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The College at BROCKPORT STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEw YoRK

Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

TO: Georges Dicker Department of ~

FROM: Debbie Lamphron ~~ Academic Affairs ~

RE: General Codes

DATE: November 8, 201 1

The courses your department submitted to the General Education Committee have been reviewed and the Committee's action follows:

COURSES CODES APPROVED CODES NOT APPROVED PHL 320 - Philosophy of (I) Contemporary Issues (W) Perspectives on Women

* It is necessary for our office to request approval from Systems Administration in Albany before this General Education code can be awarded and listed.

If you wish further clarification of the Committee's decisions, you may contact

Anne Macpherson, Chair of the General Education Committee Department of Email - [email protected]

Copy: Darwin Prioleau, Dean Peter Dowe The , & Registration and Records Social

Anne Macpherson, Chair General Education Committee College Senate

Janice Stewart Registration and Records

350 New Campus Drive • Brockport, New York 14420-2919 • 585-395-2504 • Fax: 585-395-2006 • www.brockport.edu COLLEGE SENATE OFFICE . RESOLUTION PROPOSAL COVER PAGE Routing Number #06_11-12GE Routing # assigned f:y S enale O.flict Use routing number and title in all DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: FEBRUARY 28 reference to this ProPosaL Incomplete proposals may be returned and proposals received after the This Proposal deadline may not be reviewed until next semester. Replaces Resolution INSTRUCTIONS - please, no multiple attachments - submit each proposal electronically as one Word document. ~ • Submit only complete proposals with this cover page, attachments and support letters from your department chair and dean merged into one Word document. • Signed documents may be submitted as hard copies. ______-. • Use committee guidelines available at brockport.edu/collegesenate/proposal.html. ------• Locate the Resol ution# and date this proposal will replace at our "Approved Resol utions" page on our Web site. • Do not send your proposal as a .pdf file. • Email your proposal as one attachment to [email protected]. Signed pages can be senUfaxed as hard copies. • All revisions must be resubmitted to [email protected] with the original cover page including routing number. • Questions? Call the Senate office at 395-2586 or the appropriate committee chairperson .

1.

2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSAL: I PHL proposes to offer its new course, PHL 320: , as an I and W course beginning in Spring 2012

3. WILL ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AFFECTING BUDGET BE NEEDED? __x_ NO _YES EXPLAIN YES

4. DESCRIBE ANY DATA RELATED TO STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES ASSESSMENT USED AS PART OF THE RATIONALE FOR THE REQUESTED SENATE ACTION. I This course addresses especially Philosophy's SLO #8, as well as SLOs #1,2,4,7, and 8.

5. HOW WILL THIS EFFECT TRANSFER STUDENTS: I It will give them a new, exciting I and W option

6. ANTICIPATED EFFECTIVE DATE: Spring 2012

7. SUBMISSION & REVISION DATES: PLEASE DATE ALL REVISED DOCUMENTS TO AVOID CONFUSION. First Submission U. atedon October 14, 2011

8. SUBMITTED BY: Name Phone Dr. Geor es Dicker 2420

9. COMMITTEES TO COPY: (Senate office use only) Standing Committee Forwarded To Dates Forwarded _ Bylaws Committee Standing Committee _ Enrollment Planning & Executive Committee _ Faculty & Professional Staff Policies Passed GED's to Vice Provost Senate - General Education & Curriculum Policies College President - Graduate Curriculum & Policies - Student Policies OTHER Undergraduate Curriculum & Policies REJECTED -WITHDRAWN NOTES:

Page 1 of1 Proposal Cover.doc f onn Updated by ayk 3/2010 GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM SUPPLEMENTAL COURSE REGISTRATION FORM OCfOBER 2008 VERSION

COURSE NUMBER: PHL 320 COURSE TITLE: Philosophy of Science COURSE NUMBERS FOR ANY CROSSLISTINGS: --:------SUBMITTED BY: Dr. Joseph Long DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: Philosophy DATE: 14./to711 ESTIMATED SEATS/SEMESTER? 25-35 NEW COURSE? 0 YBS RE-REGISTRATION OF EXISTING COURSE? 0 NO

UPPER-DMSION " AREA" EXCEPTION FOR TRANSFERS0 YES if allowed

DEPARTMENT CHAIR'S APPROVAL Georg~ rJl.., DATE: 14/ 10/11 Rcqalnd betoft Gcacral Bd11eadoa Co-lttn Acdoo · . · SCHOOL DEAN'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 4yu DATE: 1~ 1111 Requited before GcDCllll Educatloa Conmaittte Actloa ·

