Graduate Courses | Department of History and Philosophy of Science

HPS graduate seminars 2027-8

DW, 11-5-2025

This is provisional and subject to change. [H] indicates an elective seminar satisfying the History requirement.

Fall 2027

Jon Fuller: HPS 2740 / PHIL 2652 Philosophy of Psychiatry

This course examines conceptual, methodological, and some historical issues in psychiatry. General analyses of psychiatric disorders and classifications, and their reliability and validity, will lead to a consideration of the DSM and ICD. The function of etiological, reductive, and mechanical dimensions (including genetic and neuroimaging research) will be discussed. Historical topics include the contrast between and transition from psychoanalytical, narrative approaches to the rise of bio-chemical psychiatry. Extended consideration of schizophrenia and depressive disorder will be course themes. The seminar closes with a discussion of legal and ethical issues in psychiatry.

Edouard Machery: HPS 2505 Philosophical Foundations of Cognitive Science

This course will survey the main philosophical questions raised by cognitive science. Students will acquire a comprehensive grasp of the main issues in this field. We will discuss questions such as: Is the mind a computer? Are we rational? What is consciousness?

Sandy Mitchell: TBC

The details of this seminar will be fixed closer to the date.

Paolo Palmieri: The History and Philosophy of Calculus (HPS 2522 Special Topics in History of Science) [H]

This seminar explores historical and philosophical questions concerning early calculus, its roots in the tradition of Greek mathematics and its coming of age in the early modern era. These questions include: Indivisibles quantities vs. infinitesimal quantities, the problem of tangents, fluxions vs. differentials, analysis/ synthesis, limits/ integration, discovery/ emergence/ justification in mathematics. We will place these questions in their larger historical contexts, focusing on their intellectual social, religious and esthetic dimensions, and read the relevant primary sources. The class has no requisites.

David Wallace: HPS 2101/ PHIL 2503 Philosophy of Science Core

This seminar is an intensive and advanced introduction to some of the main themes and problems in philosophy of science including the nature of evidence, theory comparison, and the theory-observation distinction, the meaning of theoretical terms, scientific explanation and scientific change.

Porter Williams: HPS 2826 / PHIL 2686 Philosophy of Quantum Field Theory

This course covers quantum field theory (QFT) and its applications in particle physics and beyond. Topics covered will vary but may include: algebraic and Lagrangian formulations of QFT; the Interpretation of effective field theories; the relation between particles and fields; spontaneous symmetry breaking; the gauge principle.

Spring 2028

Mike Dietrich: HPS 2270 / PHIL 2657 Philosophy of Biology

This seminar will consider foundational conceptual issues in biology including the nature and structure of biological explanation, the possibility of laws in biology and the relationship of biology to other sciences, natural kinds and the classification of species, teleology and biological function. In addition we will explore cutting edge topics of robustness in complex biological systems and the challenges raised for causal inference, emergence and multi-level organization as well as the relationship between unity of science and pluralism.

Marian Gilton: philosophy of physics seminar, details TBC

The details of this seminar will be fixed closer to the date, but are likely to include topics from some or all of gauge theory, effective field theory, and particle physics.

Kareem Khalifa: TBC

The details of this seminar will be fixed closer to the date.

John Norton: HPS 2814 Einstein [H]

This seminar covers Einstein's work in physics and his philosophical entanglements, with topics selected according to the interests of the seminar participants. Suitable topics include the papers of Einstein's annus mirabilis of 1905 (the special theory of relativity, e=mc2, the molecular account of Brownian motion and that light energy came in quanta), his discovery of general relativity and its development into modern cosmology and the theory of gravitational waves; his pursuit of a unified field theory; and his more general pronouncements in philosophy of science

Raphael Scholl: HPS 2103 History and Philosophy of Science Core

Wayne Wu: The Science of Consciousness (HPS 2634 Special Topics in Philosophy of Neuroscience and Cognitive Science)

We will survey the science of consciousness as an approach to the philosophical problem of consciousness. We will ask how to properly leverage empirical work and consider the possibility that the problematic of consciousness as fixed in 20th Century philosophy might be the wrong one. We will consider alternative framings.

