History and Philosophy of Science

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND

The Committee for Philosophy and the Sciences (CPaS) is a research and teaching unit of the Department of Philosophy. CPaS replaces two previous committees, the Committee for the History and Philosophy of Science, and the Committee for Cognitive Studies. Students interested in history of technology should contact Professor Robert Friedel of the Department of History.
CPaS administers an interdisciplinary graduate specialization leading to an MA or PhD degree in philosophy for students who are interested in pursuing philosophically informed foundational research in an area of science, and will be of particular interest to students who already have a substantial background in that science. Relevant sciences include physics, biology, neuroscience psychology, computer science, artificial intelligence, and linguistics, all of which are strongly represented on campus. There are two tracks, with different course requirements: a philosophy of science track and a cognitive studies track.

CPaS has strong links to science departments on campus, especially Physics and Biology, and also to the recently developed graduate programs in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science (NACS) and Behavior, Evolution, Ecology and Systematics (BEES), as well as to the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS). CPaS is also closely affiliated with the Foundations of Physics Group. In addition,students have available the research facilities of several area universities, research institutes, and specialized libraries. Of particular interest to CPaS students are the resources of the Center for the History of Physics at the American Institute of Physics in College Park, the Library of Congress, and the Smithsonian Libraries. All are easily accessible by rapid transit.

Although CPaS has no formal program of post-doctoral studies, the Committee will consider supervising post-doctoral research by individuals who have secured fellowships or outside funding. Under appropriate circumstances, such researchers may be appointed as CPaS Research Associates. Scholars from various universities in the US and abroad have availed themselves of this opportunity.