美国佛罗里达大学哲学系刘闯教授
本学期在北大哲学系授课，欢迎选修

刘闯教授简介
1982年毕业于中国华东师范大学物理系，获理学学士
1991年毕业于美国匹兹堡大学科学史与科学哲学系，获博士学位
1991－1997年，任佛罗里达大学哲学系助理教授
1997－2005年，任佛罗里达大学哲学系副教授
2005－现在，任佛罗里达大学哲学系教授
研究领域：科学史与科学哲学，物理学哲学
主要著作：
(with G. Emch) 2002 The Logic of Thermo-Statistical Physics Berlin: Springer-Verlag
主要论文：
? 2004. “Approximations, Idealizations, and Models in Statistical Mechanics,” Erkenntnis （知识）60: 235-263.
? 2003 “Classical Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking,” Philosophy of Science （科学哲学）70(S): S1219-S1232.
? 2001. “Infinite Systems in SM Explanations: Thermodynamic Limit, Renormalization (semi-) Groups, and Irreversibility,” Philosophy of Science（科学哲学）68(S): S325-344.
? 1999. “Approximation, Idealization, and the Laws of Nature,” Synthese（综合）118: 229-256.
? 1998. “Theories and Models II: Issues and Applications,” International Studies in the Philosophy of Science（国际科学哲学研究）12: 111-128.
? 1997. “Theories and Models I: the Semantic View Revisited,” International Studies in the Philosophy of Science（国际科学哲学研究）11: 147-164.
? 1996. “Realism and Spacetime: Of Arguments Against Metaphysical Realism and Manifold Realism,” Philosophia Naturalis（自然哲学（德国杂志））33: 243-263.
? 1994. “Is There a Relativistic Thermodynamics: A Case Study of the Meaning of Special Relativity,” Studies in History and Philosophy of Science（科学史与科学哲学研究）25: 983-1004.
? 1993. “The Arrow of Time in Quantum Gravity,” Philosophy of Science（科学哲学）60: 619-637.
? 1992. “Einstein and Relativistic Thermodynamics in 1952,” British Journal for the History of Science（英国科学史杂志）25: 185-206.

刘闯教授讲授的课程之一：科学中的哲学问题
授课语言：中文
课程编号：02319480
课程性质：科哲专业科哲方向研究生必修课，欢迎其它专业研究生和高年级本科生选修
上课时间：周三上午9：00－12：00
上课地点：承泽园科社中心教室
学分：3
课程简介：
This course offers an advanced overview of the major issues concerning science; here science is treated both as theory and as practice.  The emphasis is on 'philosophical problems' in science, rather than on philosophy of science itself.  Therefore, instead of reviewing approaches and theories from a historical perspective, we begin each time from specific problems or issues in science and examine different ways of resolving them that we find in historical and contemporary works.  The areas in which we examine specific problems about science (that we have time to discuss in this course) include the nature of (1) being scientific, (2) scientific progress (or the lack thereof), (3) causation, (4) explanation, (5) reduction, (6) unification, (7) scientific theories, (8) confirmation.  Towards the end of the course, we read and discuss together two classics: Russell's The Problems of Philosophy and Goodman's Ways of Worldmaking, as a philosophical recapitulation of the entire philosophy of science.  The result is best if the participants are already very familiar with these two books; but we will try to do the best if not all of them are.  The readings for the course come mainly from an anthology (see below) of original and classic articles in philosophy of science.
The prerequisite for this course (i.e. necessary knowledge before taking this course) is a basic philosophical training and a general familiarity with science.  The former is perhaps more important than the latter because it is more difficult during the course to teach someone how to properly construct philosophical arguments and criticisms than to explain unfamiliar scientific theories.  No knowledge of philosophy of science and no in-depth knowledge of any scientific theory is required.  A strong reading aptitude of original English writings is crucial to the success of taking this course, but verbal skills are not necessary.
The course will be conducted as a seminar (讨论班).  Whether taking the course for credits or auditing it, the students are expected to have read the assigned readings before coming to class, because they will be asked to summarize a problem or a particular solution-proposal in the reading.  Students will also be asked to give interpretations or arguments during class discussions.  The main role of the instructor is more to guide the students in coming up with his or her own insights into the problems in discussion than telling them what the well known ones are .  Students are free to use Chinese or English to conduct such activities, while the instructor's lecture (if there is any) will be in a combination of English and Chinese  Students may be required to write a few short essays during the course, and there will be a mid-term and a final paper for those who take it for credits.

课程教材: ? Boyd, R., Gasper, P., Trout, J.D. (eds.) The Philosophy of Science
? B. Russell The Problems of Philosophy
? N. Goodman Ways of Worldmaking

刘闯教授讲授的课程之二：Physical World and Free Will
授课语言：英文
课程性质：所有专业研究生和本科生高年级均可选修
上课时间：周四上午9：00－12：00
上课地点：承泽园科社中心教室
学分：3
课程简介：
This course explores in-depth the issues about whether the existence of free will is compatible with the fact that human beings are fundamentally physical beings in a physical world. Here 'physical' should be understood in the broadest and most general sense: it essentially means anything that does not exclusively involve consciousness.  The course will go through some of the central issues in the standard literature on free will, on laws of nature in connection with determinism/indeterminism, and in the end a new approach recently proposed by the instructor to a difficult problem for libertarianism.  The topics we will go through include: (1) van Inwagen's incompatibility arguments; (2) the possibility of breaking laws of nature; (3) Davidson's approach to compatibilism; (4) Davidson's anomalous monism; (5) Nagel's ideas on freedom; (6) the Nozick-Kane model of libertarian free will; (7) Loewer's argument against it; (8) Wigner's solution to quantum measurement; (9) a dualistic Nozick-Kane model.
Whether taking the course for credit or auditing it, the students will be expected to read a large number of original works (including articles and selected chapters in books) and prepare for class discussion.  The prerequisite for this course (i.e. the necessary background knowledge before taking this course) is a solid philosophical training and a general familiarity with the literature on free will.  Some familiarity with foundational problems in quantum physics will help but Is not necessary.  A strong reading aptitude of original writings in English is crucial to the success of taking this course, but verbal skills are not necessary.
The course will be conducted as a seminar; the students are expected to have read the assigned readings before coming to class, because they will be asked to summarize a problem or a particular solution-proposal in the reading.  Students will also be asked to give interpretations or arguments during class discussions; and in addition, ideally each student will do an in-class report on a topic of their choosing.  "Ideally" because adjustment may have to be made depending on how many students take the course for credit and what background each student has.  The role of the instructor is to guide the students in coming up with his or her own insights into the problems in discussion and also to clearly explain the relevant basic positions on each issue .  Students are free to use Chinese or English to conduct such activities, while the instructor's lecturing (if there is any) will be in a combination of English and Chinese  
There will be a mid-term and a final paper for those who take it for credit.

课程教材： [1] Gary Watson Free Will (2nd ed.)
[2] Peter van Inwagen An Essay on Free Will
[3] Derk Pereboom Living Without Free Will
[4] David Armstrong What Is a Law of Nature?
Other electronic or photocopied articles are to be distributed by the instructor as needed during the course.