Science and Society

This subject is not offered in 2014.

An average of 8.5 hours each week.

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Science provides innumerable benefits in our lives but poses just as many urgent questions. The aim of this subject is to explore the role of science in our society by drawing on recent scholarly work in sociology and philosophy of science. The first part of the course will introduce several conceptions of scientific knowledge, and of the role of scientists and their knowledge in society. The second part of the course will apply these intellectual tools to some of the pressing questions about contemporary science. What is the relationship between science, technology and the market? To what extend should science be directed by values? What role do or should scientists play in policy decisions? What role should ‘the public’ play in setting research priorities? What is a scientific expert? Why do we disagree about climate change? Has science shown that race is a social construct?

Students who successfully complete this subject should

• Develop a basic understanding of key theoretical approaches to science as a system of knowledge and its place in contemporary society that have been developed in the humanities and social sciences.
• Be able to apply these theoretical approaches to the analysis of contemporary or historical case-studies.
• Develop the capacity for critical analysis of theoretical approaches to examining science as a system of knowledge and their application to historical and contemporary case-studies

Assessment: An essay of 1,500 words due during semester (40%) and a take home exam with the requirement to answer two further essay questions in the examination period (60%).

Hurdle requirement: students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to pass this subject. Regular participation in tutorials is required. Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day; after five working days, late assessment will not be marked. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.

Why we disagree about climate change. Mike Hulme, Cambridge University Press 2009.

Further texts will be available online.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Biomedicine
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Engineering

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

Students who successfully complete this subject should

• Develop skills in reading and written and oral communication
• Conduct independent research
• Form defensible judgements on the basis of critical evaluation of conflicting arguments.
• Understand and analyse key conceptual and theoretical arguments
• Develop their own argument based on empirical evidence