Introduction to Scientific Reasoning
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
This course aims to provide students with the preliminary notions and practical skills required to understand the modes of argumentation that are typical of scientific reasoning.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
When completing this course students will be able to:
Recognize the logical structure of scientific arguments via examining general patterns of inference and their instantiation in historically significant examples.
Present the basic ideas underlying a scientific theory, paradigm or research programme.
Applying knowledge and undestanding
When completing the course students will be able to:
analyse a text that deals with scientific problems or philosophical issues concerning scientific theories.
apply the acquired notions and tools in case-studies of particular philosophical interest.
Making judgments
express an adequate level of autonomy in making judgments about the fundamental aspects of a scientific debate.
Communication skills
communicate clearly and in a focused and accurate way, avoiding obscure and vague phrasing and properly selecting the key elements.
esplicit the acquired skills and the underlying problematic aspects.
When completing this course students will be able to:
Recognize the logical structure of scientific arguments via examining general patterns of inference and their instantiation in historically significant examples.
Present the basic ideas underlying a scientific theory, paradigm or research programme.
Applying knowledge and undestanding
When completing the course students will be able to:
analyse a text that deals with scientific problems or philosophical issues concerning scientific theories.
apply the acquired notions and tools in case-studies of particular philosophical interest.
Making judgments
express an adequate level of autonomy in making judgments about the fundamental aspects of a scientific debate.
Communication skills
communicate clearly and in a focused and accurate way, avoiding obscure and vague phrasing and properly selecting the key elements.
esplicit the acquired skills and the underlying problematic aspects.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
[A-K]
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
-Scientific inference
-Logical patterns of mathematical reasoning
-Probability
-Scientific explanation
-Paradigms and scientific revolutions
-Philosophical problems in the empirical sciences
Online teaching environment: Teams and MyAriel.
Lectures will also be streamed for the whole academic year in case the room capacity is reached.
There will be two special lectures for students who are unable to attend the course. These will be recorded and made available on MyAriel website devoted to the course.
-Logical patterns of mathematical reasoning
-Probability
-Scientific explanation
-Paradigms and scientific revolutions
-Philosophical problems in the empirical sciences
Online teaching environment: Teams and MyAriel.
Lectures will also be streamed for the whole academic year in case the room capacity is reached.
There will be two special lectures for students who are unable to attend the course. These will be recorded and made available on MyAriel website devoted to the course.
Prerequisites for admission
As first-year exam, there are no specific preliminary notions required.
Teaching methods
Lectures, on-line group activities, exercises, selected readings from classics of science and philosophy of science. Besides the course bibliography, supplementary teaching material is uploaded on MyAriel.
Teaching Resources
- No special English bibliography is provided. Students can read the English versions of the selected readings from G. Boniolo et al. 2002 that will be indicated by the teaching staff during the course.
- Supplementary materials on MyAriel: slides, teaching materials for the course.
Reference texts are the same both for attending and non-attending students
- Supplementary materials on MyAriel: slides, teaching materials for the course.
Reference texts are the same both for attending and non-attending students
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written test through Moodle platform both for attending and non-attending students. The exam aims at verifying knowledge and skills acquisition within the learning objectives of the course. It includes multiple choice questions and open questions with three difficulty levels:
* = easy
** = medium
*** = hard
Evaluation is as follows:
D fail = the candidate does not answer most questions labelled by *
C 2:2 (18-22) = the candidate answers most questions labelled by *
B 2:1 (23-28) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and most questions labelled by **
A first (29-30 e lode) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and **, and most questions labelled by ***
* = easy
** = medium
*** = hard
Evaluation is as follows:
D fail = the candidate does not answer most questions labelled by *
C 2:2 (18-22) = the candidate answers most questions labelled by *
B 2:1 (23-28) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and most questions labelled by **
A first (29-30 e lode) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and **, and most questions labelled by ***
M-FIL/02 - LOGIC AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Sassoli De Bianchi Bernardino Tommaso
[Blended learning]
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Scientific inference
-Logical patterns of mathematical reasoning
-Probability
-Scientific explanation
-Paradigms and scientific revolutions
-Philosophical problems in the empirical sciences
Online teaching environment: Teams and MyAriel.
-Logical patterns of mathematical reasoning
-Probability
-Scientific explanation
-Paradigms and scientific revolutions
-Philosophical problems in the empirical sciences
Online teaching environment: Teams and MyAriel.
