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Philosophy of Engineering: Science

Lecture 6: Understanding in & of the Engineering Sciences

Teacher: prof. dr. Mieke Boon

Literature & Assignment: Readings Lecture 6

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6.1. Introduction: An engineering perspective at science – Looking at science as something that is constructed

Lecture slides:

Slides Lecture 6

6.2. Overview of what we have done so far – Scientific knowledge as epistemic tool.

6.3. Overview of last lecture – What is engineering science?

6.4. How do we build scientific models?

6.5. About what do the engineering sciences produce knowledge?

6.6. What do the engineering sciences use knowledge for?

6.7. Revisiting the question: What are laws of nature? – How laws are constructed in experimental practices.

6.8. An example of constructing a phenomenological law – introducing new parameters (e.g. a material constant) and scientific concepts.

6.9. Important conclusions on “What is a phenomenological law”: descriptions? / mathematical equations / empirical adequacy / same-conditions – same-effects / operational definitions of parameters / measurement procedure of the parameter.

6.10. Similarities and differences between (constructing) scientific models and phenomenological laws.

6.11. The role of measurements in constructing scientific knowledge – how the discovery of a technologically produced phenomenon turns into a measurement apparatus (two examples).

6.12. The role of parameters in phenomenological laws – inventing parameters  as a common strategy to characterize (relatively) stable properties (of specific materials, and also of specific technological systems)

6.13. What is a scientific concept? – Is it just a name, or a definition. If so, does it consist of a mere description of an observed phenomenon, or is it theoretical as well? And how about scientific concepts of unobservable phenomena?

6.14. Take home message on the construction of knowledge