Examining Philosophy's relationship with the Physical and Cognitive Sciences Image About the courseWhat is the origin of our universe? What are dark matter and dark energy? What is our role in the universe as human agents capable of knowledge? What makes us intelligent cognitive agents seemingly endowed with consciousness?Scientific research across both the physical sciences and the cognitive sciences has raised pressing questions for philosophers. The goal of this course is to introduce you to some of the main areas and topics at the key juncture between philosophy and the sciences. The course is structured around two broad areas, Philosophy and the Physical Sciences and Philosophy and the Cognitive Sciences.Sign up nowPhilosophy and the Physical SciencesPhilosophy and the Cognitive SciencesVideosIntroducing Philosophy and the Sciences (Michela Massimi and Duncan Pritchard)Cosmology (Michela Massimi and John Peacock)Dark Matter and Dark Energy (Michela Massimi and John Peacock)The Anthropic Principle (Alasdair Richmond and John Peacock)Stone-Age Minds (Kenny Smith and Suilin Lavelle)Embodied Cognition and the Sciences of the Mind (Andy Clark and Barbara Webb)Handouts Document What is this thing called science? (912.64 KB / PDF) Document The origins of our universe (918.15 KB / PDF) Document Dark matter and dark energy (817.45 KB / PDF) Document The anthropic principle and multiverse cosmology (1.08 MB / PDF) Document Stone-age minds in modern skulls: evolutionary theory and the philosophy of mind (1.16 MB / PDF) Document What is consciousness? (1.34 MB / PDF) Document Intelligent machines and the human brain (1.44 MB / PDF) Document Embodied cognition (1015.11 KB / PDF) If you require a PDF document in an alternative format, such as large print or a coloured background, please contact the Undergraduate Teaching Office or email philinfo@ed.ac.uk (for Philosophy enquiries).Textbook Image To accompany ‘Philosophy and the Sciences’, we are pleased to announce a tie-in book from Routledge entitled Philosophy and the Sciences for Everyone. This course companion to the ‘Philosophy and the Sciences’ course was written by the Edinburgh Philosophy and the Sciences team expressly with the needs of MOOC learners in mind. ‘Philosophy and the Sciences for Everyone’ contains clear and user-friendly chapters, chapter summaries, glossary, study questions, suggestions for further reading and guides to online resources.Philosophy and the Sciences for EveryoneLearning objectivesUpon successful completion of this course, learners will:Gain a fairly well-rounded view on selected areas and topics at the intersection of philosophy and the sciencesUnderstand some key questions, and conceptual problems arising in the natural sciences and cognitive sciences.Develop critical skills to evaluate and assess these problems.InstructorsProfessor Michela MassimiDr Alasdair RichmondDr Suilin LavelleDr Mark SprevakProfessor John PeacockProfessor Barbara WebbDr Kenny SmithDr Peggy Series This article was published on 2024-10-14