DATE:IDj 1/j/1 DATE:( t1 I I,

• All items listed below must be received in order for the committee to act on the proposed course (Please check what you are submitting). NOTE: All materials submitted must be typed or printed. _x_ copy of standard Collrtt RJgiJtr(l/ion Fomt signed by chair and dem. _x_ completed Student Leaming Outcomes Checklist(s) as appropriAte _x_ updated bibliography (If applicable) with full bibliognphic citations (see last 2 pag~s of prgposal) _x_ 10-copies submitted • Attach completed Student Learning Outcomes Checklist(s) for one or more of the following (check ones submitted for this course):

Fine Arts C'F") Social Sciences ("S') Fine Arts Performance ("P") American History (''V") Humanities C'H'') @World Civilization (Non-Western) ("0") Western Civilization ("G") LX- Contemporary Issues ("I") Natutal Sciences C'N') _x_ Perspectives on Women ("W'' or "WY") Natural Sciences Laboratory C'L') Diversity ("D")

Committee Action 0 Approved as requested- e will be filed with Registration Office Q' Not approved - If ppr e for inclusion in General Education Program at this time, please sec comments bc~ov. 'fv E 'ku;;t n Jt:zJ ( vJ WG~ ~ ~u.s !'Jv<_c( /!ppwv

PLEASE NOTE: Aftet..:-i!t .Yi'lf Brockport's General Education has approved a course, the additional approval of the SUNY Pro st's office is required for any course submitted for one of the "SUNY 10" outcomes. This includ~ aD £Brockport's General Education Knowledge Area courses. CONTEMPORARY ISSUES STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES CHECKLIST (Also "I" with "W", "Y", "D", and/ or "0" codes) (October, 2008 Version) General requirements for Contemporary Issues courses

{j All Contemporary Issues courses must be upper division courses.

Philosophy of Science (PHI 320)

~ Students are required to have junior class standing (min. 54 cr.) and have completed all General Education Knowledge Area requirements. Although Contemporary Issues courses should not have specific prerequisites, a lower division Knowledge Area course in the same discipline that is available to all students may be required with the approval of the General Education committee.

Prior to enrolling in PHI 320, the student should have had at least one course in philosophy or the instructor's permission. Students in Contemporary Issues courses must achieve all the following student learning outcomes

In the spaces provided below each checked outcome describe how course instruction will be designed to achieve and assess these outcomes. You mcry append additional information if needed. Contemporary Iu11es co11rses are coded "I" if approved in Fall 2003 or later.

M Analyze a major issue with contemporary and enduring human significance, bringing in perspectives that have an important bearing on the issue(s) from more than one of the following Knowledge Areas: Fine Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences.

Philosophy of Science (PHI 320) offers a general introduction to the philosophical investigation of science and much of the controversy surrounding science. Science, to be sure, has been enormously successful. (I use 'science' here to include both natural and social sciences.) But ever since its inception in the 16th and early 17'h centuries, science has challenged traditional views of ultimate reality. Today, many-perhaps even a majority-see science as offering the best means for acquiring knowledge about the natural world. But precisely how we should understand ourselves and ultimate reality in light of science and its discoveries remains highly controversial. In PHI 320, we investigate the and limitations of science and its methods as well as whether-and if so, how-the results of science might inform our understanding of external reality and our place in it.

~ Recognize and articulate relationships between different Knowledge Areas.

Philosophy of science brings together three knowledge areas-specifically, the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences-in at least two important ways. First, the philosophy of science is a philosophical investigation of the sciences. It attempts to answer questions such as: Does science offer accurate depictions of the external world or merely useful fictions . What, if any, are the means by which we can distinguish good science from bad? Does the necessarily privilege one group over others? Second, the philosophy of science also investigates how the sciences themselves might inform our philosophical theorizing? Here the philosophy of science addresses questions such as: Does science in show that the natural world is fundamentally indeterministic? Does the theory of natural selection render theological explanations of natural phenomena superfluous? Can the methods of science be extended to offer insights within other domains, for example, the domains of ethics and aesthetics?

Page I of .l GED-ContlssuesChecklist- l ·l'hiiSci doc r8J Locate, evaluate and synthesize information from a variety of sources (outcome IL3).

An understanding of the is crucial to any philosophical investigation of science. PHI 320 therefore begins with ancient texts, most notably those of , in whom we see the seeds of contemporary science. Next, we turn to the aftermath of the so-called in which the Aristotelian conception of reality was called into question. To this end, we consider ' texts by philosophers such as Descartes, Locke, Hume, and Kant. Finally, we turn to writings by contemporary philosophers of science as well as certain scientists themselves.

