This course is taught by Dr. Johannes Jaeger (https://www.csh.ac.at/researcher/johannes-jaeger/). What is the philosophy of science? What is the theory of knowledge? How does it relate to research practice? What is it good for? Why should I care? Will my research profit from knowing about it, or is it (as Richard Feynman quipped) as useful to scientists as ornithology is to birds? This intensive crash course introduces researchers to the philosophy of science. It has an interactive, practice-oriented, and participant-driven format. Each of its modules consists of two short online lectures, which provide the basis for extensive moderated discussions in the plenary and small break-out groups. The aim of this course is not to make you an expert philosopher of science. It is also not a workshop on ethics (although we inevitably touch on ethical questions). Instead, this course aims to seduce you to reflect on your own research questions, on concepts you usually take for granted, on the methods you use to achieve your research goals, and on the trustworthiness, scope, and relevance of the insights you generate. Such reflection will empower you to peek beyond your own horizon, and beyond that of your research community. It will enable you to detect biases and gaps in the knowledge of your field. It will allow you to better judge which research questions and approaches are likely to be fruitful, and which ones are not. It will give you a fresh perspective, and some useful philosophical tools that may come in handy on your research expedition into the unknown. In brief, reflecting on what you are doing will make you a better researcher.
Target group: Students and researchers in the natural, social, and formal sciences at all stages of their career.
Inquisitive minds who want to reflect on knowledge, understanding, and how science works.
This workshop requires no background knowledge in philosophy.
[This course counts towards the Essential Skills Requirement for PhD Students—2022 cohort and onwards].
Prerequisites: None
Evaluation: Attendance and participation.
Teaching format: None
ECTS: 2 Year: 2024
Track segment(s):
Core curriculum
Teacher(s):
Hania Koever
Teaching assistant(s):
- Teacher: Hania KÖVER