FAS - History and Philosophy of Science
The graduate program in History and Philosophy of Science has as its mission research and teaching in the historical and conceptual foundations of science. It offers courses and seminars-many of them interdisciplinary-leading to the MA and PhD degrees. Qualified students can pursue an intensive course of study in the historical and philosophical dimensions of science. The course work in the department is both formal and informal. Some course work outside the department in the sciences, including computer science, history, or philosophy, is required. It is possible to design a program that leads to a master's degree in one of these fields while pursuing the PhD degree in History and Philosophy of Science. Graduate seminars are supplemented by colloquia in history and philosophy of science, by the activities of the Center for the Philosophy of Science, including contacts with its visitors, and by the possibility of research in the Archives of Scientific Philosophy.
Among the major topics currently being researched by the departmental faculty are the philosophy of space and time, matter theory from Descartes to Maxwell, Einstein and the theory of relativity, the interaction of science and philosophy since the Renaissance, the logic of scientific inference, science and theology, Newton's natural philosophy, the philosophy of psychology, 19th-century science, the history and philosophy of molecular biology, the philosophy of medicine, medieval and Greek science, scientific change and progress, and explanation in the social sciences.
Contact Information
- Department Chair: John Norton
- Main Office: 1017 Cathedral of Learning
- Phone: (412) 624-5896
- Fax: (412) 624-6825
- Web site: http://www.pitt.edu/~hpsdept
Research and Facilities
The range and depth of faculty research interests provide extensive opportunities for research guidance and expertise covering a broad spectrum of topics in the history of science and the philosophy of science. The library facilities for research in the Pittsburgh area are extensive. The main University library contains a large and rapidly growing collection in the history and philosophy of science. The University's Falk Medical Library has specialized holdings in the history of medicine. The Hunt Botanical Library at Carnegie Mellon University has a world-famous collection in the history of the life sciences and includes the library of Carl Linnaeus. The University library houses the Archives for Scientific Philosophy, which includes the unpublished papers of Rudolf Carnap, Hans Reichenbach, Frank Ramsey, Heinrich Hertz, Bruno DeFinetti, and Wilfred Sellars.
Specialization in Early Modern Science
The period from the 15th through the mid-18th centuries witnessed the birth of modern philosophy along with the scientific revolution. Startling new work occurred in mathematics and astronomy, mechanics and optics, iatrochemistry, biology and medicine, as well as metaphysics and epistemology. This period also witnessed new theory and practice in forms of government, the arts, education, and technology. The specialization is intended to allow students interested in this period to participate in a wide variety of seminars and informal discussions, as well as to make use of research materials. Students who pursue the specialization in Early Modern Science must fulfill all requirements for the History and Philosophy of Science PhD.
Program in Classics, Philosophy, and Ancient Science
The Departments of Classics, Philosophy, and History and Philosophy of Science of the University of Pittsburgh jointly offer a graduate program leading to the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy with a special concentration in Classics, Philosophy and Ancient Science. Although each student's primary association is with one of the three departments, depending on background and interests, students in the program work closely with each other and with the cooperating faculty, which is drawn from all three departments. Further information about this program can be obtained by writing to the Director, Program in Classics, Philosophy, and Ancient Science, 1518 Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 or upon application to one of the three departments.
Related Activities
There are a number of other regularly scheduled activities that enrich the graduate program of the department. Graduate students are encouraged to participate in these activities, which bring approximately 40 historians and philosophers of science to the campus each year.
Admissions
Applicants for admission to the graduate program in History and Philosophy of Science will be expected to have a suitable undergraduate degree, to have some knowledge of the natural or social sciences, and to submit the following:
A completed application form
Aptitude scores on the Graduate Record Examination
A transcript of previous academic work
A statement of career objectives
Three letters of recommendation
Sample of written work
Each application will be evaluated on its own merits. Applications for admission may be obtained from the departmental admissions officer. The deadline for completed applications is February 1. A descriptive brochure and a booklet for graduate students are available on request.
Both the PhD and MA degrees are awarded. Terminal MA degrees are sought by students who find studies in History and Philosophy of Science relevant to their career interests. MA students have included persons with MD degrees, those pursuing the PhD in other fields or at other universities, librarians, and those doing archive or museum work.
Financial Assistance
Graduate students admitted to the PhD program are eligible to apply for financial aid. The major sources of such aid within the University are:
- • Graduate Teaching/Research Assistantships
- Stipend for two terms, medical benefits, and a tuition scholarship.
- • Teaching Fellowships
- Stipend for two terms, medical benefits, and a tuition scholarship.
- • A limited number of Andrew Mellon Predoctoral Fellowships
- The 2000-01 stipend is $14,500 plus a tuition scholarship. The Mellon Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis. Two Faculty of Arts and Sciences Fellowships are awarded: stipend for two terms and a tuition scholarship. See Fellowships and Traineeships for further detail on applying for Mellon Fellowships.
