COURSE SYLLABUS

ECO 104 Introduction to Philosophy

2010-2011 Spring

COURSE SYLLABUS

Instructor: Dr. Muammer Kaymak

Phone: 297 86 50 /168

E-mail: mkaymak @ hacettepe.edu.tr

Web: http://yunus.hacettepe.edu.tr/~mkaymak

Course Blog: http://introduction-philosophy.blogspot.com/

Office Hours: Wednesday, 13.00-15.00, Thusday, 13.00-15.00 or by appointment via e-mail

Course Objectives:

This course, unlike the implication of the title, is not an standart philosophy course. The main objective of this course is to provide an introductory vision for the scope and method of scientific research. For this aim, we are going to follow an outstanding text focusing scientific developments throughout the history. The basic merit of this text is its aproach to the history of science. Bernal’s book investigates the scientific achievements in history as a result of material and intellectual environment of the relevant ages. By doing so, it gives a holist view about the development of science. As Aristotle said: "The whole is more than the sum of its parts".

Another objective of the course is to touch preliminary issues concerning economic problem and scope and method of so called economic-s-cience.

Course Requirements and Evaluation Method:

1. Students are obliged to read the assigned readings given below. “There is no way to run”

2. The grade for the course will depend on:

a) Midterm Exam 40%

b) Final Exam    60%

Teaching Method:

Lectures and class discussions take place mainly depending on the reading materials.

Course Outline and Reading List:

Basic Text: *John Desmond Bernal (1971) Science in History, in four volumes, MIT Press.

Turkish translation: John Desmond Bernal (2008) Tarihte Bilim, cilt I ve Cilt 2, Çev. Tonguç Ok, İstanbul:Evrensel Basım Yayın

I. Introduction: Basic Problems of Philosopy and Science

*John Desmond Bernal (1971a) Science in History, Vol I. Part I.

-Bertrand Russell (1959) The Problems of Philosophy.

http://www.ditext.com/russell/russell.html

-J.M. Bochenski (1996) Felsefece Düşünmenin Yolları, Çev. Kurtuluş Dinçer, Ankara, Bilim Sanat.

II. Science in Ancient World

*John Desmond Bernal (1971a) Science in History, Vol I. Part II.

-Gordon Childe (1951) Man Makes Himself.

-George Thompson (1955) The First Philosophers, Lawrence and Wishart, London.

http://www.autodidactproject.org/other/thomson1.html

III. Science in Medieval West and Islam World.

*John Desmond Bernal (1971a) Science in History, Vol I. Part III.

-Dimitri Gutas (1998) Greek Thought, Arabic Culture: The Graeco-Arabic Translation Movement in Baghdad and Early Ábbasid Society, [available in Turkish under the title of Yunanca Düşünce Arapça Kültür, Kitap Yayınevi, İstanbul, 2003. ]

IV. Scientific Revolution

*John Desmond Bernal (1971b) Science in History, Vol II Part IV.

-Richard S. Westfall (1978) The Construction of Modern Science: Mechanisms and Mechanics [available in Turkish,  Modern Bilimin Oluşumu, Tübitak Yayınları)

-J.Bronowski and Bruce Mazlish (1975) The Western Intellectual Tradition, From Leonardo to Hegel, Harper TorchBooks.

- Bertrand Russell (1961) Religion and Science, Oxford Universitiy Press [available in Turkish, Din ve Bilim, Yapı Kredi Yayınları. 

V. Dual Revolution (French Revolution and Industrial Revolution) and Sciences

*John Desmond Bernal (1971b) Science in History, Vol II Part V, ch 8.

VI. Scope, History and Method of Social Sciences

*John Desmond Bernal (1971c) Science in History, Vol IV Part VII, ch 12.

(*) Must readings.