Truth, Reality, and Objectivity: Philosophical Themes in Physics

A First Year Seminar

Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30 to 10:45 in Olin 102

Instructor

Daniel Kim-Shapiro
Department of Physics
Room 208 Olin Physical Lab

758-4993

Office hours: Monday 2:30 - 3:30 PM, Thursday 3:00 - 4:00 PM, Friday 3:00-4:00 PM

shapiro@wfu.edu


Pandemic Plan



Synopsis 

Is all truth relative, contingent on social and historical factors? Does it make sense to speak of what is "real", independently of what anybody says or thinks? Is objectivity ever a reasonable goal? We will consider these philosophical questions with reference to natural science generally and quantum mechanics in particular, a field which poses acute challenges for traditional understandings of reality and objectivity.



Sakai 

Go to Sakai page

 


Texts

Philosophy of Natural Science, by C.G. Hempel
The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, by T.S. Kuhn
Philosophical Concepts in Physics, by J. T. Cushing
Quantum Reality, by N. Herbert

 


 

Grading

Pre-class write-ups1

10%

Class Participation/On-line Discussion2

20%

Midterm (3/2)

10%

3 or 4 short papers3

40% 

Final (5/1 at 2 PM)

20%

 

1.    For each section, each student will have to come prepared with written answers to the discussion questions. The write-ups need not be wordy. They only need to provide information that can be used to help answer the questions during the discussions. Students will be expected to e-mail writeups or hand in photocopied versions of these write-ups in the beginning of each class that begins a new section.

2.    Questions used for writeups, in-class discussion, and exams will be posted under course documents. You should prepare for class discussion by making notes of your answers to these questions. The number of times you participate in class will be recorded and some assessment of the quality of your participation will also be noted. Each student will be expected to lead in-class discussions on a rotating basis. The discussion leader will be expeted to meet with an instructor prior to class to make sure that (s)he has prepared properly. The discussion leader is welcome to prepare additioal questions to those posted by the instructors in Sakai (Resources-course documents). Through Sakai - Chat room you can post and respond to questions and comments. Your class participation grade will be based mainly on your participation in the classroom but your participation in the Chat room can help improve your grade.

3.    You will do 3 or 4 short papers. The topics and due dates will be posted under Sakai - Resources - Assignments. Your final grade on the papers will be the highest of the following three schemes:

Plan a

Paper #

Weight

Length

1

5%

<200 words

2

5%

about 500 words

3

15%

about 1000 words

4

15%

about 1000 words

Plan b

Paper #

Weight

Length

1

8%

<200 words

2

8%

about 500 words

3

24%

about 1000 words

Plan c

Paper #

Weight

Length

1

8%

<200 words

2

8%

about 500 words

4

24%

about 1000 words