Welcome to the canvas information page for the course

(Exploring) The Scientific Method, 7.5 credits

MNXA19/MNXA29/SASF10

given by the Department of Physics.

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Contents
The course is an interdisciplinary course at the faculty of Science. The course is also an elective course for first-cycle studies for a Bachelor of Science with a specialisation in physics. The course covers basic questions about what constitutes science and the scientific method; what are the differences between true science and pseudoscience, from charlatanism and fraud; the relationship between faith and reason, religion and science; anthropocentricity and gender perspectives in science; and the connection between natural science and other creative activities such as painting, sculpture and composition. Selected topics: history of science theory of science pseudoscience and fraud faith, religion and science gender perspectives creativity The teaching consists of lectures and mandatory group discussions, seminars and interviews as well as connected mandatory assignments and presentations. There is typically one lecture per week (normally on Thursdays afternoons). These are followed by group discussions the afternoon after, where the students discuss the previous lecture. The lectures themselves do not directly connect to the course literature, but are designed to provoke discussion. The course literature is instead covered by the students themselves in a series of student seminars in the beginning of the course. The students are also tasked to read a book of their choice and write a report on it from a theory of science perspective. In addition, the students should find and interview two or three active researchers and summarise this in a written report. The mandatory course elements are: oral presentation at a seminar oral feedback to a presentation at a seminar acting as group discussion leader at least once active participation in at least six group discussions written report from a group discussion written report from interviews with active researchers oral and written feedback on an interview report essay treating a book from a scientific perspective oral and written feedback on an essay

General information

Semester and study period
- MNXA29/SASF10: autumn, 2nd study period (last time)
- MNXA19/SASF10: spring, 1st study period (from 2025)
Level: bachelor
Language: English
Form of teaching: combination of lectures and exercises
Assessment: the assessment consists of the mandatory course elements as outlined above
Grading scale: U-G
Syllabus:

Course literature

Alan F. Chalmers: What is this thing called science? 3rd or 4th edition. University of Queensland Press, Open University press, 4th revised edition, Hackett, 1999.

Teachers

Christian Bierlich, christian.bierlich@fysik.lu.se
Leif Lönnblad, leif.lonnblad@fysik.lu.se, phone: 046-22 2 7780

Schedule

The lectures are normally given every Thursday, 13:15 - 15:00, followed by group discussions every Friday 13:15 - 15:00. In addition, there are a couple of student seminars and presentation, which are normally scheduled on Monday and Tuesday afternoons.

Check the schedule for MNXA19/MNXA29 on TimeEdit.

Application

Apply to the course through the Swedish website Antagning.se (in Swedish). Please note: exchange students apply through their coordinator or SoleMove.

Read more about the course and, during the application period, how to apply via below links. Please note: to see if the course is open for application, always check the Swedish web page.

Read about the course MNXA19 on Lund University's central website (in English).
Read about the course MNXA19 on Lund University's central website (in Swedish).

Read more

All courses offered by the Department of Physics (at fysik.lu.se)
Degree project page on Canvas
Course evaluations on Canvas
Canvas page for physics students in Lund

Do you have questions? Please contact us the course responsible or the student administration.