In this seminar, we will study foundational, historical, and philosophical questions of cosmology, of space and time, and of space travel. The syllabus comprises topics and concepts such as key elements of the cosmological standard model, of cosmology as a science and how contemporary research benefits from an awareness of its historical development, and of further epistemological and methodological questions regarding, for instance, the heavy reliance on strong idealisations and extrapolations.


Prerequisites:
Formally, no prerequisite knowledge in either cosmology or philosophy is needed, but a willingness to engage in both is essential.


Learning outcome/learning goals:
• Basic knowledge of cosmology and of the physics of space and time
• Knowledge of basic relevant notions from the philosophy of the natural sciences
• Basic insights into the aims of scientific inquiry and the generation of scientific knowledge

In this seminar, we will study foundational, historical, and philosophical questions of cosmology, of space and time, and of space travel. The syllabus comprises topics and concepts such as key elements of the cosmological standard model, of cosmology as a science and how contemporary research benefits from an awareness of its historical development, and of further epistemological and methodological questions regarding, for instance, the heavy reliance on strong idealisations and extrapolations.


Prerequisites:
Formally, no prerequisite knowledge in either cosmology or philosophy is needed, but a willingness to engage in both is essential.


Learning outcome/learning goals:
• Basic knowledge of cosmology and of the physics of space and time
• Knowledge of basic relevant notions from the philosophy of the natural sciences
• Basic insights into the aims of scientific inquiry and the generation of scientific knowledge