In addition, some summer assistance is usually available. Details about these and other forms of financial assistance may be found in this bulletin. (See Fellowships and Traineeships, and Financial Aid section.) Students planning graduate work in history and philosophy of science are also eligible for fellowship support from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. All successful candidates for admission are automatically considered for financial assistance.
Degree Requirements
The minimal requirements established by the Graduate Faculty of the University, as described under General Academic Regulations beginning, and any additional requirements of FAS Graduate Studies described under FAS Degree Requirements, should be read in conjunction with department-specific degree requirements described in the following sections.
The core of the graduate program in History and Philosophy of Science is a series of seminars (approximately four to six are offered each term). These range from general surveys and methods of research to specialized research seminars on selected topics in History and Philosophy of Science. These courses are divided into three areas:
- Area 1: Core sequence: a three-term introduction at the graduate level to the history and philosophy of science
- Area 2: History of science
- Area 3: Philosophy of science
Requirements for the Master's Degree
The following details the requirements for the master's degree:
Distribution-of-Studies Requirements
A minimum total of 24 credits in course work, distributed as follows:
- a. Nine credits from courses in Area 1 (core seminars).
- b. Fifteen credits from courses Areas 2 and 3, with at least six credits in each area.
No more than two non-HPS 1000 level courses may count towards the MA degree. No pre-1000-level courses can be used to satisfy the degree requirements. No HPS courses at the 1000 level count towards the degree.
Language Requirement
Good reading knowledge of either French, German, Latin, Greek, or approved substitute language. The requirement can be satisfied by passing a reading exam set by the department or by obtaining a B or better in French 007 and French 008 or a B or better in German 021 and 022.
Research Paper
Students must submit a research paper in the history of science and a research paper in the philosophy of science. Evaluations of papers will be limited to a master's pass/fail. A master's pass on both papers is required for the MA degree.
Requirements for the PhD Degree
Students pursuing the PhD in HPS must complete the following requirements:
An MA degree in History and Philosophy of Science or completion of MA requirements.
Further distribution of studies requirements; at least nine credits at the 1000 or 2000 level following (a maximum two 1000-level courses, including the two for the MA) in one of the following:
- a. Philosophy, exclusive of philosophy of science and logic.
- b. History, exclusive of history of science.
- c. A field of natural sciences, social science, or computer science (courses taken towards the MA degree may be counted toward the requirement for the PhD).
Proficiency in logic (equivalent to PHIL 1500).
Language requirement: Good reading knowledge of two foreign languages (Latin, Greek, German, French, or approved substitute), or of one foreign language and proficiency in logic equivalent to PHIL 1520 or approved computer language (LISP, etc.). Students concentrating in the history of science must satisfy the language requirement with two languages. One foreign language exam must be passed before the student completes the comprehensive requirements. The second language exam must be passed before the student's prospectus examination.
Satisfactory fulfillment of the comprehensive requirements.
Submission of a significant and acceptable dissertation on a topic in the history and philosophy of science.
Acquisition of some supervised teaching experience during the student's tenure at the University.
A minimum of 72 credit hours of graduate credit.
These requirements are specific departmental requirements, in addition to the general requirements for the MA and PhD degrees laid down by the Graduate Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
Course Listings
The following courses are currently offered by the department. Check the Course Descriptions published each term for detailed descriptions. It should be understood that this is an open-ended list; new courses are added as student demand warrants.
