Teaching the Philosophy of Science with Non-Scientific Examples Essay

Teaching the Philosophy of Science with Non-Scientific Examples plume This essay explores the benefits of utilizing non-scientific examples and analogies in teaching philosophy of science courses, or customary introductory courses. These examples can help resolve two basic difficulties face by close instructors, especially when teaching lower-level courses first, they can prompt students to output an active interest in the class material, since the examples will involve aspects of the husbandry well-known to the students second, these familiar, less-threatening examples will lessen the students collective anxieties and open them up to accomplishment the material much easily. To demonstrate this strategy of constructing and employing non-scientific examples, a lengthy comparison amongst musical styles and Kuhns theory of scientific revolutions is developed. Without a doubt, one of the most difficult tasks in teaching undergraduate philosophy courses is motivating the students to stimulate an active interest in the abstract and complex issues normally presented. single obvious method of overcoming this dilemma is to provide numerous historical examples and analogies of the pertinent philosophical problem, since concrete instances are frequently less complicated than superior general descriptions, articulate the main points more than clearly, and have the added bonus of being more personal and relatable. Thus, if one were presenting, say, Imre Lakatos theory of scientific research programs, describing the conflict between the Ptolemaic and Copernican views would serve as an excellent backdrop for the creative activity of Lakatos ideas. Nevertheless, if the students are unfamiliar and/or bored by the kinds of examples employed, the strategy will, of course,... ...eme be introduced in the development section? // (rock) Can the song last for more than three minutes?4) Techniques for answering questions (and standards of success) (class.) Yes, but as l ong as it doesnt undermine the recapitulation. // Yes, but dont expect much radio air play, or video exposure.5) Exemplars (successful previous application of theory) (class.) a sonata form movement by one of the acknowledged master, such as Haydn, Mozart, etc. // a fool song by one of the great rock bands, such as Beatles, Rolling Stones, etc.6) Incommensurability theme in classical sonata form is designed for upper limit development capacity, and is (usually) in either tonic or dominant winder // theme in rock music is usually designed for maximum lyrical capacity, must allow lyrics to be set to the theme, and may not stringently follow the tonic-dominant tonal scheme.