Schedule
DAY 1: Monday, 8 September 2025 (room: 2610-530)
9.00-10.15: Introduction to DAY 1-3 by Peter Kesting and Ingo Kleindienst
Part I. 1. Classical Theories of Science (Peter Kesting)
10.30–12.00: Introduction to classical theory of science
12.00–13.00: Lunch (room 2628-M212 (Valhalla))
13.00–13.45: 'The quest for the true essence of life': Plato’s doctrine of ideas and after
14.00–14.45: 'All ideas are developed from experience': Locke’s empiricism and after
15.00–15.30: 'Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent': Logical empiricism
15.45-16.15: 'Science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths': Critical rationalism
Day 2: Tuesday, 9 September 2025 (room: 2610-530)
9.00–9.15 Introduction
9.15–9.45: 'A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it': Kuhn and the structure of scientific revolutions
9.45–12.00: Reconstruction: What to do?
12.00–13.00: Lunch (room 2628-M212 (Valhalla))
Part I. 2. Practical Construction of the PhD (Ingo Kleindienst)
13.00 -13.30: Introduction – The practical construction of the PhD
13.30-15.00: Research field & research question
15.00-18.00: Student presentations: What is your research field? What is your research question? Why does it matter? (Students present their answers individually, 5 minutes each. Thereafter 10 minutes discussion per student led by Ingo Kleindienst).
Day 3: Wednesday, 10 September 2025 (room: 2610-530)
9.00-11.00: Theory and literature review
11.00-11.30: Student presentations: How did you select your literature for review? What criteria determined relevance and irrelevance? What is your choice of theory based on? What alternative theories did you consider? (Students present their answers, 2-3 minutes each, discussion led by Ingo Kleindienst)
11.30-12.15: Selection of method and access to sources
12.15-13.00: The discipline of dissertation writing
13.00 : Lunch (room 2628-M212 (Valhalla))
Readings - Part ONE
I.1/Peter Kesting
Kesting, P. (2023). What theory is–A late reply to Sutton and Staw 1995. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 39(2).
Caldwell, B. (1984) Beyond Positivism: Economic Methodology in the 20th Century, London: Allen and Unwin.
Beyond Positivism is a little difficult to read, but part one of that book provides a very focused and profound introduction to 20th century philosophy of science. We will use this part as a condensed overview of logical empiricism, critical realism, and Kuhn. So please use it as starting point for your assignment. In other words: The section on “your” doctrine is mandatory; I recommend reading the other sections of part one of this book as well.
Russell, Bertrand (1946). History of Western Philosophy, any edition.
This book provides a very readable (although not completely objective) introduction to the core concepts of Plato (first book, section 15), Locke (third book, section 13), and Hume (third book, section 17). The section on Kant (third book, section 20) is rather weak – but we do not go very deep into that anyway. However, this book is NOT mandatory for the course.
Additionally, some original sources of different "modern" doctrines:
On logical empiricism:
Schlick, M. (1929) The Scientific Conception of the World, any edition.
On critical realism:
Popper, Karl R. (1934) The Logic of Scientific Discovery, any edition.
Popper, Karl R. (1984): In a Search of a Better World, any edition
On Kuhn and the sociology of science:
Kuhn, T.S. (1962) The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, any edition that contains the Postscript 1969.
I will give you recommendations for additional readings after you have been assigned to a topic.
If you can’t get enough:
Schumpeter, Joseph A. (1945) History of Economic Analysis, any edition, part I.
In my opinion, Schumpeter’s History is one of the greatest books that has ever been written on philosophy of science from an economics perspective. Very difficult to read.
Friedman, M. (1953) 'The Methodology of positive Economics' in Friedman, M., Essays in Positive Economics, Chicago: University of Chicago Press, pp. 3-43 (or any reprint).
A classic on economic methodology. Very influential, very present today – and still very controversial.
I.2/Ingo Kleindienst:
Booth, W.C., Colomb, G.C., Williams, J.M., Bizup, J., and Fitzgeral, W.T. (2016). 4th edition, The Craft of Research. Chicago, Ill.: The University of Chicago Press.
Available online at Ebook Central. Access via AU Library
On habits and writing
Newport, C. (2016) Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World, New York: Grand Central Publishing.
Silvia, P.J. (2015) Write it Up, Washington, DC.: APA LifeTools.
Silvia, P.J. (2019) How to Write a Lot. Washington, DC.: American Psychological Association.
More literature will be announced during the course.