Course for international guest/part time students

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Organization

BTK Institute of Philosophy

Code

BMA-LOTD-613.02

Title

Logical structure of physical theories II.:Philosophy of probability and statistics

Usual semester

Autumn

ECTS

4

Language

Learning outcomes

General aim of the course: The course covers selected topics in the foundations of probability and statistical methods. Content of the course: Depending on the interest of students, topics may include: interpretations of probability in specific scientific theories; conceptual problems in statistical testing; subjective probability and Bayesian epistemology; chance, randomness and determinism; implications of chaos theory; the method of arbitrary functions; Monod’s conception of chance; chance and causation; the Common Cause Principle; propensity and ‘primitivist’ approaches to probability; frequentism; the logical conception of probability; the principle of indifference; ‘no-theory’ theories of probability. Grading criteria, specific requirements: oral exam Reading: Hájek, Alan, "Interpretations of Probability", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2019 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2019/entries/probability-interpret/>. Gillies, Donald (2000). Philosophical theories of probability. London New York: Routledge. Jan von Plato, The method of arbitrary functions, The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 34 (1), 37-47. Claus Beisbart & Stephan Hartmann (eds.), Probabilities in Physics, Oxford University Press (2011) Bandyopadhyay, P., and Forster, M. (eds.), 2011, Handbook for the Philosophy of Science: Philosophy of Statistics, Elsevier. Romeijn, Jan-Willem, "Philosophy of Statistics", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Spring 2022 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2022/entries/statistics/>.

Programmes of the course