Social and Political Philosophy

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Understanding how science works and why it matters

Philosophy of science examines how scientific knowledge is created, tested and applied. It asks foundational questions about evidence, explanation, models and scientific reasoning across disciplines such as biology, physics, medicine and the social sciences. At UB, philosophy of science connects philosophical theory with active scientific practice.

Great for students interested in science, medicine, research, logic, data, public policy or the foundations of scientific knowledge.

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Big questions philosophy of science helps answer

Philosophy of science explores questions such as:

  • What counts as scientific evidence?
  • How do scientific theories explain the world?
  • What makes a good scientific model or experiment?
  • How do values and assumptions influence scientific research?
  • How should science inform public policy and decision making?
  • How do the institutions of science shape scientific output?

These questions help clarify how science advances and how it should be used responsibly.

How philosophy of science research works

Researchers analyze scientific reasoning using logical, historical and conceptual tools. This includes studying how experiments are designed, how models represent reality and how uncertainty is handled in scientific practice.

Research often involves:

  • Case studies from real scientific research
  • Logical and probabilistic analysis
  • Agent-based modeling
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration with scientists
  • Ethical and policy-related evaluation of scientific work

Key areas of focus

Philosophy of science research at UB often includes:

  • Scientific explanation and modeling
  • Probability, risk and decision making
  • Philosophy of biology and medicine
  • Methodology and scientific inference
  • Science policy and public understanding of science
Connects naturally to

Ethics and Applied Ethics, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Moral Psychology and Social Epistemology, Formal Methods: Logic, Decision Theory and Game Theory, History of Philosophy

Research faculty

Justin Bruner
Toby Friend
Ryan Muldoon
Neil Williams

Get involved

Students can participate in philosophy of science research through independent study, interdisciplinary projects and collaborations with faculty working at the intersection of philosophy and science.

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Learn how to get involved with undergraduate research
See careers in philosophy