744002 Introduction to scientific methodology and skeptical inquiry for research and everyday life

winter semester 2013/2014 | Last update: 30.07.2013 Place course on memo list
744002
Introduction to scientific methodology and skeptical inquiry for research and everyday life
VO 2
3
weekly
every 2nd year
German

Basics of scientific methodology and skeptical inquiry for practical application in research and everyday life.

What is this thing called science? How do we gain knowledge? A brief history of theory, philosophy and methodology of science; from Pyrrhon via Ockham, Galileo and Popper to Feyerabend. Deduction, induction, theory, falsification; structures and paradigms; Bayesianism and modern experimentalism. Science as a collection of methods to ensure not to delude yourself and others while testing hypotheses; 1000 pitfalls for deception of yourself and others: cognitive and perceptual delusions, confirmation bias, linear thinking, wrong causalities, argumentative traps, number and statistics blindness. Code of best scientific practice, ethics in research; recognizing and avoiding scientific misconduct (falsification, fabrication and plagiarism). Superstition, para science and pseudo science; the method of skeptical inquiry into extraordinary claims; problems of argumentation; and more.

lecture

written

Introductory literature (extract): - A.F. Chalmers: What is this thing called science? Open University Press, 1999. - H.G. Gauch: Scientific method in practice. Cambridge University Press, 2003. - H. Poser: Wissenschaftstheorie, Reclam 2001. - A. Musgrave: Common sense, science and skepticism. Cambridge University Press, 1993. - C. Bördlein: Das sockenfressende Monster in der Waschmaschine. Alibri, 2002. - C. Sagan: der Drache in meiner Garage, oder die Kunst der Wissenschaft, Unsinn zu entlarven. Knaur, 2000. More references are supplied during the lecture.

PhD students can either attend the VO2 lecture (offered in the winter term) OR the SE2 seminar (in the summer term), but not both in combination.

03.10.2013
Group 0
Date Time Location
Thu 2013-10-03
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2013-10-10
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2013-10-17
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2013-10-24
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2013-10-31
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2013-11-07
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2013-11-14
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2013-11-21
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2013-11-28
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2013-12-05
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2013-12-12
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2014-01-09
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2014-01-16
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2014-01-23
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free
Thu 2014-01-30
12.15 - 14.00 HS E (Technik) HS E (Technik) Barrier-free