HPS graduate seminars 2026-7

DW, 11-5-2025

This is provisional and subject to change. [H] indicates an elective seminar satisfying the History requirement.

Fall 2026

Mike Dietrich: HPS 2269 Omics and Data in Biology [H]

The genome projects of the 1990s transformed biology by drawing together biological research with computer automation and a deluge of new data. This seminar will examine historical and philosophical issues surrounding "data-centric" biology, including changes in scientific practice that move it away from experimentation, the rise of model organisms, the explosion of a variety of -omics approaches, the reinscription of identity in genomic terms, and the ownership, regulation, and control of biological data.

Jon Fuller: HPS 2730 / PHIL 2636 Philosophy of Medicine

This seminar course provides a graduate level introduction to the philosophy of medicine. We will explore both classic and recent work. In line with the orientation of the field, we will examine metaphysical/conceptual and epistemic questions in medicine and medical research rather than the kinds of questions traditionally asked in the field of bioethics. Also following the contemporary focus of philosophy of medicine, readings are situated in the philosophy of science.

Marian Gilton: The Principia (HPS 2522 Special Topics in History of Science) [H]

This seminar will be an extended study of the Principia. It will cover the mathematical apparatus of Books I and II, as well as the application of these mathematical results in the "system of the world" developed in Book III. Special attention will be given to the status of Newton's laws of motion as axioms, his rules of reasoning for natural philosophy, the argument for universal gravitation, and the question of whether a book with zero experiments can still be rightly thought of as a crowning achievement within Newton's program of "experimental philosophy.

Sandy Mitchell: TBC

The details of this seminar will be fixed closer to the date.

John Norton: HPS 2101 / PHIL 2603 Philosophy of Science Core

Porter Williams: HPS 2667 / PHIL 2627 Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics

This course provides an introduction to the philosophical problems of quantum theory. Topics covered may include: the quantum measurement problem; non-locality, EPR, and Bell's inequality; the no-go results of Bell/Kochen/Specker, Gleason, and PBR; alternatives to quantum mechanics (such as dynamical-collapse theories and the de Broglie-Bohm theory); the Everett (many-worlds) interpretation and the role of decoherence; operationalist and psi-epistemic approaches to quantum theory. (Not all topics will be covered in all years.)

Spring 2027

Marian Gilton: HPS 2102 History of Science Core

This is a core seminar for History and Philosophy of Science graduate students, surveying the historical development of scientific thought and providing a background in the methodology of history of science.

Paolo Palmieri: Pragmatic Humanism (HPS 2522 Special Topics in History of Science) [H]

What if the liberal arts— the sciences based on mathematics and on language—were not just disciplines to master, but tools to wield, interconnected engines of human empowerment? This seminar explores Pragmatic Humanism, the Renaissance vision that fused the liberal arts with civic action, reimagining it for era dominated by AI, algorithmic surveillance, educational impoverishment, and the erosion of memory. Pragmatic humanism does not reject technology but positions it as liberal servant. The framework insists on human sovereignty over judgment, on action as the organ of thought, and on esthetics as the ultimate measure of the human.

Raphael Scholl: History and Philosophy of Molecular Biology (HPS 2290 Special Topics in History and Philosophy of Biology) [H]

This course will examine the field of molecular biology from an integrated historical and philosophical perspective. As we study the major episodes in the field's history, we will pay particular attention to the rich philosophical literature on the conceptual frameworks and empirical strategies that molecular biologists used to elucidate fundamental biological processes.

