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Dibs Fall 2026

PHILOS 8

Introduction to Philosophy of Science

Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Study of selected problems concerning the character and reliability of scientific understanding, such as nature of scientific theory and explanation, reality of theoretical entities, inductive confirmation of hypotheses, and occurrence of scientific revolutions. Discussion at nontechnical level of episodes from history of science. P/NP or letter grading.

Course statistics

Predicted GPA
3.62
n = 1,497 · 5 terms · ± 0.014
A range
71%
of letter grades
Taken P/NP
3%
98% of those passed
D / F / W
1.0%
incl. withdrawals

Sections in Fall 2026

Not offered in Fall 2026.

Enrollment history

Final enrollment per term, averaged across that term's sections. Four years deep, summer excluded. Per-section live curves are on each section page.

  • 33022S
  • 30122F
  • 30823F
  • 27624S
  • 33124F
Enrolment by term: 22S 330, 22F 301, 23F 308, 24S 276, 24F 331
Peak 331 Most recent 331 in 24F 5 terms on record

Grade distribution

  • A+ 282 · 18.2%
  • A 556 · 35.9%
  • A- 220 · 14.2%
  • B+ 157 · 10.1%
  • B 122 · 7.9%
  • B- 76 · 4.9%
  • C+ 36 · 2.3%
  • C 31 · 2.0%
  • C- 2 · 0.1%
  • D+ 3 · 0.2%
  • D 6 · 0.4%
  • F 6 · 0.4%
  • P 46 · 3.0%
  • NP 1 · 0.1%
  • I 3 · 0.2%

Grey bars are non-letter outcomes — P/NP, S/U, incompletes. They are excluded from the GPA entirely rather than scored, because counting a P as a 4.0 would be a fabrication.

By instructor

Instructor Predicted Raw n Terms A range
SMITH, SHELDON RUSSELL 3.70 3.70 598 2 79%
KHALIFA, KAREEM E 3.69 3.69 590 2 75%
ELLIOTT, KATRINA JEANINE 3.32 3.30 309 1 47%

“Predicted” is shrunk toward the course average, which is itself shrunk toward the department — so an instructor with a handful of students sits near the course mean rather than topping the list.

By term