2025

Experimental philosophy

Name: Experimental philosophy
Code: HIS09386D
6 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/156 hours
Scientific Area: History and Philosophy of Science

Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese

Sustainable Development Goals

Learning Goals

Encourage contact with contemporary thought regarding the value of the singular epistemology of scientific instruments.
Develop knowledge about the epistemology of scientific objects.
Developing sensitivity and understanding of "visual and tactile tinking" embedded in scientific instruments, and about the importance of communication in its development and in its use (use central in science also becoming central in ordinary life).
Enrich the experience of contact with objects, scientific instruments.

Contents

Instrumental Epistemology; Models: Representing Things; Working Knowledge; Encapsulating Knowledge.
Instruments of Science and Citizenship; Things that talk: The glass flowers of Lorraine Daston.
The breath of animals (experiment of Lavoir, Séguin); Joule's experiment; Faraday's motor.

Teaching Methods

Exploration of contemporary texts by reading texts as expressed in "Gestes of Philosophes" by J. Schlanger: coreading; critical reading and author's reading. This reading requires production of new texts, texts fabricated bringing together different elements. This is the main methodology that will culminate in the production of an individual text for presentation and discussion in the group. This text is necessarily connected to an instrument or an experiment. Visits to laboratories and museums.
Evaluation: production of a text (80%), participation in seminars of this course (20%).