Creativity and discovery in Science

Inleiding

The course Creativity and discovery in Science provides participants with the skill to define a research problem and to re(de)fine it stepwise.

Content

In the first half of the twentieth century, philosophy of science was completely mesmerized by justification. Think, for instance, of verificationism and falsificationism. In this context, the emphasis was on the critical part of scientific reasoning. By contrast, in the second half of the twentieth century, with Hanson, Kuhn, and so on, the focus shifted (again) to discovery. “Friends of discovery” like Nancy Nersessian and Thomas Nickles (still) investigate the creative problem solving part of scientific reasoning. In this course, we discuss the insights and results of the friends of discovery, and reflect on how philosophy in general and philosophy of science in particular can further scientific progress, for instance, by optimizing the heuristics of creative, scientific problem solving, or by boosting or even creating conceptual integration in interdisciplinary contexts.

Prior knowledge

Having followed the course Epistemologie (Block 1A; previously titled Philosophy of Science I) and Philosophy of Science (block 1b), because what has been taught in that course will be taken for granted in this course, by professor and tutors 

Language

English; lectures will be recorded

Period

Bachelor 2, Block 2B: 2 January until 4 February 2023

Course guide & literature

Please consult the course guide for the timetable and literature. 

Registration possible from November 2021 onwards.