CAS 105 – Reasoning and Writing in College

The Scientific Enterprise: A Historical and Philosophical Perspective

 

Instructor: Patrick Kenny

CRN: 12211

Class Times: Monday and Wednesday, 2:00 – 3:15pm

Class Location: Morey 524 (Map)

Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 11:00am – 12:00pm

Office Location: College Writing Program, Rush Rhees Library, G-121 Cubicle E

Telephone: 273 2476

E-mail: pkny@mail.rochester.edu

Course Website: This is a WebCT course. Login at https://webct.rochester.edu/. There is also a course library web page that is accessible from the WebCT site.

Department of Philosophy office location: Lattimore 534

Department of Philosophy phone number: 275 4387

 

CAS 105

The Scientific Enterprise: A Historical and Philosophical Perspective

            CAS 105 courses differ in subject matter, but each aims at guiding students through the academic writing process. This is a course in the History and Philosophy of Science, an area of academic research that looks closely at what the history of science has to teach us about the nature of science. This course will be concerned with what this history can teach us about the nature of scientific progress. Class discussion about the assigned texts will help to isolate key issues, as students learn to appreciate that successful writing stems directly from the ability to identify and construct effective arguments. Each student will write a number of short papers that actively engage with the arguments. These essays are subject to peer assessment and self-critique, both of which will enable the student to trace his/her own progress in acquiring the appropriate writing techniques. Students will learn to appreciate the value of studying the history of science, and how to engage with the historical and philosophical dimension of the natural sciences. The end result will be the student’s awareness of how the appreciation of a subject matter and the ability to write well go hand in hand.

           

            To satisfy the College’s writing requirement, the student must complete this course with a grade of C or higher.

 

Required Texts:

-        Banville, John, Kepler, (New York: Vintage Books, 1981)

-        Chalmers, A. F., What is this thing called Science? 3rd edition, (Indianapolis and Cambridge: Hackett, 1999)

-        Hacker, Diana, A Pocket Style Manual, 4th edition, (Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004)

-        Strunk, William and White, E. B., The Elements of Style 4th edition, (Needham Heights, Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon, 2000).

-        Weston, Anthony, A Rulebook for Arguments, 3rd edition, (Indianapolis: Hackett, 2000)

 

Other Texts:

            A number of required readings will not be taken from the above texts, but instead will be available for download from the course library website. (See Course Outline below).

            In addition, the following are available through library reserve and can be borrowed for a limited period of time from Rush Rhees Library:

 

-        Alexander, H. G., (ed.), The Leibniz-Clarke Correspondence, (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1956)

-        Bacon, Francis, Novum Organum (The New Organon)

-        Newton, Isaac, Principia Mathematica (The Mathematical Principles)

-        Copernicus, Nicolaus, De Revolutionibus Orbium Caelestium (On the Revolution of Heavenly Spheres)

-        Drake, Stillman, (ed.), Discoveries and Opinions of Galileo, (New York: Anchor Books, 1957)

-        Kuhn, Thomas S., The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962)

 

Special Needs:

            Special needs will be accommodated wherever possible. Students that require such accommodation should consult me as soon as possible so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

 

Class Format:

            Each class in this course will involve class discussion in which the student will be encouraged to actively participate. Most classes will focus on the day’s assigned reading and the student is asked to bring a copy of this reading to class. Through our understanding of the various texts and the arguments they contain, the student will acquire a variety of writing skills. Peer review classes differ in that the students’ own writing will be the focus of attention; these classes will be crucial in helping the students to evaluate and revise their own work.

 

Class Requirements:

            The following is a detailed rundown of the class requirements:   

 

Ø      Participation (5%)

            Included here are the following:

-        The student’s attendance

Note: attendance is mandatory. Each student will be allowed a maximum of three excused attendances. The student should give the reason for his/her absence in advance of class, wherever possible.

-        The student’s level of preparation for each class, i.e. his/her readiness to discuss the assigned readings for the day

 

            There will be no letter grade assigned for this requirement.

 

Ø      Peer Review Contribution and Self-Assessment (10%)

            Students will quickly learn the importance the peer review sessions have for the quality of their writing. Each student will be expected to make every effort to ensure the success of the peer review sessions. Self-assessment will also be a part of the peer review sessions and students will be required to evaluate their own work honestly and constructively. The criteria involved will be outlined in an early class. There will be no letter grade assigned for this requirement.      

           

Ø      In-Class Writing Assignments (10%)

            These writing assignments will typically focus on just one or two writing skills at a time – whichever are at issue in class at the time. The hands-on nature of these assignments will enable the student to grow as a writer, while also providing the opportunity to have some fun in class. There will be no letter grade assigned for this requirement.

 

Ø      Paper Assignments (Essays) (75%)

            Students will write a total of four essays. Three of these essays will reflect the first three sections of the course (as outlined below).  Details for each paper assignment will be provided in class. Each shorter essay will be worth 15% of the student’s final grade.

