Course Description: What makes science trustworthy? What determines public trust in science? A common answer to these questions is “the scientific method.” However, decades of research in philosophy of science, history of science, science and technology studies (STS), and related disciplines have cast into doubt many customary conceptions of the scientific method and the role of science in society. In this course, we will review this research. Our aim will be to complicate our understanding of science while also identifying new possible answers to the questions of trustworthiness and public trust. In the process, we will address a number of secondary questions, including the following: What distinguishes science from pseudoscience? In what sense is science objective? What determines scientific consensus? What is the purpose of science? Is there a tension between science and democracy?
COVID-19 Notice: The course is scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 11:00 to 12:30 (PT). On Tuesdays, we won’t meet. Instead, I’ll release prerecorded video lessons for you to view at your convenience before each Thursday meeting. Thursday meetings will be synchronous and consist of interactive lessons and discussion. However, I won’t take attendance or evaluate participation. So, why show up? First, interactive lessons and discussions will enhance your learning. Second, we may cover new material. Third, these meetings won’t be recorded, both to encourage your attendance and to create a more relaxed environment for participation.
This combination of synchronous and asynchronous components is my attempt to balance the flexibility of recorded lectures with the benefits of active learning, which are difficult to achieve asynchronously.
Course Materials: You won’t be required to purchase any materials for this course. You may, however, need to search for journal articles, magazine articles, and eBooks on the UBC Library website.