 9 (pp. 203-209).
  • For Apr. 1: Read Kuhn, "Postscript-1969" (pp. 173-208). Then read Lakatos, from "Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programs" [Part 1] and [Part 2] (online).
  • For Apr. 6: Re-read Lakatos, from "Falsification and the Methodology of Scientific Research Programs" [Part 1] and [Part 2] (online). Then read Lakatos, "History of Science and its Rational Reconstructions" (online).
  • For Apr. 8: Read Godfrey-Smith, Chapter 6.
  • For Apr. 13: Read Godfrey-Smith, Chapter 10 (pp. 222-229). Then read van Fraassen, "Arguments Concerning Scientific Realism," pp. 6-26, 30(very bottom)-40 from The Scientific Image (online), and "To Save the Phenomena" (PoS 82-92).
  • For Apr. 15: Read Godfrey-Smith, Chapter 10 (pp. 229-245). Then read Laudan, "A Confutation of Convergent Realism" (PoS 107-138).
  • For Apr. 20: Read Boyd, "On the Current Status of the Issue of Scientific Realism," pp. 45-72 (online). Check out the topics for the Second Paper (due via Turnitin.com on WebCampus before midnight on Sun. 5/3). Again, make sure you are clear on my Paper Requirements and Policies. Do not use any outside sources in writing your paper (especially no generative AI)! Do not plagiarize. Re-familiarize yourself with the Philosophy Department's Guidelines Regarding Plagiarism for accounts of what constitutes plagiarism.
  • For Apr. 22: Read Fine, "The Natural Ontological Attitude" (PoS 21-44) and finish Boyd, "On the Current Status of the Issue of Scientific Realism," pp. 72-90.
  • For Apr. 27: Read Fine, "And Not Anti-Realism Either" (online) and Musgrave, "NOA's Ark--Fine for Realism" (PoS 45-60).
  • For Apr. 29: Re-read Fine, "And Not Anti-Realism Either" (online) and Musgrave, "NOA's Ark--Fine for Realism" (PoS 45-60). Then read Godfrey-Smith, Ch. 13.1-13.3 (pp. 293-303).
  • For May 3: Sunday! Submit your Second Paper to Turnitin.com via the Assignment link on WebCampus-Canvas by 11:59pm.
  • For May 4: Read Ellis, "What Science Aims to Do," PoS, Ch. VIII and Godfrey-Smith, 13.4-13.6 (pp. 303-319).
  • For May 6: Read Longino, "Introduction: Good Science, Bad Science" (online) and "Stemwedel, "The Objectivity Thing (or, Why Science is a Team Sport)" (online). Then read Godfrey-Smith, Ch. 14. Check out the Course Topics List to prepare to the Review Session 5pm-7pm on Monday 5/11.
  • For May 8: Friday! Optional Rewrites of the First Paper due by 11:59pm. No late submissions accepted.
  • For May 11: Review Session at 5pm-7pm in HOS 382.
  • For May 13: Final Exam at 10:10am-12:10pm in our regular classroom. NOTE THE EARLIER TIME! Bring an Exambook!
Last updated May 11, 2026

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This document was created on January 21, 2026.