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History and Philosophy of Science PDFDownload to print

College
College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Center for Comparative and Integrative Programs

105 Bowman Hall
Tel: 330-672-2062
Web: www.kent.edu/ccip

Science is arguably the supreme intellectual enterprise of our species. It pervades nearly every aspect of modern society. Scientific research is heavily funded by governments and private institutions; courses in science are requirements at every level of education; scientific accomplishments are honored with awards and prizes; museums display scientific achievements and inventions. Moreover, the sheer depth and breadth of scientific progress through human history is monumental. All of this raises questions about what science is, how it works, and how it manages to be as successful as it is. These questions define the discipline known as the history and philosophy of science, which aims to study science, to understand its goals and methods, its principles and practices, and its failures and triumphs. This minor will prepare students from a variety of related disciplines to think about science as a social, historical, and philosophical enterprise. It will also prepare students for graduate work in history of science, philosophy of science, and science and technology studies as well as for careers in areas of public and educational policy related to science.

 

Attribute Legend: DD Diversity-Domestic; DG Diversity-Global; ELR Experiential Learning; KAD Kent Core Additional; KBS Kent Core Basic Sciences; KCM Kent Core Composition; KFA Kent Core Fine Arts: KHU Kent Core Humanities; KMC Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning; KSS Kent Core Social Sciences; WIC Writing Intensive

Please read the sections in the University Catalog on Kent Core, diversity, writing-intensive and the experiential learning requirements.

HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE MINOR REQUIREMENTS (18-19 credits)
Attribute Course Title Credits Min Grade
  HIST/PHIL 31500/31080 Foundations in the History and Philosophy of Science 3  
  HIST 31543 The Scientific Revolution 3  
  PHIL 41035 Philosophy of Science 3  
  Science Electives, Choose from the following 1: 3-4  
  Biology    
KBS
KBS
BSCI
BSCI
10001
10002
Human Biology (3)   or
Life on Planet Earth (3)
   
  Chemistry    
KBS
KBS
CHEM
CHEM
10030
10055
Chemistry in Our World (3)   or
Molecules of Life (3)
   
  Computer Science    

KMC
CS
CS
10001
10051
Computer Literacy (3)   or
Introduction to Computer Science (4)
   
  Digital Sciences    
  DSCI
DSCI
10010
10410
Society, Culture and the Digital Sciences (3)   or
Information Ethics and Social Responsibility (3)
   
  Geology    
KBS
KBS
GEOL
GEOL
11040
11042
How the Earth Works (3)   or
Earth and Life Through Time (3)
   
  Mathematics    
 KMC MATH 10041 Introductory Statistics (4)    
KMC MATH 11008 Explorations in Modern Mathematics (3)    
KMC MATH 11009 Modeling Algebra (4)    
  MATH 12021 Calculus for Life Sciences (4)    
  Physics    
KBS
KBS
PHY
PHY
11030
21430
Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe (3)   or
Frontiers in Astronomy (3)
   
  Psychology    
DD/KSS PSYC 11762 General Psychology (3)    
  History and Philosophy Electives, Choose from the following: 6  
  HIST 31550 Medicine in the Modern World Since 1500 (3)    
DD HIST 41071 American Social and Intellectual History, 1876-Present (3)    
 KMC PHIL 21002 Introduction to Formal Logic (3)    
  PHIL 30025 Environmental Ethics (3)    
WIC PHIL 31003 Continental Rationalism (3)    
WIC PHIL 31004 British Empiricism (3)    
  PHIL 41036 Philosophy of Cognitive Science (3)    
  PHIL 41037 Renaissance and Early Modern Philosophy and Science (3)    
  PHIL 41040 Epistemology (3)    
  MINIMUM TOTAL 18-19  
  1. Students majoring in any of the science categories listed do not need to take a course from Science Electives, and should select an additional course from History and Philosophy Electives.

Graduation Requirements:

  • Minimum overall 2.000 GPA
  • Students must complete at least two upper-division courses in the minor at Kent State on a graded basis (A-F).