Stemming from two public lectures on 'The History and Philosophy of Science', students, teachers and guests from the wider community were able to come and wrestle with the deeper question of “What makes Science, Science?”.

On two consecutive Mondays in Term 4, the Barker classroom opened to other schools and the general public. The Barker Institute wishes to particularly thank students who travelled long distances to join the lectures and the teachers who provided transport. It was an excellent series for community learning - wrestling with epistemology; 'how we know what we know'.

We invite you to view resources from the presentations via the links below.

Please see Lecture 1 PowerPoint HERE.

Lecture 1: Storytelling in Science Extension: Learning and teaching Science Extension through great stories in the history of science

17 October 2022 – Dr Alison Gates

A narrative account of some marvelous scientific discoveries, this lecture explores the history of science through the lens of scientific narratives. For new senior students, we hope to inspire you, to peak your curiosity and to whet your palate for what lies ahead in Science Extension.

Please see Lecture 2 PowerPoint HERE. 

Lecture 2: Philosophy of Science: Epistemology, Empiricism and Experimentation

24 October 2022 - Dr Matthew Hill

What does it mean to know something scientifically? Do all scientists follow the same scientific method? Come along to our second lecture to learn how Philosophers talk about the field of science. Relevant syllabus terms from Module 1 of the course such as epistemology, empiricism, induction, deduction, falsification and parsimony will be demystified, explained and contextualised.