~ Develop and defend well-reasoned arguments.

Developing and defending well-reasoned arguments stand at the center of any philosophical investigation. Therefore, they stand at the center of PHI 320, too. As such, students will learn (i) ro engage and evaluate some of the most important arguments occurring within the philosophy of science and (ii) to defend their evaluations of these arguments.

~ Write a major paper with at least one opportunity for feedback and revision OR demonstrate mastery of the course issue(s) in some equivalent manner as determined by the instructor.

PHI 320 requires either moderately long essay exams or shorter essay exams with a term paper, since these seem to be the best means for evaluating learning outcomes relevant this course's material. The exams are designed to test students' grasp of and ability to articulate the concepts, positions, and arguments presented in class. A term paper allows a student to "dig deeper" into a topic of particular interest and to develop more fully his or her skills of analysis and argumentation

Contemporary Issues course instructors are encouraged to include instruction in one or two (maximum) of the following three student learning outcomes.

Please check below a'!Y outcomes for which you arc requesting approval and describe how the course will provide instruction in and assess that/ those particular outcome(s).

1. Perspectives on Women:

NOTE: Ar of Fall 2009, th1r1 will b1 two typu of &ourur in the Persputiver on Women area. Th1 "WY" &ollrteJ will provide inrtrN&fion in oral &Ofltmuni&ation and mut the Ollf&omu for thir ar~a. The &oNrus &oded "W" will not provide ifutrtl&tion in oral &ommui&ationi bMt will 111111 th1 Persputivu on Women ONI&omes and retJNirement. SLN and other on ­ line cour111 &all bear the "W" &ode bNinof th1 "Y" &ode. ll Wl Perspectives on Women courses allow students to demonstrate knowledge of scholarship on women within a relevant knowledge area, with such scholarship constituting a central or major theme of the course, as opposed to a peripheral or occasional consideration. Scholarship on women is deflncd as a critical awareness of gender issues within the knowledge area. Courses are coded either "W" or "WY". EJtmsC see the neyr page for the C.i'$.l.l In .ngtJgg' 0 .f~ l·lOW t hw!,'LCQUtsC• . meet;t. th C· w > OtltCOtll~fu

Check one of the two boxes immediately below: ~or "W" courses -Instruction in Oral Communications outcomes is not required. Courses already coded "Y" must have approval of the General Education Committee to switch to the "W" code.

I:8J For "WY" courses -- Oral communication outcomes: In addition to the above outcomes, aU courses coded '

Feminist philosophy of science came into its own in the 1990s. Today, however, whole courses are devoted to the topic. Investigating feminist philosophy of science is therefore an important component of PHI 320. The following is a brief description of feminist philosophy of science and how it figures into PHI 320.

I begin with three views within the feminist philosophy of science, as delineated by philosopher Sandra Harding. First, "spontaneous feminist " is the view that while the feminist perspective offers an important challenge to gender biases and other problems within the scientific enterprise, the goals and norms traditionally associated with the scientific enterprise need not be challenged. According to "philosophical feminist empiricism," by contrast, the feminist perspective challenges science's goals and norms while leaving the basic features of empiricism unchallenged. Finally, and more radically, "feminist postmodernism" is the doctrine according to which different groups (e.g., gender, ethnic, and socio-economic) necessarily view the world differently and attempts by the to give "true" descriptions of the world result only in harmful illusions .

Much of the controversy surrounding feminist philosophy of science focuses on the feminist­ postrnodern challenge to "," the widely held view that science gives us at least an approximately true description of the external, natural world. Harding, who defends feminist postmodernism, argues against scientific realism by drawing on W. V. 0. Quine's thesis-according to which empirical data underdetermine scientific -and from a particular interpretation of 's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions­ according to which scientific theories arc chosen for social and political reasons. Given that scientific theories are necessarily chosen in part for social and political reasons, taking science to offer a view of the objective, external world, Harding argues, simply serves to marginalize certain groups. By drawing from Quine and Kuhn, Harding's work thus offers one of the most important challenges to our understanding of the scientific enterprise. In PHI 320 we investigate Harding's challenge and its implications for the philosophy of science. Students' understanding of this challenge and it broader implications occurs via the essay exams mentioned above.