            The fourth essay will be a longer research paper on a topic decided by the student in consultation with the instructor. The research paper will be worth 30% of the student’s final grade. 2.5% of the grade on the final research paper will reflect the student’s ability to provide an outline of his/her essay, while 2.5% will be for the bibliography.

 

Drafts:

            For each of the four essays, students will be required to submit a complete first draft. (An outline of an essay, or just the first half of an essay, does not constitute a complete first draft.) It is important that these essay drafts are completed on time because they are the primary focus of the peer review sessions.

            Each student’s complete first draft will receive an evaluation from a peer (or peers) and from the instructor. You may also be required to provide your own evaluation of each first draft that you submit. The student will then be expected to incorporate the evaluations of his/her first draft into his/her final draft of an essay.

 

Paper Format:

            All paper assignments must be written with a word-processor. More specific instructions on format will be discussed as the semester progresses.

 

Citation style:

            Students will be made aware of the importance of selecting a citation style for their essays. There are three acceptable citation styles for this course: Chicago, APA, and MLA. Guidelines for each of these styles are available in Hacker’s Pocket Style Manual.

 

Paper Submission:

            All papers are to be submitted in paper version. Essays may be submitted electronically only in exceptional circumstances.

 

Mark Your Calendar …

            Table 1 shows the due dates and times for each of the four paper assignments. Papers should be left in my mailbox in the College Writing Center. Late papers will receive a deduction of one third of a letter grade for each calendar day (or part of a day) they are late. This penalty also applies to the complete first draft of each paper.

 

Essay

First Draft due:

Final Draft due:

% of Final Grade

#1

February 9, 2pm

February 20, 5pm

15

#2

February 25, 2pm

March 19, 5pm

15

#3

March 29, 2pm

April 9, 5pm

15

Research Paper

April 21, 2pm

TBA

30

Table1

Grading Scheme:

            Table 2 outlines the grading scheme for this course. Students must get a C or higher in CAS 105 in order to satisfy the College’s primary writing requirement.

 

Grade

% Range

A

94 – 100

A-

90 – 93

B+

87 – 89

B

83 – 86

B-

80 – 82

C+

77 – 79

C

73 – 76

C-

70 – 72

D

60 – 69

F

59 and below

                       Table2

A Note on Academic Respect and Responsibility:

            Much of this course will highlight the importance of argument. The structure of a well-written paper reflects the writer’s ability to use argumentative strategy effectively, by offering arguments, entertaining some counter-arguments, before finally coming to a well thought-out conclusion. Any class discussion or debate on an issue should focus on arguments in a similar manner. Discussions, therefore, will not just involve claim followed by counter-claim, etc. Rather, students will be asked to give reasons for why they hold such-and-such a view. If somebody disagrees with your position, then they too will have to give reasons. As a discussion progresses you may or may not be convinced by the other person’s reasoning – you may just end up agreeing to differ. In a philosophy discussion this is acceptable; the important thing is that we reason things out as we go along.

            Students learn by asking questions and receiving well-intentioned answers – no student should be afraid to speak up in class. It is important that we be open-mined in this class, willing to criticize one another, receive criticism, and also engage in self-criticism. This means that we should always respect our peers in the class – give their views and arguments fair consideration and never adopt a belligerent or condescending tone in a discussion. This is a class requirement and the point will be reinforced in the first class meeting. Failure to meet this requirement will result in a warning for the student; repeated failures may result in a final grade reduction.

 

Plagiarism:

            Plagiarism is the stealing of the ideas or words of another and using them as if they were one’s own. Forms of plagiarism include the following:

 

-        Having someone else write a paper for you

-        Not citing portions of another’s work that you have included in your paper

-        Failing to mention a source you have paraphrased

-        Taking a paper, in whole or in part, from a website

-        Stealing a paper from another student and then submitting it as your own work

 

            As in most other college courses, in this course students are continuously encountering other people’s ideas and words – primarily in texts, but also in lectures and class discussions. To avoid plagiarism, students must learn the importance of acknowledging their sources and the skills for doing this. Accidental plagiarism is still plagiarism.

            Plagiarism is considered a very serious breach within the intellectual community and punishment is accordingly severe. In this class, any suspected case of plagiarism will be addressed. If a determination of plagiarism occurs, then (a) the student receives a zero in the assignment, and/or (b) the incident is reported to the University Board. The instructor reserves the right to counter plagiaristic activity within the class with measures permitted by College regulations. See the Undergraduate Bulletin for more information on the College’s policy regarding plagiarism.

 

 

Course Schedule

 

Part I: What is Science?

 

January 14 – Introduction to the Course

            Readings: None

 

January 19 – No Class (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

 

January 21 – Writing as Craft

Readings: John Maddox, “Scientific Progress. What can we expect?” [on reserve]; Linda Flower, “Writer-based Prose: A Cognitive Basis for Problems in Writing” [on reserve]

 

Around this time, students will be required to meet with the instructor on a one-to-one basis for a brief student-instructor conference. Arrangements will be made in class.