- HPS 2497 Teaching Practicum
- HPS 2501 Core Seminar in Philosophy of Science
- HPS 2502 Core Seminar in History of Science 1
- HPS 2503 Core Seminar in History of Science 2
- HPS 2512 Ancient Scientific Astronomy
- HPS 2513 19th-century Physical Sciences
- HPS 2514 19th-century Biological Sciences
- HPS 2515 History of Mathematics
- HPS 2516 Intellectual Development in American Archeology
- HPS 2517 The Mechanical Philosophy of the 17th Century
- HPS 2518 Philosophy of Infinity
- HPS 2519 History of Astronomy
- HPS 2520 Newton
- HPS 2521 Science and Religion in the 17th Century
- HPS 2522 Special Topics in History of Science
- HPS 2523 Newton's Optics
- HPS 2525 20th-century Biology
- HPS 2526 History of Relativity Theory
- HPS 2527 The Human and the Natural Sciences: the Classical Tradition
- HPS 2528 Galileo
- HPS 2529 Leibniz
- HPS 2530 Reading Seminar in History of Science
- HPS 2531 Freud and Psychoanalysis
- HPS 2532 History of the Old Quantum Theory
- HPS 2533 Descartes
- HPS 2534 General Relativity and Gravitation
- HPS 2535 Nature and Laws of Nature and the Renaissance
- HPS 2536 The Laws of Nature: The Modern Treatment
- HPS 2537 Historiography of Science
- HPS 2538 Early Modern Philosophy of Science
- HPS 2539 Historiographies of Knowledge
- HPS 2540 Philosophy of Science in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
- HPS 2541 Aristotle's Science and Metaphysics
- HPS 2542 Hobbes and Spinoza
- HPS 2543 Kant and Scientific Thought
- HPS 2544 Locke and Leibniz
- HPS 2545 Aristotle's Biology
- HPS 2546 Modern European Social Thought
- HPS 2547 Aristotle's Philosophy of Science
- HPS 2548 Causes and the Cosmos: Scotus and Spinoza
- HPS 2549 Modern European Social Thought
- HPS 2550 European Classical Sociology
- HPS 2551 Aristotle's Physics
- HPS 2552 Philosophy of the Human and Social Sciences
- HPS 2553 Darwin's Origin
- HPS 2554 Aristotle and the Atomists
- HPS 2555 Hobbes
- HPS 2556 Aristotle's Matter Theory
- HPS 2557 Contemporary Historian
- HPS 2558 Myth, Ideology and Science
- HPS 2559 Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics
- HPS 2560 The Molecular Revolution in Biology
- HPS 2561 Aspects of Hereditarianism
- HPS 2562 Probability and Statistics
- HPS 2563 History of Medicine
- HPS 2569 Max Weber
- HPS 2571 Going Molecular
- HPS 2580 Modern Cosmology
- HPS 2620 Seminar in Rhetorical Theory
- HPS 2625 Mathematics for Foundations
- HPS 2649 Science and Values
- HPS 2650 History and Philosophy of Computation
- HPS 2651 History and Philosophy of Economics
- HPS 2652 Recent Topics in Philosophy of Social Sciences
- HPS 2653 Models and Modeling in Science
- HPS 2655 Aristotelian and Tractarian Philosophy of Science
- HPS 2658 Philosophy of Medicine
- HPS 2659 Neurobiology and Reduction
- HPS 2660 Causality
- HPS 2662 Reduction
- HPS 2663 Perception
- HPS 2665 Theory Construction in Psychology
- HPS 2666 Seminar on Inductive Inference
- HPS 2667 Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics
- HPS 2668 Topics in Philosophy of Biology
- HPS 2669 Realism
- HPS 2670 Topics in the Sociology of Knowledge
- HPS 2671 Models of Scientific Change
- HPS 2672 Philosophy of Biology and Medicine
- HPS 2673 Studies in Aristotle
- HPS 2674 Artificial Intelligence and the Logic of Discovery
- HPS 2675 Philosophy of Space and Time
- HPS 2676 Carnap and Reichenbach
- HPS 2677 Determinism
- HPS 2678 Artificial Intelligence and Causal Modeling
- HPS 2679 Historical Perspectives in Philosophy of Mathematics
- HPS 2680 Reading Seminar in Philosophy of Science
- HPS 2681 Philosophy of Relativity Theory
- HPS 2682 Theories of Confirmation
- HPS 2683 Philosophy of Social Science
- HPS 2684 Perceptual Theory and Experimentation
- HPS 2685 Science and its Rhetoric
- HPS 2686 Causality in the Social Sciences
- HPS 2687 Rationality and Relativism
- HPS 2688 Scientific Explanation
- HPS 2689 Causation in Science and the Law
- HPS 2690 History and Philosophy of Psychology
- HPS 2691 Cultural, Social, and Psychological Explanation
- HPS 2692 Topics in History of Recent Philosophy of Science
- HPS 2693 Philosophy of Science in the Humanities
- HPS 2694 Bayesian Epistemology
- HPS 2695 History, Philosophy, and Theory of Archeology
- HPS 2696 Philosophy of Perspectives on Feminism
- HPS 2697 Knowledge Representation
- HPS 2699 Experiment and Practice
- HPS 2700 Science and Religion
- HPS 2701 Philosophy of Psychoanalysis 1
- HPS 2702 Philosophy of Psychoanalysis 2
- HPS 2902 Pre-MA Directed Study
- HPS 2990 Independent Study
- HPS 2999 Prospectus Research
- HPS 3000 Research and Dissertation for the PhD Degree
- HPS 3902 Advanced Directed Study
Other courses of interest are offered by the Departments of Philosophy, History, Anthropology, Linguistics, Economics, Sociology, Mathematics, Psychology, Physics and Astronomy, and Computer Science.
These lists are open-ended. As new courses are developed and introduced, they will be added to one or another list. At the time that the schedule for the next term is published, seminars will be marked as to whether they count in Areas 2 or 3. Reading courses that are given during the summer will be assigned to an Area at the time they are set up.
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