2. Diversity: [8J RE1 analyze social conflicts, prejudices, and/or intolerance relevant to a contemporary setting, and arising from such issues as racism, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, class, etc. These concerns shall constitute a major or central theme of the course, as opposed to a peripheral or occasional consideration. Courses are coded "D."

3. Other World Civilizations (Non-Western): [8J 01 demonstrate knowledge of either a broad outline of world history OR the distinctive feature s of the history, institutions, economy, society and culture of one non-Western civilization AND 02 compare the perspective of at least one non-Western, third world or developing society with their own. Courses coded "0!'

l'ag(' 3 of.\ G ED-Conti ssucsChecklisr-1 -l'hiiSci d< >C The College at Brockport Course Registration Form . '2.0 PHL 3-11 1. Discipline Course No. (To be assigned by Registrar for new courses)

Official Title Philosophy of Science

Abbreviated course title (l imit to 18 Characters) Ivi New Course D Current Content Revised D Title Change (Previous Title) D Number Change (Previous Number) D Inactivation of course (course will not be offered in the near future) Effective Term 0 Topics Course (If checked , complete item 2) 0 Other (describe) 2. Topics Course Only a. Generic Course Number: Discipline Course No. b. Generic Course Title: c. Topics course Title d. Topics course offered : Semester Year 3. Semester Hours of cred it assigned to course (Invariable): 3

Variable Credit Range to credit hours

Is th is course repeatable for cred it?

4. Grading (Check any th~ply ) a. Letter Grade ~ Pass/Fail (S/U Only) D Approved for a PR (In-Progress) grade 0 b. Course requires a minimum grade of for General Education/major/minor/certification . 5. Is this a Liberal Arts Course? IV I 6. General Education Information: (Complete only for General Education courses) *See last item. a. General Education Knowledge Area (choose one if applicable):

~ itl o na l student learning outcomes: {~~ that are currently approved) L..::Jcontemporary Issues (I) l_!1 Scholarship on Women (W) DDiversity (D) D Other World Civilization (Non-Western) (0) 7. Cross listed Course: Discipline Course No. 8. Prerequisites: Discipline Course No. 9. Co requisites: Discipline Course No.

Submitted by: D.. .J o.r.a f~ Date: ·10 { ll.f { rl (Only required for General Education Courses) 10. Swing Course Number: Only for courses offered in the same discipline at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, please give numoer (i.e. 428/528)

Note: If this is a Swing course, list additional requirements required for the graduate level.

11 . Frequency (Check only one) 0 Every Semester D Every Fall 0 Every Spring D Every Summer D Every Other Year D Irregularly D By Special Arrangement

12. Relationship to Degrees/Programs: Required D Elective IV I

13. For all courses please attach the following a. Objectives b. Outline of course c. Methods of Assessing Student Performance d. Material Required (Films, Readings, etc ) e. Additional work required of graduate level students if course is a "swing course"

14. If this course requires any additional scheduling arrangements with regard to time or room/space, please explain below: The prerequisite for ths course is one PHL course or instructor's permission.

15. Write a brief course description for the College Catalog . Reflect content as accurately as possible using 65 words or less (about 500 characters). Use Action verbs and omit "This course covers "or similar phrases. Offers a general introduction to the philosophy of science. The topics considered include Aristotelianism and the sclentlfic revolution, the possibility of scientific progress, the nature of scientific explanation, what, if anything; science can tell us about the external wo rld, and how the natural and social sciences might inform our philosophical theorizing.

*For General Education courses only, attach:

Supplemental General Education Course Registration Form/Student Learning Outcomes Checklist (for specific codes requested. PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE Course Registration Form

Question 13. a. Objectives:

1. To provide a general introduction to the philosophy of science 2. To help students develop their critical reasoning and writing skills through engaging primary philosophical texts b. General course outline:

I. Introduction 1. Introduction: What is the philosophy of science?

II. Philosophy of Science 2. Aristotelian Normativity and the Scientific Revolution 3. The Rise of Logical 4. Induction and Confirmation 5. Popper: Conjecture and Refutation 6. Quine's Attack on Positivism 7. Kuhn's Revolutions 8. Naturalized Realism 9. On Scientific Explanation

fiT. Science informing Philosophy 10. : Quantum Non-locality 11. Biology: (i) Natural Selection and , (ii) Sociobiological Explanations, or (iii) and Eliminativism 12. Ethics: Normativity Naturalized?

