Subject Area: History & Philosophy of Science
This course can also be studied in the following specialisation: Philosophy

Examines the place of science, and the centrality of technology, in modern societies using historical and contemporary cases of scientific, technological and environmental controversy. Critically examines the nature of scientific facts and theories and the relationship between them. Contrasts traditional with contemporary critical accounts of: the dynamics of change in the sciences; experiments; instruments; testing; and the relationship between science and technology. Explores the nature of technology as an instrument, and reflection, of processes of economic, social, political and environmental change. Considers how these understandings might affect our ideas about the the role of experts. Topics include: the theory-loading of facts; the case of phlogiston, oxygen and the chemical revolution; the theories of Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn and beyond; the case of the solar neutrino experiments; moving beyond the technological determinism vs. sociological determinism polarity; the cases of bicycle technology and automobility; the nature of environmental problems and the role of science and technology in dealing with them; the case of climate change and transport options.