Seminar on Philosophy of Natural Sciences [ LFILO2930 ]

The seminar will focus on a theme in the area of the philosophy of natural science, to be determined by its members in relation to research projects they are currently involved with. Active participation at seminar meetings is strongly encouraged. Professors and researchers from the UCL interested in the topic and specialists in the topic from outside the UCL may participate in the seminar.

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The seminars will be dedicated to the important issue of scientific realism in both its epistemological and ontological aspects. Summarizing, we will examine, at the epistemological level, if we have good reasons to believe that our best scientific theories are partially and approximately true and, at the ontological level, the nature of the realities to which our best theories refer. 

Our main reference will be Stathis Psillos's book: Scientific Realism : How Science tracks Truth. London: Routledge. 1999.