IV . Conclusion 13. Where we are now ... c. Methods of assessment:

1. Periodic pop quizzes to test students' understanding of the reading material. 2. Three in-class essay examinations to test students' comprehension of lectures and reading material. 3. One 900 - 1200 word term paper to test student's ability to engage and critically evaluate one primary-text reading at a deeper level. d. Material required:

1. Readings from primary-text anthologies and material posted online PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE PHI 320

I. INTRODUCTORY MATTERS

• Introduction: What is the Philosophy of Science?

II. REVOLUTION AND ITS AFTERMATH

• Aristotle, "Change, Nature, and Causes" ( 1.6) and "Scientific Inference and the Knowledge of Essential Natures" (1.7) • Aristotle, "The Cosmos and the Shape and Size of the Earth" (1.8)

• Rene Descartes, "Rules for the Discovery of Scientific " (3 .2)

• , "The System of the World" (2.18)

• , "Human Knowledge: Its Scope and Limits" (3.4)

• ," The Problem oflnduction" (3.7) • David Hume, "The Nature of Cause and Effect" (3.8)

• , "The Metaphysical Foundations ofNatural Science" (3 .9) • Immanuel Kant, "The Metaphysical Foundations ofNatural Science" (3.9)

III. THE RECEIVED VIEW:

• The Rise ofLogical Positivism; RudolfCarnap, "Theory and " (5.1)

• Carl Hempel, "Scientific Explanation" (D-N model; 5.2) • Carl Hempel, "Scientific Explanation" (1-S model; 5.2)

• , "The Pragmatic Vindication oflnduction" (5.4)

• , "Empiricism, Semantics, and Ontology" (5 .3)

• Antony Flew, "Theology and Falsification" (Online)

• A.J. Ayer, "Critique of Ethics and Theology," in Language, Truth, and (Online) IV. AFTER THE RECEIVED VIEW: THE DEMARCATION PROBLEM, THE FEMINIST CHALLENGE, AND THE STATUS OF SCIENTIFIC REALISM

• Carl Hempel, "The Raven Paradox" (6.2)

• , "New Riddle oflnduction" (6.4)

• , "Science: Conjectures and Refutations" (7.1)

• W. V. 0 . Quine, "" (Reductionism; 6.3) W. V. 0 . Quine, "Two Dogmas of Empiricism" (Meaning/Analyticity; 6.3)

• Thomas Kuhn, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" (7 .2)

• Sandra Harding, "Natural Resources: Gaining Moral Approval for Scientific Genders and Genderized Sciences," in The Science Question in Feminism (Online)

• Cassandra Pinnick, "Problems with Feminist " (Online)

• Richard Boyd, "The Current Status of Scientific Realism" (9.1)

• , "" (9.3)

• Arthur Fine, "The Natural Ontological Attitude" (9.4)

V. SCIENCE INFORMING PHILOSOPHY

• Physics: Marc Lange, "What is Spatiotemporal Locality?" in An Introduction to the Philosophy ofPhysics : Locality, Fields, , and Mass (Online) • Physics: Marc Lange, "Quantum ," in An Introduction to the : Locality, Fields, Energy, and Mass (Online)

• Biology: William Harris and John Calvert, "Intelligent Design" (Online)

• Biology: Elliott Sober, "What is Wrong with Intelligent Design" (Online)

• Naturalized Ethics: Gilbert Harman, "Ethics and Observation" (Online)

• Naturalized Ethics: Nicholas Sturgeon, "Moral Explanations" (Online) I ' Checklist for Course Submissions to be Considered by the College Senate General Education Committee Forms are available at http:/ /www.brockport.edu/ collegesenate/proposal.html

Prepare Appropriate General Education Forms for the codes requested Available online as follows • Visit College Senate Web page: How to Submit a Proposal o http: //www.brockport.edu/ collegesenate/proposal.htrnl • Prepare the College Senate Cover Form linked to Proposal Webpage • Select Proposal Forms and Guidelines for Registering General Education Courses • Merge them altogether into one document (may require scanning signed pages)

1. Fill out College Senate Proposal Cover. Include the following forms merged into one document. 2. General Education Supplemental Course Registration Form with:

lfr-loo4.!....la-'----- Department Chair signature

£t!Ar.4~~~~~ Dean signature 3. Attach Original Course Registration Form for existing course or new Course Registration Form for new or u dated ourse ' r-"<:4.'~..!.!::.-L::.-- Department Chair signature

'.J-.,.(4.tl:.a..~""'~!!:lol Dean signature 4. Current topical outline of course including title of text and assigned readings. 5. or by contacting Debbie Lamphron [email protected] phone: 395-2504

When packet is complete, please email to Debbie Lamphron [email protected] Vice Provost's Office