Spring 2023
PHILOS 126 103 - DIS 103
Philosophy of Physics
Current Enrollment
Total Open Seats:
1
Enrolled: 16
Waitlisted: 0
Capacity: 17
Waitlist Max: 0
No Reserved Seats
Hours & Workload
3 hours of instructor presentation of course materials per week, 9 hours of outside work hours per week, and 1 hours of the exchange of opinions or questions on course material per week.
Course Catalog Description
This course is an introduction to various philosophical issues which arise in physics, concerning the nature of motion, laws, forces, space, time, and probability. The first half of the course will be concerned with classical mechanics; the second half will introduce special relativity and quantum mechanics. Questions to be discussed include: Are there instantaneous velocities? Are the laws of physics true, or are they just predictively useful approximations? Are forces like gravity real, or are they just mathematically convenient fictions? Is Newtonian mechanics really deterministic? Is space a thing (and what would that even mean)? What makes time different from space? In what sense does time have a direction? Is the present special?
Rules & Requirements
Credit Restrictions
Students will receive no credit for PHILOS 126 after completing PHILOS 126. A deficient grade in PHILOS 126 may be removed by taking PHILOS 126.
Repeat Rules
Course is not repeatable for credit.
Requirements class fulfills
Meets Physical Science, L&S Breadth
Meets Philosophy & Values, L&S Breadth
Reserved Seats
Current Enrollment
No Reserved Seats
Textbooks & Materials
See class syllabus or https://calstudentstore.berkeley.edu/textbooks for the most current information.
Guide to Open, Free, & Affordable Course Materials