 

January 26 – Introduction to Arguments

            Readings: Weston, A Rulebook for Arguments, Chapters I and II, pp. 1-18; Chalmers, What is this thing called Science? Chapter 1, pp. 1 – 18;

 

January 28 – The Structure of Deductive Arguments I: Logical rules

Readings: Weston, A Rulebook for Arguments, Chapter VI, pp. 40-52

 

February 2 – The Structure of Deductive Arguments II – Extracting from texts

Readings: Richard Feldman, Reason and Argument, Appendix A – The Steps of Argument Analysis [on reserve]; Chalmers, What is this thing called Science? Chapter 2, pp. 19 – 26.

 

February 4 – Structuring a Paper, and Peer Review Preview

Readings: A. P. Martinich, Philosophical Writing, Chapter 3, pp. 52 – 59, Appendix A, pp. 183 – 186 [on reserve]

 

February 9 – Peer Review Session

**Complete first draft of Essay #1 due at the beginning of class**

[Each student will read at least one peer’s essay and write an evaluation of it.]

 

Part II: The Problem of Method

 

February 11 – The Problem of Method in Science

Readings: Francis Bacon, Preface to The New Organon, and excerpts [on reserve]; Chalmers, What is this thing called Science? Chapter 3, pp. 27 – 40.

 

February 16 - The Problem of Induction

Readings: David Hume, Enquiry, Section IV and Section V, Part (i); Wesley Salmon, “An Encounter with David Hume” [both on reserve].

 

February 18 – Inductive Arguments

Readings: Chalmers, What is this thing called Science? Chapter 4, pp. 41 – 58.

 

** Final Draft of Essay #1 due on Friday February 20th at 5pm **

 

February 23 – Method and Writing

Readings: Weston, A Rulebook for Arguments, Chapters VII, VIII and IX, pp. 53-71

 

February 25 – Peer Review Session

            **Complete first draft of Essay #2 due at the beginning of class **

[Each student will read at least one peer’s essay and write an evaluation of it. Students will also write an assessment of their own essay draft.]

 

March 1 – Individual Student-Instructor Conferences (No Class)

Issues: The student’s progress in the course; moving from draft to final version; preliminary discussion concerning final research paper

 

March 3 – Some Style

Readings: Strunk and White (excerpts TBA)

 

March 8 and 10 – No Class (Spring Break)

 

Part III: Episodes from History

 

March 15 – The Copernican Revolution I - Background

Readings: Start Banville’s Kepler; Kuhn, The Copernican Revolution, Chapter 1, pp. 1 – 4, Chapter 4, pp. 99 – 105, pp. 122 – 132 [on reserve].

 

** Final Draft of Essay #2 due on Friday, March 19th at 5pm **

 

March 17 – The Copernican Revolution II – Some Details

Readings: Continue Banville’s Kepler; Kuhn, The Copernican Revolution, Chapter 5, pp.133 – 143, pp. 171 – 184 [on reserve].

 

March 22 – Kepler and Galileo

Readings: Finish Banville’s Kepler; Johannes Kepler, The Harmonies of the World (excerpt); Arthur Koestler, The Watershed, Chapter 6, pp. 122 – 151; Galileo’s recantation [all on reserve].

 

March 24 – Isaac Newton

Readings: Excerpts from Newton’s Principia Mathematica, “The Laws of Motion,” from Book I, and “General Scholium” from Book III [on reserve].

 

March 29 – Peer Review Session

            **Complete first draft of Essay #3 due at the beginning of class **

[Each student will read at least one peer’s essay and write an evaluation of it. Students will then write an assessment of their own essay draft.]

 

Note: By this time students should have decided on a topic for a final research paper, or at least have some idea about what they wish to write about.

 

March 31 – Rare Books Library Presentation

Readings: TBA

 

Part IV: History and Progress

 

April 5 – Progress I: Karl Popper and Falsificationism

Readings: Chalmers, What is this thing called Science? Chapter 5, pp. 59 – 73

 

April 7 – Using the Library for Research

Class will include library tour

Readings: Hacker, A Pocket Style Manual, pp. 93 – 104.

 

**Final draft of Essay #3 due on Friday, April 9th at 5pm**

 

April 12 – Progress II: Thomas Kuhn

Readings: Chalmers, What is this thing called Science? Chapter 8, pp. 104 –129; Martinich, Philosophical Writing, Chapter 5, pp. 96 – 142.

 

April 14 – Bibliography and Self-Assessment

Readings: TBA

 

April 19 – Progress III: Paul Feyerabend

Readings: Chalmers, What is this thing called Science? Chapter 10, pp. 149 – 160.

 

April 21 – Peer Review Session

            **Complete first draft of Final Research Paper due at the beginning of class **

[Students will read at least one peer’s essay and write an evaluation of it.]

 

April 26 – Final Thoughts on Style, etc

 

April 28 – No Class

            Individual Student-Instructor Conferences will be scheduled in advance

Issues: Any research paper issues that may arise; student’s progress in, and feedback on, the course.

 

** Final Research Paper due date: TBA