FC8005 How Science Works

Faculty of Education
Spring 2018
Extent and Intensity
0/1/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
RNDr. Jindřiška Svobodová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. RNDr. Petr Sládek, CSc.
Department of Physics, Chemistry and Vocational Education – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Jachymiáková
Supplier department: Department of Physics, Chemistry and Vocational Education – Faculty of Education
Timetable of Seminar Groups
FC8005/Kombi01: Sat 10. 3. 9:20–11:00 učebna 57, Sat 28. 4. 9:20–11:00 učebna 57, J. Svobodová
FC8005/Prez01: Tue 8:25–9:10 učebna 53, J. Svobodová
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 35 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/35, only registered: 0/35, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/35
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Main objectives:
understanding the term science in its wider sense; analysis of development of scientific study of phenomena, of its tools and means up to its contemporary state and description;
mastering practical knowledge connected to different aspects of scientific work lecture is offered also to foreign students, study materials and tuitions are provided also in english.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, students should know and be able to:
- to systematically and with thorough understanding apply the basic physical concepts (magnitudes, laws and theories) from high school physics to the description of phenomena
- Fully use physical knowledge and skills to solve problems and other problems in high school physics
- Accept the importance of integrating the role of physics in science and technology
Syllabus
  • A. science as a method
  • 1. science – what all it could be and what not (non-science, anti-science)
  • 2. development and history of scientific thinking
  • 3. science and philosophy, epistemology, language
  • 4. methods and tools of discovering (causality, sentences, formal logic, system theory, statistics, experimental design)
  • 5. procedure of science (shaping presumptions/aims/means, observation/data collection, hypothesis, hypothesis testing, generalisation, theory)
  • B. science as a part of social cognisance
  • 1. role of science in society, applications, technology
  • 2. popularisation of science
  • 3. ethics and character of scientific work (collaboration vs competition)
  • C. science as a system
  • 1. scientific information, publication and communication (literary research, process and ways of publishing), scientometry, importance of scientific lingua franca - English
  • 2. scientific community (universities, colleges, research institutes, industry)
  • 3. funding science
Literature
    required literature
  • NOVOTNÝ, Jan and Jindřiška SVOBODOVÁ. Jak pracuje věda V.2 (How Science Works). 2nd ed. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2014, 112 pp. TeePee. ISBN 978-80-210-6942-8. info
  • HOLTON, Gerald James. Věda a antivěda. Translated by Otakar Jelínek. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 1999, 214 s. ISBN 8020007172. info
    recommended literature
  • NOVOTNÝ, Jan and Jindřiška SVOBODOVÁ. Jak pracuje věda (How Science Works). 1. vyd. Brno: Masarykova univerzita, 2014, 112 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-6942-8. info
  • FAJKUS, Břetislav. Filosofie a metodologie vědy : vývoj, současnost a perspektivy. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 2005, 339 s. ISBN 8020013040. info
  • DEMJANČUK, Nikolaj. Filosofie a vědecké myšlení :proměna obrazu vědy v analytické tradici. 1. vyd. Dobrá Voda: Aleš Čeněk, 2002, 245 s. ISBN 80-86473-19-8. info
  • ŠESTÁK, Zdeněk. Jak psát a přednášet o vědě. Illustrated by Hana Kymrová. Vyd. 1. Praha: Academia, 1999, 204 s. ISBN 8020007555. info
  • Logika vědeckého bádání. Edited by Karl R. Popper. 1. vyd. Praha: OIKOYMENH, 1997, xliv, 617. ISBN 80-86005-45-3. info
    not specified
  • HORYNA, Břetislav. Teorie vědy. Úvodní poznámky (The Philosphy of Science). In B. Horyna - J. Krob (eds.), Cesty k vědě. 1st ed. Olomouc: nakladatelství Olomouc, 2007, p. 122-138, 16 pp. 1. ISBN 978-80-7182-223-3. info
  • FEYERABEND, Paul K. Tři dialogy o vědění. Translated by Jiří Fiala - Petra Bidlasová - Markéta Kyloušková. 1. vyd. Praha: Vesmír, 1999, 179 s. ISBN 80-85977-04-4. info
  • LEM, Stanislaw. Summa technologiae. Praha: Magnet-Press, 1995, 328 s. ISBN 80-85847-47-7. info
Teaching methods
the lecture is based on ppt presentation (available in english), its explication and discussion to this explication.
Assessment methods
oral examination; consists of two questions referring the first to practical and the second to philosophical aspects of scientific knowledge. as for the question on the first theme, understanding and knowledge are required. as for the second theme, the student should be able to relevantly dispute about.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 4 hodiny.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2018, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/spring2018/FC8005