Overview

Philosophy of Science asks: What is science? How does it work? Does it tell us the truth? It examines the logic and methods behind scientific discovery.

Core Idea

The core idea is demarcation. How do we distinguish science (astronomy) from non-science (astrology) or pseudoscience?

Formal Definition

The study of the assumptions, foundations, and implications of science. It concerns the reliability of scientific theories and the ultimate purpose of science.

Intuition

Scientists are the players; Philosophers of Science are the referees checking the rulebook.

  • Popper: Science is about falsification. You can’t prove a theory true, only false. (Swans example).
  • Kuhn: Science isn’t a steady march of progress. It moves in jumps called Paradigm Shifts. (Newton -> Einstein).

Examples

  • Problem of Induction: We assume the future will be like the past. Can we prove it? (Hume says no).
  • Underdetermination: Evidence can often support multiple rival theories. How do we choose? (Occam’s Razor).
  • Theory-Ladenness: Observation is not neutral. What you see depends on what you believe (e.g., looking at an X-ray requires training).

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: Science proves facts.
    • Correction: Science provides provisional best explanations. Everything is open to revision.
  • Misconception: The “Scientific Method” is a single simple recipe.
    • Correction: Real science is messy, creative, and diverse. There is no single method used by all scientists (Feyerabend).

Applications

  • Policy: Evaluating climate change models or medical studies.
  • Education: Teaching critical thinking and the nature of evidence.

Criticism and Limitations

  • Disconnect: Many working scientists (like Feynman) think philosophy of science is useless to them (“Ornithology for birds”).

Further Reading

  • The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn
  • The Logic of Scientific Discovery by Karl Popper