Universität Wien

390008 DK PhD-M: Philosophy of Science (2016S)

10.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 39 - Doktoratsstudium Wirtschaftswissenschaften
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 15 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 08.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 15.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 05.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 12.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 19.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 26.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 03.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 10.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 24.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 31.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 07.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 14.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 21.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock
  • Tuesday 28.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Seminarraum 5 Oskar-Morgenstern-Platz 1 1.Stock

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

The course is intended to provide an overview of core epistemological, ontological, and methodological problems of social science research. We start by discussing the role of values in scientific research and then proceed to the specific challenges of causal analysis in the social sciences. Next, we will discuss two contrasting ways of dealing with the problem of causality: on the one hand, scholars reject causal ambitions and the focus of ambitions to description and interpretation. One the other hand, scholars start from basic behavioral assumption and develop and test models of behavior. These approaches revolve around individual behavior. In the final part of the course we turn to macro phenomena such as norms, conventions, institutions, and cultural evolution. We finish by reflecting on implications of the concerns raised in the course for own PhD projects.

Assessment and permitted materials

a) Preparation and implementation of one seminar session. A maximum of 20 minutes is reserved for an introductory presentation of the main arguments of the chapter. The remainder of the session is to be interactive in some way and should extend and deepen the understanding of the session's topic. I encourage creative didactive solutions. (50%)
b) End-of-term paper critically discussing the philosophical fundaments of your own dissertation. (50%)

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Examination topics

Reading list

Text
Steel, Daniel & Francesco Guala (2011). The Philosophy of Social Science Reader, London: Routledge.
Suggested Further reading
Curd, Martin, and J.A. Cover, eds. 2012. Philosophy of Science. The Central Issues. 2nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton.
Gerring, John. 2012. Social Science Methodology. A Unified Framework. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Canbridge University Press.
Hausman, Daniel M. 1989. Economic Methodology in a Nutshell. The Journal of Economic Perspectives 3: 115-27.
Hausman, Daniel M., ed. 2008. The Philosophy of Economics. An Anthology. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Martin, Michael, and Lee C. McIntyre, eds. 1994. Readings in the Philosophy of Social Science. Cambridge: MIT Press.
Rosenberg, Alexander (2012). Philosophy of Social Science, 4th Ed. Boulder: Westview Press.

Association in the course directory

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:46