Washington University in St. Louis Philosophy Department: Undergraduate Program

Philosophy of Science

(Proposed track major)
contact: Carl Craver
935-7146

Proposed track within the Philosophy Major
Double Major. The Philosophy of Science track will be available only as a second major in combination with work in one or more of the sciences.

Total Credits: 27

I. Core Courses:

A. Contemporary/Analytic(6 Credits):

Phil 301 G Symbolic Logic and
Phil 321 G Philosophy of Science

B. History (3 Credits):

Phil 347 Ancient Philosophy or
Phil 349 Descartes to Hume or
Phil 358 Conceptual Foundations of Modern Science

II. Advanced Courses in Philosophy of Science (15 Credits total)

A. Students must take both of:

Phil 4210 Advanced Philosophy of Science I (Causation, Laws, and Explanation; Realism; Reduction and Theory Change) and
Phil 4211 Advanced Philosophy of Science II (Induction and Confirmation; Observation and Experiment; Chance and Probability)

Advanced Philosophy of Science I and II to run in alternate years

B. The remaining nine (9) of the fifteen (15) total credits are to be satisfied by choosing among the below courses.

General Philosophy

426       Theories and Concepts
390       Philosophical Writing Logic and Method
403       Mathematical Logic I
404       Mathematical Logic II
405       Philosophical Logic
4051     Philosophy of Logic

Epistemology and Metaphysics

307       Metaphysics and Epistemology
4142     Advanced Metaphysics
4141     Advanced Epistemology
4332     Cognition and ComputationLife and Science
423       Philosophy of Biology
452       AristotleMind and Science
315       Philosophy of Mind
419       Philosophy of Psychology
418       Current Controversies in Cognitive Science
4210     Philosophy of Neuroscience
495       PNP Seminar (with approval of topic).

History

347       Ancient Philosophy
349       Descartes to Hume
452       Aristotle

III. Capstone Experience (3 Credits)All students must complete a capstone experience in at least one of their majors. Within the philosophy major, this requirement may be satisfied in two ways:
A. Pursuing an Honors thesis in the Philosophy of Science by taking Phil 499 in the Fall and Spring. Three of these credits count toward satisfying (II) above. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.5, a major GPA of 3.5, and a 3.5 GPA in all advanced philosophy courses; or
B. Taking the Philosophy Capstone Course (Phil 3991). Only seniors in good standing can sign up for this course; preference is given to students not pursuing Honors.

IV. Writing Intensive Requirement

Arts and Sciences requires all students to take a Writing Intensive class. If students wish to fulfill this requirement as part of their Philosophy major, they should take Phil 390, listed under General Philosophy.

Minor

18 credits in total:

REQUIRED COURSES:
Phil 301G         Symbolic Logic
Phil 321G         Philosophy of Science
Phil 4210          Advanced Philosophy of Science I
Phil 4211          Advanced Philosophy of Science II

ELECTIVE COURSES
One of the following three courses in:
Phil 347C         Ancient Philosophy
Phil 349C         Descartes to Hume
Phil 358            Conceptual Foundations of Modern Science

One course from the following:
Phil 307            Metaphysics and Epistemology
Phil 315            Philosophy of Mind
Phil 390            Philosophical Writing
Phil 403            Mathematical Logic I
Phil 404            Mathematical Logic II
Phil 405            Philosophical Logic
Phil 4051          Philosophy of Logic
Phil 4141          Advanced Epistemology
Phil 4142          Advanced Metaphysics
PNP 418          Current Controversies in Cognitive Science
Phil 419            Philosophy of Psychology
Phil 4210          Philosophy of Neuroscience
Phil 423            Philosophy of Biology
Phil 426            Theories and Concepts
PNP 4332        Cognition and Computation
Phil 452            Aristotle
PNP495           PNP Seminar (with approval of topic).