4.7
stars
173 ratings

Michael Weisberg

14,013 already enrolled

Offered By

Philosophy of Science

University of Pennsylvania

About this Course

12,112 recent views

For the last four centuries, scientists have aimed to provide us with an understanding of the world around us. By all appearances, science has made substantial progress during this time. But is this progress real or illusory? And if it is real, how has this progress been made? This four-week course will consider these important questions. Specific topics will include how scientists generate knowledge through observations, experiments, and simulations; scientific objectivity and failures of scientific objectivity; the self-correcting nature of the scientific community; the positive and negative influences that values can have on science; the relationship between science and religion; and the role of the public in guiding the scientific enterprise.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Intermediate Level

Approx. 12 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Turkish, English, Spanish

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.8/5 (59 Ratings)

Michael Weisberg

Professor and Chair

Department of Philosophy

14,013 Learners

1 Course

Offered by

University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania (commonly referred to as Penn) is a private university, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. A member of the Ivy League, Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and considers itself to be the first university in the United States with both undergraduate and graduate studies.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating97%(1,033 ratings)

Week

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Introduction and Core Examples

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 38 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Week

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Scientific Methods

3 hours to complete

11 videos (Total 49 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

11 videos

2.1 – Intro to Scientific Empiricism4m

2.2 – A Grounding in Observation2m

2.3a – Straight Observation2m

2.3b – Observation with Telescopes4m

2.3c – Practicing to Observe1m

2.3d – Making Observation More Efficient2m

2.3e – Mill’s Methods3m

2.4a – Isolating and Creating Phenomena4m

2.4b – The Logic of Experiments7m

2.5 – Simulations: Empirical and Reliable?10m

2.6 – Reliable Detection4m

1 reading

Week 2 Readings1h

1 practice exercise

Week 2 Quiz30m

Week

Week 3

3 hours to complete

Scientific Objectivity

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 75 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week

Week 4

3 hours to complete

Values in Science

3 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 23 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Reviews

4.7

68 reviews

5 stars
79.54%
4 stars
13.06%
3 stars
3.40%
2 stars
1.13%
1 star
2.84%

TOP REVIEWS FROM PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE

by SBFeb 19, 2020

Interesting information, well presented. The course gave me new ways of looking at scientific studies and research that will, I believe, make me a more sophisticated consumer of science reporting.

by TDec 29, 2020

Fantastic introduction into philosophy of science by Prof. Weisberg! Would love to see a part II of this course.

by SWMay 25, 2022

very enlightening course that can make you both open minded and analytically skeptical

by PEFeb 23, 2020

Help me to go back to my philosophy course as undergrad. This is a remind of critical thinking and how do you examine science and its contents. Great course

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Philosophy of Science

Philosophy of Science

About this Course