Philosophy of Science Lecture Series

These flashcards focus on key vocabulary and concepts from a Philosophy of Science lecture series to aid in exam preparation.

Philosophy of Science

The branch of philosophy that examines the foundations, methods, and implications of scientific knowledge.

Ontology

The study of being or existence and its basic categories and relationships.

Epistemology

The study of the nature, sources, and limits of knowledge.

Methodology

The systematic study of methods that guide how we gather scientific knowledge.

Rationalism

The belief that reason, rather than sensory experience, is the primary source of knowledge.

Empiricism

The theory that knowledge is derived from sensory experience.

Falsification

The philosophy that scientific theories should be considered valid only if they can be proven false.

Paradigm Shift

A fundamental change in the basic concepts and experimental practices of a scientific discipline.

Social Epistemology

The study of the social dimensions of knowledge and the collective processes involved in producing it.

Verification Principle

The principle that a statement is only meaningful if it can be empirically verified.

Incommensurability

The concept that competing paradigms are based on different terms and measures, making them difficult to compare directly.

Anomaly (in science)

An observation or result that contradicts expectations set within a current scientific paradigm.

Situated Knowledge

The idea that all knowledge is produced from particular social and historical contexts.

Strong Objectivity

The concept that knowledge is more reliable when multiple perspectives are considered, particularly those from marginalized standpoints.

Collective inquiry

The collaborative process through which scientific knowledge is developed, involving critique and peer review.

Systems Theory

An approach that views different parts of reality in relation to one another, emphasizing interconnections and functions within a system.

Functionalism

A sociological perspective that explains social institutions and practices in terms of the functions they fulfill for society.