Building on the tradition of Karl Popper and Imre Lakatos, the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method offers a Masters programme in Philosophy of Science that has a unique orientation. We stand for a type of philosophy of science that is continuous with the actual practice of the sciences, resolutely interdisciplinary, and socially relevant. The Department is ranked joint 2nd in the world for Philosophy of Science by the Philosophical Gourmet Report 2009. This master programme prepares you for Ph.D. work in philosophy or related disciplines as well as for employment in such fields as science journalism and science administration.

The Department offers a wide range of courses taught by internationally leading philosophers. You can learn about both general philosophical problems raised by the sciences and particular philosophical-foundational problems that emerge in specific sciences. In addition, you benefit from a wealth of resources at the Department and at the LSE generally such as the LSE Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Sciences, which is one of the major international centres of the discipline and attracts many eminent visitors.

General philosophical problems raised by the sciences include issues such as: What, if anything, makes science and the methods of science special? Can we maintain realism in the sciences in view of the fact that many entities once thought to be real have been abandoned in the course of the history of science? Can we achieve certainty through science? If not, is it at least highly probable that our current best theories are true? What is probability? How do scientists confirm their theories? How exactly does, and should, evidence relate to theoretical claims in science? What constitutes a scientific explanation or causation in science? How do the facts about theory-change in science ("scientific revolutions") impinge on these general philosophical issues?

Depending on your course choices you make, this master programme allows you to learn about fascinating conceptual and methodological issues that arise within specific sciences. In addition to our long-standing courses in Philosophical Foundations of Physics, Philosophy of Economics, and Philosophy of Social Science, we now offer new courses in the fast developing field of Philosophy of Biology and Cognitive Science and a new foundational course in Set Theory and Further Logic, reflecting the research interests and expertise of new staff members.

In Philosophical Foundations of Physics you study questions such as: What is chaos? What is quantum teleportation? Is the theory of special relativity compatible with quantum theory? Does statistical mechanics explain the irreversibility of physical processes? In Philosophy of Economics you learn about issues such as: Are economic theories testable? Is Rational Choice Theory a plausible account of human decision making? What are the aims of Welfare Economics, and how well does the theory fulfil these aims? Questions discussed in Philosophy of Social Science include: How do we establish causes in the social sciences? Can we give a game-theoretic account of justice? In Philosophy of Biology you learn about problems such as: Is it groups, individuals or genes that are operated on by natural selection? Does genuine evolutionary altruism exist, and if so, how is this possible? How can we find out about how different organisms are related – and what does this tell us about the nature of evolution and evolutionary biology? In Philosophy of Cognitive Science you study questions such as: Is the mind a computational system? Can psychology be reduced to neuroscience? How modular is the mind? In Set Theory and Further Logic you focus on questions such as: Can you count infinities? Is there a largest or a smallest infinite? Can the consistency of mathematics be proved?

Faculty Teaching in the Masters Programme

Courses are taught by internationally leading academics:

J. Alexander (evolutionary game theory, philosophy of social science, rational choice theory)
L. Bovens (formal epistemology, public and social choice, philosophy and public policy, moral theory)
R. Bradley (decision theory, conditionals, social choice)
N. Cartwright (past president of Philosophy of Science Association) (philosophy of the economic and social sciences, evidence-based policy, causality, causal modelling)
R. Frigg (general philosophy of science, philosophy of physics)
C. List (Social choice theory, political theory, philosophy of science and social science, theories of democracy and deliberation)
K. Musholt (philosophy of psychology, philosophy of cognitive science).
M. Redei (philosophy of physics, causality)
A. Schulz (philosophy of cognitive science, philosophy of economics, philosophy of biology)
K. Steele (rational and social choice theory, philosophy of probability, environmental philosophy and decision-making )
A. Voorhoeve (political philosophy, rational and social choice theory, moral philosophy)
C. Werndl (general philosophy of science, philosophy of biology, philosophy of physics, philosophy of mathematics)
J. Worrall (current president of the British Society for Philosophy of Science) (general philosophy of science, scientific realism, scientific evidence, evidence-based)

Prospective Students and Career Options

This master programme in Philosophy of Science attracts primarily two types of students, viz. students with first degrees in philosophy who would like to specialise more in philosophy of science and students with first degrees in a science who would like to study the methods and foundations of science. As well as further developing the virtues of clear thinking, analytical argument and appreciation of the rules of evidence that are so useful in a range of high-level occupations, the course provides a solid foundation for doctoral work in the philosophy of science and related fields, and for employment in fields such as science journalism and science administration.

We will consider applicants with a first or upper second class honours (2:1) degree or equivalent, with a considered interest in the areas covered by the MSc. If your first language is not English, please submit with your application to LSE a sample of your work in English (five to ten typewritten pages).

Structure of the Masters Programme

Core Course

Options

Courses to the value of two full units from:

‡ If not taken as a core course

You will sit written examinations for your taught courses in June.

You will also complete a 10,000 word dissertation| which is completed over the summer and must be submitted in early September.

Testimonials and Career Development

For a look at what some past students have gone on to do, click here|.

Financial Support

For information about financial support, click here|.

When to Apply

We urge you to apply early. We will continue to accept applications while space is available. Please see Graduate Admissions| to apply.

Further Information

See MSc Philosophy of Science| in the Graduate Prospectus 2010.