Metodology of science 390-FM2-2MNA

Study profile: general academic
Form of study: full-time
Subject type: compulsory
Field and discipline of science: Field of exact and natural sciences, Discipline of physical sciences
Level of education: second-cycle studies
Year of study/semester: 2nd year/4th Semester
ECTS Credits: 2
Prerequisites:
Student Workload Balance:
- Participation in lectures (15 hours),
- Participation in tutorials (15 hours),
- Participation in consultations (15 hours),
- Student's own work at home (0 hours),

Quantitative Indicators:
- Student workload related to classes requiring direct teacher involvement - 2.0 ECTS;
- Student workload related to independent work - 0.0 ECTS.

Principles of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use:
During classes, the use of AI systems is permitted for the following purposes:
1. Machine translation of source texts from foreign languages.
2. Searching for and organizing scientific sources. 3. Create simulations and modeling of physical phenomena discussed in lectures.

If any of the above principles are found to have been violated, the student may be held accountable under separate disciplinary regulations.ssifications of the sciences.

Term 2024:

The themes of the lectures:

1) Laws in natural sciences:
a) Synthetic propositions, analytic propositions, a priori propositions, a posteriori propositions;
b) Laws of nature as propositions.

2) Relationality of laws of nature;
a) Laws in human and social sciences;
b) Comparison of laws of nature and laws of sciences;
c) Features of laws in natural sciences.

3) Structure of knowledge based on laws in natural sciences:
a) Individual propositions, propositions of existence, general propositions;
b) Theories as structures of laws of science.

4) Functions of laws in natural sciences:
a) Description of facts;
b) Making the definitions;
c) Explanation and prediction.

5) Discovering the laws in natural sciences:
a) Induction, enumerative induction, induction of elimination, reductive reasoning;
b) Deduction reasoning, mathematical induction;
c) Hypothetico-deductive method, deep hypothesis;
d) Methods of the hypothesis confirmation (corroboration) and falsification, crucial experiment;
e) Process of idealization, objectivity and approximative character of laws in natural sciences, process of their factualization, conventions in laws in natural sciences;
f) Enigma of the discovery.

6) Determinism and indeterminism:
a) Unambiguous laws, laws of causal character, laws of statistical character;
b) Examples in physics, chemistry, and biology;
c) Examples in social sciences;
d) Causality.

7) Formal classifications of the laws in natural and other sciences. Formal classifications of the sciences.

Term 2025:

The themes of the lectures:

3) Structure of knowledge based on laws in natural sciences:
a) Individual propositions, propositions of existence, general propositions;
b) Theories as structures of laws of science.

4) Functions of laws in natural sciences:
a) Description of facts;
b) Making the definitions;
c) Explanation and prediction.

7) Formal classifications of the laws in natural and other sciences. Formal classifications of the sciences.

Type of course

(in Polish) kształcenia ogólnego
obligatory courses

Prerequisites (description)

Assumption of the subject is to introduce the student to the questions related to the evolution of the methodology of science and to emphasize the significance of the scientific revolutions. Moreover, the course pays the attention to the accumulative character of the physics and its associations with other areas of the mankind activities (human sciences, social sciences).

Course coordinators

Katarzyna Rećko

Mode

Term 2024:

Blended learning

Term 2025:

Blended learning

General:

(in Polish) w sali

Learning outcomes

A student:
1. Understands fundamental significance of physics for technological achievements, economic growth and development of civilization.
2. Understands structure of physics, treated as a branch of science, acquires cognisance of connections between its domains and theories, knows examples of false physical hypothesis and false physical theories.
3. Knows restrictions of applicability for chosen physical theories, models of objects and description of physical phenomena.
4. Is capable to give popularily basic facts from learned parts of physics, to sketch structure of physics treated as a branch of science and to present historical evolution of this scientific discipline, emphasizing influence of chosen discoveries on technological achievements, economic growth and development of civilization.
5. Realizes necessity to share knowledge and necessity of popular presentation of physics achievements.
6. Is able to search individually informations in literature and Internet sources, including explorations in foreign languages.
Labels:
K_W01, K_W04, K_W05, K_U01, K_U02.

Assessment criteria

Students take part in lectures. They are stimulated for asking questions and initiating the discussion.

Oral eventually written examinations undergo after the end of the course of Methodology of Science. They verify the acquirement of knowledge.

Students get the lists of problems for the individual and unassisted solving. Content of the lists is correlated with the lecture. During the courses, students reporting the problems. Lecturer is advised to pay close attention to understanding used concepts and clarity of presentations. He stimulates students group for asking questions and discussions. Lecturer tries to create a sense of responsibility for the team inside the seminar group and he encourages the group to joint work.

Assessment of student learning is based on the grade, which includes:

1. Ability to report the problems from methodology of science.
2. Ability to discuss subjects of the course.
3. Ability to use the literature and Internet sources.
4. Ability to collaborate inside the team.
5. Creative approach to solved problems.

The final grade is expressed by the number established in the study regulation, which includes evaluation of the knowledge, abilities, and competencies of the student.

Bibliography

1) Władysław Krajewski “Prawa nauki”, KIW, Warszawa, 1998 (in Polish)
2) Thomas Kuhn “Struktura rewolucji naukowych”, FA, Warszawa, 2001 (in Polish)

Term 2024:

1. Methodology in the Natural and the Social Sciences, E. B. Wilson American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 45, No. 5 (Mar. 1940), pp. 655-668 (14 pages), Published by The University of Chicago Press and references therein
2. Methodology of the Sciences, Lydia Patton, Virginia Tech, Oxford Handbook of Nineteenth-Century German Philosophy, edited by Michael Forster and Kristin Gjesdal, 21 pages, (2015) and references therein

Term 2025:

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 390-FM2-2MNA in USOSweb