Course Content:
This course covers philosophical questions about cosmology and about the
exploration of terra incognita related to space. First, we cover the meaning of
exploration for mankind in general (exploration of new territories as well as of laws of
the physical world and laws in general). Second, we specialize to questions related to
space: What is the idea behind a finite or infinite world? What does the exploration of
space mean for the “position” of mankind within the Universe, for the world view of
human beings? What would it mean for mankind if the search for extraterrestrial life
will be successful? In what sense can cosmology missions “uncover” the dynamics of
the universe from the Big Bang to the far future? What concept of time is involved
here and what counts as evidence and why?
Outcome:
Learning outcome/learning goals:
• Knowledge of basic notions from the philosophy of the natural sciences (natural law,
space, time, infinity, …)
• Basic insights into the aims of scientific inquiry and the generation of scientific
knowledge (by means of examples from the history of cosmology)
• Ideas involved in human self-understanding related to “other worlds” or
extraterrestrial life
• Basic knowledge of cosmology.
