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Lecturer(s)
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Zámečník Hadwiger Lukáš, Mgr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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(1) The philosophy of physics I. (from Galileo to Newton) (2) The philosophy of physics I. (from Kant to Mach) (3) Physical quantities and constants (4) Symmetry and the conservation laws (5) Symmetry breaking (6) Determinism in physics (shown on the general theory of relativity) (7) Indeterminism in physics (shown on quantum mechanics) (8) Physical cosmology I. (9) Physical cosmology II. (10) Physical theory (from the laws of nature to physical models) (11) Final lecture, credits granted
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture, Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook), Methods of Written Work
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Learning outcomes
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The course focuses on the philosophy of physics, which is usually rather underrated in the Czech science community. First, students will be shown how some of the basic concepts of physics were conceived (such as matter and mass, energy and momentum, and principle and law). Then, the following selected topics will be discussed: physical quantity and constant, symmetry and the conservation laws, symmetry breaking, determinism (shown on the general theory of relativity), indeterminism (shown on quantum mechanics), and physical cosmology. The goal of the course is fairly simple: understand how a science field is conceptually built; we will be using physics to do so. The course may leave students unable to solve equations describing Higgs' mechanism of spontaneous symmetry breaking (it probably will) but it will help them comprehend what a physical explanation does when it describes reality.
Conceptual analysis Scholarly text analysis Scholarly text analysis - other than CZ Presentation
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Prerequisites
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The course is open for students of any year (the contents can be tailored to the needs/abilities of enrolled students) Students are expected to have reading English (part of the required reading is English only)
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Written exam, Student performance, Analysis of linguistic, Dialog, Systematic Observation of Student
(1) regular class attendance (80%) (2) regular homework / reading assignments (3) presentation (4) one-to-one discussion of a selected text (students are expected to be knowledgeable in selected topics and know the extended/recommended literature)
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Recommended literature
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Coveney, P., Highfield, R. Mezi chaosem a řádem. Praha, Mladá fronta, 2003.
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Einstein, A. Jak vidím svět. Praha, Nakladatelství Lidové noviny, 1993.
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Giere, R. N. (2009). Science Without Laws. Chicago.
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Green, B. (2007). Struktura vesmíru: Čas, prostor a povaha reality. Praha.
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Heisenberg, W., & Král, M. (2000). Fyzika a filosofie. Praha: Aurora.
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Maudlin, T. (2010). The Metaphysics Within Physics. Oxford.
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Rosenberg, A. Philosophy of Science. .
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Rosenberg, A. (2008). Philosophy of Social Science. New York and London.
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Stenger, V. C. (2006). The Comprehensible Cosmos. New York.
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Stewart, I. (2009). Hraje Bůh kostky?: nová matematika chaosu. Praha.
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Stewart, I. (2006). Odsud až do nekonečna. Praha.
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Torretti, R. (2007). The Philosophy of Physics. Cambridge.
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