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Unit of study_
HPSC4101: Philosophy of Science
2025 unit information
This unit of study explores a variety of issues in philosophy of science. It uses a range of examples from different sciences (e.g., physics, biology, chemistry) to examine theories, models, concepts, and the various tools that are considered part of the scientific method. Students will learn how to apply this philosophical analysis of science to historical and contemporary findings, as well as to their own research.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | History and Philosophy of Science Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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12 credit points of HPSC3XXX or PHIL3XXX or HSTY3XXX |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. understand the basic theoretical develoments in a specific field of science and their philosophical implications
- LO2. demonstrate knowledge and insight into the philosophical underpinnings of a variety of scientific theories and understand their importance in the development of our knowledge of the world
- LO3. understand the development of contemporary positions in the philosophy of science and one specific field within science
- LO4. demonstrate the ability to apply philosophical principles in the analysis of a specific field of science and science more generally
- LO5. present and defend an academic talk
- LO6. write a large scale research essay in a publishable form.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