David Wallace: HPS 2830 / PHIL 2637 Philosophy of Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics

This course covers foundational issues in thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. Topics covered may include: the interpretation of the Laws of Thermodynamics, and of central concepts in thermodynamics like equilibrium and reversibility; the Boltzmannian and Gibbsian approaches to statistical mechanics; the relation between thermodynamics and statistical mechanics; the origin of time-asymmetry and irreversibility; Maxwell's demon. (Not all topics will be covered in all years.)

Wayne Wu: Perception (HPS 2634 Special Topics in Philosophy of Neuroscience and Cognitive Science)

We will survey recent approaches to philosophical problems in perception that draw substantively one empirical work. An important goal will be to understand how empirical work should be leveraged to address philosophical problems.

HPS graduate seminars 2025-6

DW, 11-5-2025

[H] indicates an elective seminar satisfying the History requirement.

Fall 2025

Edouard Machery, Recent Books in Cognitive Science (HPS 2634 Topics in History and Philosophy of Cognitive Science)

This course will focus on a few recently published books in the philosophy of cognitive science, which we will read and discuss in detail, with a focus on recent work on representation, concepts, innateness and empiricism, and, finally, AI. Background readings might be assigned to situate the books in their philosophical context.

John Norton, HPS 2844 Modern Cosmology [H]

In 1917 Einstein asked his new general theory of relativity how the universe might look on the largest scale. So was born the modern tradition in cosmology--rich in wild speculation, technical physics and controversy. We shall review its history and philosophy.

Paolo Palmieri, HPS 2810 Galileo and All That [H]

This seminar focuses on Galileo's contributions to the cultural revolution of the seventeenth century, including the astronomical discoveries, the physics of falling bodies, the philosophy of nature, the harmony of religion and science. The seminar approaches Galileo in the broader humanistic, philosophical, mathematical and religious context of early modern Europe. His ingenious experiments are really or virtually re-enacted in order to illuminate his creative pathways towards. The seminar traces Galileo's lasting legacy in the controversies that shaped the history and philosophy of modern science.

Wayne Wu, Explanation in Cognitive Science and Neuroscience (HPS 2390 Special Topics in History and Philosophy of Neuroscience)

The goal of this course is to understand explanation in cognitive neuroscience, research where neural properties are leveraged to explain psychological phenomena. We deploy Marr’s account of explanation and work with neuroscientists who will present their work in light of questions about neuroscientific explanation. We will work in the science to extract the scientist’s working model of explanation.

Porter Williams, HPS 2101/PHIL 2603 Philosophy of Science Core Seminar

This course will focus on central topics in general philosophy of science, including explanation, confirmation, causation, scientific realism, and the interaction between social and political values and scientific inquiry. We shall combine a reading of some historically important papers along with more recent work.

Spring 2026

Bob Batterman, HPS 2153 / PHIL 2663 Models and Modeling in Science

The use of models and modeling strategies in science is ubiquitous. There is, however, no generally accepted, or received view about the nature and role models play in scientific theorizing. Models are sometimes said to represent scientific targets of interest. How do they do this? Models are sometimes said to be explanatory of behaviors of targets of interest. How do they do this? Is the representative function of models related to their explanatory capabilities? If so, how? This course considers questions of these sorts, examining as well, the fact that models (almost by definition?) appear to involve idealizations of various kinds. What role do idealizations play in modeling contexts? Are they essential? Are they eliminable? . . .

Mike Dietrich, HPS 2103 History and Philosophy of Science Core Seminar

This course will consider the nature of integrated history and philosophy of science. Through key exemplars, we will critically explore different strategies for researching and writing history and philosophy of science. Students will be required to write four short papers over the course of the term. HPS graduate students must pass an exam on course related material at the end of the semester.

Marian Gilton, HPS 2812 Newton [H]

This course is an introduction to the life, work, and legacy of Issac Newton. It will balance readings from primary texts such as the Opticks and the Principia, together with secondary sources covering debates over topics such as: Newton's experimental, mathematical, and philosophical methods; his philosophical conception of space; what exactly about the Principia made it revolutionary; and the further development and reception of Newtonianism as a mode of scientific enterprise.

