77992 - Philosophy of Social Sciences (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

The course aims at providing a deep knowledge of the major issues tackled in the contemporary epistemological debate on the social sciences. Core methodological and conceptual aspects of history, archaeology, anthropology, economics, psychology and - partly - medicine are addressed. Students will get familiar with relevant debates in contemporary philosophy of the social sciences, and shall be able to analyse and discuss key topics on the construction of scientific knowledge in such disciplines.

Course contents

The course will discuss key issues surrounding theoretical and methodological aspects of the social sciences, with a specific focus on psychology, psychotherapy and some areas of medicine that draw heavily on anthropology – e.g., cultural psychiatry. We will start out by tackling philosophical problems connected with basic assumptions, measurements, tools and practices of different social sciences, and then we will move on to the discussion of a more specific set of questions surrounding psychology, psychotherapy and cultural psychiatry. Specifically, we will critically examine the status of these sciences by exploring some of their theoretical tenets, methodological specificities, and epistemological issues concerning measurements and success conditions.

The final syllabus, including the complete list of readings and assignments, will be provided on the first day of class and then uploaded on Virtuale.

Readings/Bibliography

The final syllabus, including the complete list of readings and assignments, will be provided on the first day of class. Below you can find some of the readings we will discuss during the class, and additional recommendations will be provided during the course.

• Cartwright, N. & Montuschi, E. (2015). Philosophy of Social Science: A New Introduction. Oxford University Press. (selected chapters)
• Freud, S. (1890). On Psychical (or Mental) Treatment. Standard Edition
• Freud, S. (1905). On Psychotherapy. Standard Editio
• Freud, S. (1913). On Beginning the Treatment. Standard Edition.
• Freud, S. (1937). Analysis Terminable and Interminable. Standard Edition
• Kitcher, P. (1992). Freud's Dream: A Complete Interdisciplinary Science of Mind. MIT Press (selected chapters).
• Entry on Operationalism, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Stevens (1935). The Operational Definition of Psychological Concepts
• Beck, A. T. (1996). Beyond belief: A theory of modes, personality, and psychopathology. Frontiers of cognitive therapy (pp. 1–25). The Guilford.
• Gipps, R. G. T. (2013). Cognitive behavior therapy: A philosophical appraisal. In K. W. M. In M. Fulford, R. G. T. Davies, G. Gipps, J. Z. Graham, G. Sadler, Stanghellini, & T. Thornton (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Philosophy and Psychiatry (Vol. 1, pp. 1245–1263). Oxford University Press.
• Luhrmann, T. (2016). Our most troubling madness: case studies in culture and schizophrenia. OUP
• Kirmayer, L.J., & Ryder, A. (2016). Culture and psychopathology. Current Opinion in Psychology, 8: 143-148.
• Grodniewicz, J. P. (2024). Belief revision in psychotherapy. Synthese

Teaching methods

This a discussion-based course, where traditional lectures will be complemented by debates, exchange of ideas, and a wide range of in-class and take-home activities. Special attention will be devoted to the development of core philosophical skills such as reading, writing, and debating through the discussion of the class topics.

More details on class format will be introduced during the first day of class.

Assessment methods

The final grade will result from various components, including:

a) Participation in the in-class activities, including the submission of mini-assignments throughout the course (20%);

b) In-class presentation on one paper over the course of the class (30%). Each presentation should include a brief summary of the main argument, a short discussion of 2-3 points of the text that you find interesting or relevant, and some further questions that will fuel class discussion. Be prepared to talk for 15-20 minutes, and to lead a short discussion afterwards. Presentation and discussion times may vary and will be established based on the class size.

c) Final paper project (50%): You will be required to write a 4,000-5,000 word (about 8-10 pages) paper based on one or more topics discussed in class. I will ask you to send me a short abstract and outline of the paper in advance, so that we can devote some time to strengthening your argument.

A detailed rubric for each assignment component will be made available on the first day of class and then uploaded on Virtuale. The assessment method may be subject to change depending on class size; some adjustments should be expected after the start of the course.

Students who are not participating in the class are encouraged to get in touch with the instructor to talk about alternative ways of assessing preparation. You can set up an appointment here.

Students with disabilities

Students with disabilities are entitled to special adjustments according to their condition, subject to assessment by the University Service for Students with Disabilities. Please do not contact the instructor, but make an appointment with the University Service directly. The Service will then determine what adjustments are appropriate, and get in touch with the teacher. For more information, please visit the page: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students

Teaching tools

I will avail myself of a wide range of tools to support teaching and facilitate participation while acknowledging a variety of learning styles. Besides Power point and Prezi, I will use paper handouts as well as software such as Slido, Kahoot, and Wooclap.

Office hours

See the website of Valentina Petrolini