What Does It Mean to Understand Science?

This course introduces and explores the philosophical topic of scientific understanding. Scientists often aim not only to describe or predict phenomena but also to understand them. But what does it mean to understand a scientific phenomenon? Is understanding the same as explanation, or does it involve additional cognitive abilities such as grasping mechanisms, recognizing patterns, or using models?

The course traces the development of this question historically and philosophically. We begin with classical discussions of scientific knowledge in ancient philosophy and early modern science, focusing on how explanation and understanding were originally conceived. We then move to twentieth-century philosophy of science, where logical models of explanation were proposed and debated. Finally, we examine contemporary philosophical discussions about scientific understanding, including the roles of models, idealization, causality, and epistemic values in scientific practice.

By engaging with historical texts and contemporary philosophical debates, students will develop the conceptual tools necessary to analyze what it means to understand the natural world.

For each lesson, you will have to read an article (around 15/20 pages) that we will discuss together in class. The last two lessons of the course will be open to deepen specific aspects of the course and to discuss your questions and doubts.