Science and Knowledge
In the next block, we’re going to talk about science. And we’re going to be asking about the relationship between science and philosophy as ways of knowing.
Checking in
Before we start, we’re going to check in for five minutes. Just say hello to your fellow students, talk about how the course is going, and if there are any questions that you are facing.
Carlo Rovelli on Science
Well start by by watching a brief film called The Meaning of Meaning about Carlo Rovelli, one of the most significant contemporary physicists. It’s just about 7 minutes.
Discussion:
- What struck you most about the Rovelli film?
- What, according to Rovelli, is the essence of science?
- What do you think Rovelli means by science being “an awareness that our body of knowledge is limited?”
- Rovelli suggests that his claim that the world is relational has broad cultural implications. What do you think he means by this, and what are these implications?
Science, Philosophy and Wonder
Aristotle, the great Greek philosophy, says that philosophy — by which he means all kinds of rational inquiry, from history to philosophy to science — beings with wonder. It begins with us sitting up and saying, “wow… what’s going on here?” Think of the way, as a child, you had all kinds of questions about the world. This is wonder.
Writing exercise
What did you wonder about about as a kid? What questions did you ask? Write for ten minutes.
A Special Kind of Knowledge
In this next few classes, we’re going to explore the idea that science is a special kind of knowledge. We live in an age where science has a high cultural value. But what is the value of science? And what even is science? We’ll be looking at this over the next few sessions.
What is Science?
Let’s explore this to get started. Write for five minutes in response to the following prompt:
What is scientific knowledge? How is it different from other kinds of knowledge? And how important is it?
If we have time, we’ll discuss this in breakout groups.
From Philosophy… to Science
As in this week’s sessions we’re moving from philosophy to science, for your homework, I want you to read Carlo Rovelli’s paper, ‘Physics Needs Philosophy. Philosophy Needs Physics’, Foundations of Physics 2018 (ISSN: 1572-9516).