Key Questions of Scientific Reflection

Description

What defines science? Is the essence of science in the rational-critical testing of hypotheses, or rather in the routine application of practiced research methods? Is there even one scientific method? How does the ideal of scientific progress reconcile with the fact that scientific revolutions always involve finding errors and discarding false assumptions? Are the values of science timeless, or do they themselves have a history? Science reflection is the study of science using the means of science itself. The interdisciplinary lecture focuses on the philosophy and history of sciences. In the lecture, classical and newer, less well-known answers to these questions are discussed using examples of historical scientific cases – the revolution of astronomy by Copernicus, the establishment of the modern continental drift theory in earth sciences, and the first statistical test experiments, both in the 20th century. The lecture is open to students of all disciplines.