Sandy Mitchell, HPS 2276 / PHIL 2676 Biological Complexity

Biological systems are multi-level, historically contingent, robust and evolved structures. What are the special complexities of biological organization and dynamics? Some have identified biocomplexity as the reasons there are no laws of biology, others have defended reductionist strategies to explain the complexity, and others have founded new disciplines, like systems biology, as a response to bio complexity. This seminar explores topics related to ontological and methodological challenges for scientific approaches to knowledge of biological systems.

Paolo Palmieri, HPS 2117 Early Modern Women Philosophers [H]

This open-platform seminar questions the presence and absence of women philosophers in early modern Europe. The seminar is student-centered and promotes intellectual emancipation. Participants are welcome from all academic fields and perspectives. We will debate women philosophers and the role of visibility, oppression, seclusion, sexuality, violence, institutional racism, colonial prejudice, and gender in marking disciplinary boundaries within philosophy. Suggested examples of women in early modern philosophy and science include Virginia Galilei, Elizabeth of Bohemia, Margaret Cavendish, Émilie du Châtelet. Laura Bassi. Readings, writing and creative projects, punctuated silence, and colorful patterns of resistance are encouraged. There are no prerequisites.

David Wallace, HPS 2820 / PHIL 2661 Philosophy of Spacetime and Symmetry

This course explores the interpretation of spacetime theories (past, present, and perhaps future) and the role of symmetries (spacetime and otherwise) in the development and interpretation of physical theories. Topics covered may include: the debate over the reality of space and spacetime (that is, the debate between relationism and substantivalism); the relation between geometry, coordinate systems and reference frames; the modal, conceptual, and epistemic status of symmetry transformations; the relation between spacetime geometry and gravity. (Not all topics will be covered in all years.)

Wayne Wu, The Crisis of Attention (HPS 2634 Special Topics in Philosophy of Neuroscience and Cognitive Science)

Is there a crisis of attention? If so, what is the nature of this crisis and what can we do about it? In this seminar, we’ll address this issue of substantial social concern. In the first 10 sessions, there will be three readings: (a) a relevant philosophical perspective; (b) a relevant empirical study or review; and (c) a chapter from the author’s book manuscript. At the center will be an underdiscussed state of mind, attunement as the agent’s potential for attention (cf. disposition to attend). Topics covered include: attention in action; the nature of distraction; bias; the resource/commodity conception of attention; an attention economy; habits and automaticity; value-based attunement; learning attunement in skill, expertise and virtue; mediocre attunement in implicit bias and multitasking; ethical attention in Iris Murdoch, and, at the end, a survey of some recent work on norms of attention in ethics and epistemology. We will develop an empirically informed conception of attunement as the origin of attention as well as map its social and philosophical significance.

HPS graduate seminars 2024-5

[H] indicates an elective seminar satisfying the History requirement.

Fall 2024

Bob Batterman, Deep Learning (2622 Recent topics in philosophy of science)

In this course we will explore why and how deep learning works.

Mike Dietrich, The History of Development and Genetics (2290 Topics in History and Philosophy of Biology)

In this course we will examine the long history of the interactions between genetics and developmental biology. We will examine both the historical and biological literature on different approaches to developmental genetics from 1910 to 2010. Attitudes toward integration of development and genetics has shifted over time and region from one should not attempt to integrate them, to integration is too speculative, to integration has been accomplished because of molecular biology. Because the material in this course can become scientifically technical, seminar discussion will be supplemented by weekly background lectures.

