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Philip MoriartySchool of Physics & Astronomy
[email protected]@Moriarty2112
www.nottingham.ac.uk/physics/research/nano
The Politics, Perception, and Philosophy of Physics (F34PPP)
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Lecture 1: Induction, Deduction, Reduction
What we’ll cover in F34PPP (and some disclaimers)
Timetable and assessmentObservations and facts (or “facts”?)Deduction, induction, and BaconIs science irrational?Are we unbiased?
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DATE TITLE TYPESept. 29
Induction, deduction, reduction. Lecture
Oct. 6 Wrong, or not even wrong? LectureOct. 13 Are most scientific papers
wrong?Lecture
Oct. 20 The Science Wars Seminar and discussionOct. 27 The power and perils of peer
reviewSeminar and discussion
Nov. 3 Is science a public good? Seminar and discussionNov. 10
Responsible Innovation Seminar and discussion (2 hr)
Nov. 17
Communication breakdown? Seminar and panel
Nov. 24
Maybe, Minister: Can science and politics speak the same language?
Seminar and discussion
Dec. 1 Research ethics Seminar and panelDec 8. Brave new world? Panel
F34PPP in briefAll sessions in B17, 2 pm, Mondays (autumn semester)
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F34PPP in brief: Recommended reading
- What is this thing called science?, 3rd edition, AF Chalmers (Open University Press, 1999)
- Understanding philosophy of science, J. Ladyman (Routledge, 2002)
- Philosophy of science: A very short introduction, S. Okasha (Oxford University Press, 2002)
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F34PPP in brief -- assessment
A short "blog post" (300 words) [Deadline: Oct. 13] An opinion piece (along the lines of a one-page Physics World article) [Deadline: Nov. 19] A "feature article" (2000 words, in the style of a broadsheet article) [Deadline: Dec. 11]
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Science – more than just a technology driver
http://www.4004.com/assets/PB120046.JPG
- How is scientific knowledge different from other forms of knowledge? [Epistemology]
- Can we define the scientific method?
www.spreadshirt.co.uk/logic+t-shirts
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p.2, “Understanding philosophy of science”, J. Ladyman
Science: Rational, logical, objective
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http://xkcd.com/154/
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http://xkcd.com/154/
“Science is derived from the facts” (Chalmers, p. 1)
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…but are our eyes good enough?
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And can we trust our ears?
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Seeing is believing?: Striped nanoparticles
http://physicsfocus.org/philip-moriarty-peer-review-cyber-bullies/
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Seeing is believing?: Striped nanoparticles
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Seeing is believing?: Striped nanoparticles
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Do we really see intermolecular bonds?
Zhang et al., Science 342 611 (2013)
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Do we really see intermolecular bonds?
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Unrelaxed tip: nothing
Relaxed tip: sharp inter- and intramolecular
“bonds” resolved
Do we really see intermolecular bonds?
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Logic and reason“Logic is the study of reasoning abstracted from what that reasoning is about.” [Ladyman]
All dachshunds are good physicists.Daisy is a dachshund.Therefore Daisy is a good physicist.
Both are valid arguments!
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Logic and reason: Deduction
Invalid arguments!
All dachshunds are good physicistsEdward is a good physicistTherefore Edward is a dachshund.
All human beings are animalsDaisy is an animalTherefore Daisy is a human being
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Another valid but bad argument
The Bible says that God exists.The Bible is the word of God and therefore true.Therefore God exists.
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Invalid but not necessarily bad argument…
Moriarty claims to be a physicistI have no reason to believe he is lyingTherefore Moriarty is a physicist
Both premises could be true but conclusion could be false – invalid argument.