Issues In Epistemology and Philosophy of Science [2509]

General Information

• Credits: 6 ECTS
• Prerequisites: baccalaureate level or equivalent; proficiency in English
• Learning format: asynchronous distance learning – 100% e-learning
• Language of instruction: English
• Course access: available at any time of year
• Disability liaison officer: Cécile Boucherle

Course Overview

This course offers an advanced introduction to contemporary epistemology and the philosophy of science through a critical examination of scepticism, epistemic justification, and the nature of scientific knowledge. It explores the enduring debate between René Descartes’ foundationalism and Karl Popper’s fallibilism, presenting their contrasting accounts of certainty, justification, and the growth of knowledge. Particular attention is given to the sceptical challenge, the analysis of knowledge following Gettier, and Kant’s theory of synthetic a priori  judgments as a possible reconciliation between foundationalism and fallibilism. The course also examines the philosophical implications of scientific inquiry, emphasizing critical rationality, falsification, and the limits of human cognition. Finally, it considers the practical significance of these epistemological debates for science education, illustrating how philosophical reflection can inform scientific methodology and educational practice. By combining historical analysis, conceptual inquiry, and critical evaluation, the course enables students to develop a nuanced understanding of the foundations, limits, and development of human knowledge. 

Learning Outcomes

This course enables you to:

• explain Descartes' foundationalism and the main critiques of it (circularity, mind–body dualism);
  
• Discover Popper's fallibilism — conjecture, refutation and falsifiability — and its limits;
  
• distinguish the types of certainty at stake, and assess skepticism as a driver of intellectual progress; and
  
• understand the "fallibilist foundationalism" model built on Kant's synthetic a priori, and apply it to a case in science education.

Course Competencies

This course is linked to the following competency:

• Examine the foundations, sources and validity of knowledge through logic, language and the philosophy of science.

Course Outline

Section 1: Introduction

Section 2: The sceptical challenge

Section 3: The notion of certainty in epistemic justification

Section 4: The fundamentals of Rene Descartes’ epistemology

Section 5: The fundamentals of Karl Popper’s epistemology

Section 6: Kant’s theory of the synthetic a priori judgments: towards a reconciliation of Cartesian foundationalism and Popperian fallibilism

Section 7: Fallibilist foundationalism and science education in Nigeria

Assessment Methods 

Course assessment is based on:

• tracking and completion of the course and of all learning activities. These activities, designed as essential practice and learning exercises, may be completed multiple times and are not factored into the final grade; and
• the final assessment quiz, which constitutes the graded evaluation.

Learning Format

The course is taught entirely online via the MyDomuni platform, accessible 24/7.
Learning resources include:

• written course materials;
• supplementary documents and, depending on the content, video resources;
• interactive learning activities (quizzes, exercises); and
• a discussion forum with the course instructor and fellow participants.

Prerequisites

This course is open to anyone with a general level of education equivalent to the baccalaureate, or with personal or academic experience related to the topics covered.

A good command of written English is recommended to facilitate understanding of the content and participation in the activities offered.

Accessibility

The course is accessible at any time, from any internet-connected device, via the MyDomuni platform.
For students with disabilities, specific support can be arranged upon request to ensure equitable access to course content and activities.

Disability liaison officer: cecile.boucherle@domuni.eu.

Selective Bibliography

• Immanuel Kant, Critique of Pure Reason, trans. F. Max Müller, New York, Doubleday, 1966.
• Karl R. Popper, The Logic of Scientific Discovery, New York, Harper & Row, 1959.
• Robert Audi, The Structure of Justification, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1993.
• Laurence BonJour, The Structure of Empirical Knowledge, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1985.
• Roderick Chisholm, Theory of Knowledge, Englewood Cliffs, Prentice Hall, 1989.