Jon Fuller, 2101 Philosophy of Science Core Seminar

Edouard Machery, 2356 Morality and the Mind / Brain Sciences

This course will examine the issues that the behavioral, cognitive, and brain sciences raise in relation to morality. The topics to be covered may be tilted towards ethical issues in these sciences (aka "neuroethics"), or the role of these sciences in understanding and explaining human morality ("moral psychology"). Topics in neuroethics may include neurological and brain enhancement, ethical and policy issues related to neuroimaging, mind control and "mindreading", and the neuroscience of free will and responsibility as these relate to criminal culpability. Examples of topics in moral psychology and moral cognition include neurodevelopment and the emergence of personhood, agency and the self, and the neural basis of moral judgements

John Norton, 2154 Theories of Confirmation

Survey of accounts of the confirmation of scientific hypotheses, including both Bayesian and non-Bayesian approaches.

David Wallace, The Everett Interpretation (2890 Topics in History and Philosophy of Physics)

The Everett interpretation of quantum mechanics (often called the ‘many worlds interpretation’), despite its apparent metaphysical absurdity, is one of the most popular ways to understand quantum mechanics among physicists and has been recognized by philosophers in the last twenty years as a serious contender for solving the quantum measurement problem.

In this course I want to give an introduction to the history, formalism, metaphysics, and epistemology of the Everett interpretation, and also to the closely related field of decoherence theory. Since the Everett interpretation has been one of my own main areas of research, I’ll be drawing fairly extensively on my own work in this course, especially on my 2012 book The Emergent Multiverse.

The technical level of this course will vary quite a bit: discussions of decoherence and consistent histories will involve a fair amount of physics, but much of the discussions on emergence and probability will use little or none. While I don’t have any formal prerequisites for this course, realistically if you have no prior exposure to quantum mechanics you may have to do a bit of work to catch up.

Porter Willams and Mark Wilson, Physics and Philosophy, 1600-1800 (2509 Special topics in History of Philosophy of Science)

This course focuses on the developments between ~1600-1800 that led to physics beginning to branch off from natural philosophy and into an independent discipline. The course is organized around Brading & Stan's Philosophical Mechanics in the Age of Reason, which will be heavily supplemented with other readings.

Spring 2025

Jon Fuller, 2785 Philosophy of Mind and Medicine

This seminar course will explore problems at the intersection of philosophy of mind and philosophy of medicine. Topics may include: abnormal states of consciousness, death, medical disorders and identity, empathy and the explanatory gap, pain, mental disorder versus neurological disorder, brain imaging, and free will and medical disorders.

Marian Gilton, 2102 History of Science Core

Sandy Mitchell, 2687 The Epistemology of Experimental Practices

Observation and experimentation have long been taken as central to the legitimacy of scientific claims. This seminar examines the assumptions and inferences involved in reasoning about experimental results.

John Norton, 2422 Probability and Statistics

We shall review the development of the notion that uncertainty and the chaos of chance may be tamed by the application of numbers. We trace its birth in the 17th century as a device for bloodlessly resolving gambling disputes; its growth through statistical theory into one on science's most important analytic tools; and its ascendance in the work of philosophically minded Bayesians as the framework of all belief.

Paolo Palmieri, 2124 Scholasticism

This seminar explores the intellectual movement known as European Scholasticism, comparing and contrasting its nature with the debates it spawned. Scholasticism inherited ancient Greek philosophy and recast it in the framework of Christianity, shaping a worldview that laid the philosophical foundations of Western civilization. History and philosophy of science, analytic philosophy, and higher education institutions such as the university have their roots in Scholasticism, which spanned the late Middles Ages to the end of the seventeenth century. We investigate the scholastic origins of fundamental philosophical categories such as method, reality, essence, science, causality, demonstration, substance, order, analysis and synthesis.

Wayne Wu, Attention, Memory and Action (2390 Special Topics in History and Philosophy of Neuroscience)

The goal of this seminar is to build a comprehensive picture of human agency, focusing on the philosophy and cognitive science of action, attention, intention and memory. We examine philosophical approaches to these phenomena and examine related controversies in psychology and neuroscience. We show how philosophy and science can be mutually supporting and illuminating.

For additional course information and availability, please visit the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate Catalog contact us at hpsdept@pitt.edu.