Module PHIL40230: Research Methods in History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine

Department: Philosophy

PHIL40230: Research Methods in History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To train students in competent use of library resources, key general reference works, IT and internet resources, and various style and bibliographical conventions appropriate to writing in the fields of history and philosophy.
• To introduce key methological concepts needed for students researching the interactions between the philosophy of science and medicine, the history of science and the history of medicine.
• To discuss the availability of interpretation of primary sources relevant to the history of science and medicine.
• To sensitise students to the complex interplay between methods, goals and assumptions in the philosophy of science and medicine.
• To delineate the essential resources, tools and composition skills relevant to the postgraduate research essay and dissertation in the field of history and philosophy of science and medicine.

Content

• The seminars will cover major research methods used in the history of science, the history of medicine and the philosophy of science and medicine. Following an introductory session, these areas will be treated in thematic seminars:
• Seminar 1 will provide a general introduction to the organisation, requirements and resources of the MA in History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine.
• Seminar 2 will make students familiar with library resources and general reference works.
• Seminar 3 will introduce students to IT resources and efficient and intelligent use of the internet.
• Seminar 4 will teach students in the competent use of various style and bibliographical conventions appropriate to writing in the fields of history and philosophy.
• Seminars 5 to 8 will give an overview of the methods used in the history of science and medicine by treating the topics: research resources (essential handbooks, journals and on-line tools), primary sources (manuscripts, books and interviews), and historiographical methods and approaches.
• Seminars 9 to 10 will focus on various approaches used in the philosophy of science and medicine, namely, the relationship between philosophical enquiry and historical understanding, the question of whether there can be a unitary 'philosophy of science and medicine', and the extent to which philosophy is itself continuous with science.
• In consultation with the Module Leader, students will choose the topic for their bibliographic essay and a topic for their dissertation proposal. These topics should come from the history of medicine, or the history of science, or the philosophy of science, or the philosophy of medicine. Topic suggestions that cannot clearly be ascribed to one of these areas will have to be approved by the Course Director. Feedback on the Bibliographic Essay and Dissertation Proposal will be provided in one tutorial session for each.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module students should have:
• a firm understanding of research methods used in history and philosophy od science and medicine;
• an advanced awareness of how different conceptions of the relationship between history, philosophy and science generate a diversity of projects in the philosophy of science and medicine.

• By the end of the module students should be able:
• to use at an advanced level (appropriate to Level 4) libraries for historical and philosophical research and be familiar with the use of key works of general reference; to make intelligent use of IT resources including textual and bibliographic databases, and intelligent use of the internet;
• to apply various style and bibliographical conventions appropriate to writing in the fields of history and philosophy;
• to write a bibliographic essay and a dissertation proposal on selected topics from the history of science, philosophy of medicine, or the history of medicine;
• to clearly distinguish different projects, assumptions, styles, methods and goals in philosophical, scientific and medical works.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• This module will be taught in ten two-hour group seminars during Michaelmas and Epiphany Terms, and with two one-hour tutorials
• The first three two-hour seminars will teach the generic research methods, including appropriate use of libraries and general reference works, of IT and internet resources, and correct application of various style and bibliographical conventions.
• The following seven two-hour seminars will teach the subject specific research methods. They include a short introduction to the topic by the lecturer; students' interpretation of selected sources; students' short presentations of key primary and/or secondary literature; and joint critical discussions of pre-read publications (partly in group work).
• The two one-hour tutorials will give students feedback on their Bibliographic Essay and their Dissertation Proposal.
• These teaching and learning methods will support students in achieving the Learning Outcomes as outlined above. The Learning Outcomes will be formally assessed by a Bibliographic Essay and a Dissertation Proposal.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

None.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University