Prerequisites for admission
As first-year exam, there are no specific preliminary notions required.
Teaching methods
Lectures, on-line group activities, exercises, selected readings from classics of science and philosophy of science. Besides the course bibliography, supplementary teaching material is uploaded on MyAriel.
Teaching Resources
No special English bibliography is provided. Students can read the English versions of the selected readings from G. Boniolo et al. 2002 that will be indicated by the teaching staff during the course.
- Supplementary materials on MyAriel: slides, teaching materials for the course.
Reference texts are the same both for attending and non-attending students
- Supplementary materials on MyAriel: slides, teaching materials for the course.
Reference texts are the same both for attending and non-attending students
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written test through Moodle platform both for attending and non-attending students. The exam aims at verifying knowledge and skills acquisition within the learning objectives of the course. It includes multiple choice questions and open questions with three difficulty levels:
* = easy
** = medium
*** = hard
Evaluation is as follows:
D fail = the candidate does not answer most questions labelled by *
C 2:2 (18-22) = the candidate answers most questions labelled by *
B 2:1 (23-28) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and most questions labelled by **
A first (29-30 e lode) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and **, and most questions labelled by ***
* = easy
** = medium
*** = hard
Evaluation is as follows:
D fail = the candidate does not answer most questions labelled by *
C 2:2 (18-22) = the candidate answers most questions labelled by *
B 2:1 (23-28) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and most questions labelled by **
A first (29-30 e lode) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and **, and most questions labelled by ***
M-FIL/02 - LOGIC AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Sinigaglia Corrado
[L-Z]
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
-Scientific inference
-Logical patterns of mathematical reasoning
-Probability
-Scientific explanation
-Paradigms and scientific revolutions
-Philosophical problems in the empirical sciences
Online teaching environment: Teams and MyAriel.
Lectures will also be streamed for the whole academic year in case the room capacity is reached.
There will be two special lectures for students who are unable to attend the course. These will be recorded and made available on MyAriel website devoted to the course.
-Logical patterns of mathematical reasoning
-Probability
-Scientific explanation
-Paradigms and scientific revolutions
-Philosophical problems in the empirical sciences
Online teaching environment: Teams and MyAriel.
Lectures will also be streamed for the whole academic year in case the room capacity is reached.
There will be two special lectures for students who are unable to attend the course. These will be recorded and made available on MyAriel website devoted to the course.
Prerequisites for admission
As first-year exam, there are no specific preliminary notions required.
Teaching methods
Lectures, on-line group activities, exercises, selected readings from classics of science and philosophy of science. Besides the course bibliography, supplementary teaching material is uploaded on MyAriel.
Teaching Resources
- No special English bibliography is provided. Students can read the English versions of the selected readings from G. Boniolo et al. 2002 that will be indicated by the teaching staff during the course.
- Supplementary materials on MyAriel: slides, teaching materials for the course.
Reference texts are the same both for attending and non-attending students
- Supplementary materials on MyAriel: slides, teaching materials for the course.
Reference texts are the same both for attending and non-attending students
Assessment methods and Criteria
Written test through Moodle platform both for attending and non-attending students. The exam aims at verifying knowledge and skills acquisition within the learning objectives of the course. It includes multiple choice questions and open questions with three difficulty levels:
* = easy
** = medium
*** = hard
Evaluation is as follows:
D fail = the candidate does not answer most questions labelled by *
C 2:2 (18-22) = the candidate answers most questions labelled by *
B 2:1 (23-28) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and most questions labelled by **
A first (29-30 e lode) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and **, and most questions labelled by ***
* = easy
** = medium
*** = hard
Evaluation is as follows:
D fail = the candidate does not answer most questions labelled by *
C 2:2 (18-22) = the candidate answers most questions labelled by *
B 2:1 (23-28) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and most questions labelled by **
A first (29-30 e lode) = the candidate answers all questions labelled by * and **, and most questions labelled by ***
M-FIL/02 - LOGIC AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
De Bianchi Silvia
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Tuesdays 3PM-5PM; Wednesdays 3-4PM. It is mandatory to send an email to arrange the meeting.
Department of Philosophy, via Festa del Perdono 7, Cortile Ghiacciaia, 3Floor and/or Teams Platform
Reception:
I am available for appointments any day. For urgent matters, I can be reached on Skype [siniga_corrado]