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Aim of course | Time Table & Meeting
Place | IVLE Discussion
Forum | Dialogue
Web | Tutorials
| Assessment
AIM OF COURSE
We have all heard that we live at the dawn of a knowledge era spawned by the
emergence of new information and communications technologies. In the knowledge
age the theory of knowledge - a discipline concerned with how we create and
evaluate information and knowledge - becomes of central concern, not only to
professional scientists and philosophers, but also to intelligent laypersons
concerned with comprehending and coping with the dramatic changes we are facing.
Since modern science and technology are at the heart of the transformations
we confront this course will introduce you to theories of knowledge in science
- often codified as scientific methods - and the creative and critical thinking
strategies associated with each of these methods.
We will approach our study from three different angles. Firstly, we will look
at what philosophers can teach us about modes of inquiry in the sciences. This
will give us an insight into what leading scientists and philosophers have to
say about the critical and creative thinking strategies adopted in science to
advance knowledge. Secondly, we will look at how the new information technology
itself demands, and promotes, deeper creative and critical thinking in the scientific
disciplines. This position has been advanced by those who see a convergence
between philosophy embodied in the technology medium and recent views about
the theory of knowledge. Finally we will examine how the medium of the new technology
itself brings together in a single electronic space the diverse reservoirs of
cultural knowledge from many civilizations - thereby opening the door to a creative
synthesis of knowledge from multicultural standpoints.
TIME TABLE & MEETING PLACE
Lecture: Tuesday 4.00 pm - 6.00 pm (SR 1)
Tutorials:
GP 1: Friday 12.00 pm - 2.00 pm (TR 5)
GP 2: Friday 4.00 am - 6.00 pm (SR 1)
IVLE DISCUSSION FORUM
Students in the course can participate in an online discussion forum. The forum
will enable you to interact with your tutorial and project partners - and contributions
to the forum can be used to develop your ideas for tutorial discussions, essays
and projects. Some tutorials will be conducted online.
DIALOGUE WEB
A web has been constructed entitled 'Modern Science and Dialogue Among Civilizations'
which will be used to support lectures and develop new project ideas. Students
can use the web to look for additional readings. I hope that in the process
we will come to discover new links which could lead to its further enrichment
- and students will develop new ideas that can help the web to grow. Excellent
student projects will be put up on the web so that future students can refer
to them to develop further creative ideas.
TUTORIALS
Tutorials will be used to both discuss lecture materials, new readings and
project assignments. Students will be expected to do presentations which will
constitute part of their overall evaluation. These presentation topics and readings
will be assigned in advance.
ASSESSMENT
Student assessment will be based on the following:
- Tutorial Participation & Presentation -- 10%
- Essay -- 15%
- Project -- 25% [The Project will be developed through tutorial and direct
discussions with the Instructor].
- Exam -- 50%. It will be an open book exam.
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