General provisions

The department of philosophy is responsible for this course.

Entry requirements

Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish degree of at least 180 credits (i.e. three years of full-time studies).

Learning outcomes

After completing this course, students should

• understand and apply basic concepts of the philosophy of science
• understand the role of knowledge in society and the responsibilities in the application of knowledge
• have developed the foundations for critical-scientific investigation of scientific claims
• be able to distinguish between science and pseudoscience
• be able to distinguish between good and bad science
• be able to discuss and compare the methodological requirements and challenges of different disciplines

Content

1. Parapsychology
2. Statistics, interpretations of probability and statements of statistical inference
3. What is science?
4. The difference between science and non-science
5. The placebo-concept
6. Social epistemology and the scientific control system
7. Rhetoric - science and media, hermeneutics
8. Evolution vs. creation
9. Source criticism
10. Alternative medicine - Why so popular?
11. Physics and mysticism
12. Workshop: Cold reading, talking to the dead, and predicting the future
13. Perception and cognition
14. The art of deception

Instruction

Lectures and obligatory seminars

Assessment

Obligatory seminars + written examination + one essay

Other directives

The course is given in English. Course literature is in English. MOOC: The course will be given as MOOC as soon as possible. Recording of lectures for MOOC will not be done at the first iteration of the course, but only after the course has been evaluated in case the substance or level needs to be adjusted. Economic resources for adaptation to MOOC will be requested separately.