History and Philosophy of Science and Technology

How are scientific theories developed? Do values affect science and do scientific theories influence social values? What is the role of science and technology in a democratic society? These are some of the questions that historians and philosophers of science examine. Courses in the philosophy of science engage with the structure of science, its methods, and its special claims to the production of knowledge. Courses in the history of science and technology situate scientific advances in their cultural and socio-economic context.

Students taking HPS courses deepen their understanding of major ideas in science; they learn to think critically about the past and present role of science in human societies, and they improve their skills in oral presentation and debate, research, and writing. 

Students pursuing History and Philosophy of Science and Technology programs will be ideally suited to any professional or academic context that requires an understanding of science, science in society, and the relation between the sciences and the humanities.

The Minor programs are designed to complement a wide range of Major or Specialist programs including those in the sciences, history, philosophy, or any program for which the combination of sciences and humanities could prove beneficial. The Major program is useful for elementary and secondary school teaching, museum and library work, science writing and editing, law, medicine and other fields where competence in both science and humanities is valuable.

Director of Undergraduate Studies:
Professor Mark Solovey
Victoria College, Room 322
Email: mark.solovey@utoronto.ca

Enquiries:
Victoria College, Room 316 (416-978-5397)

Use the University of Toronto International Application if you:

• currently reside outside of Canada, AND 
• are not currently studying, and have not previously studied in Canada, AND
• are not applying to any other Ontario university

Prospective international applicants who wish to apply to other Ontario universities in addition to the University of Toronto should use the OUAC 105 Application (see below).

If you have already applied with the OUAC 105 Application, you do not need to apply to the University of Toronto with the International Application. (If you submit both applications, your second application will be cancelled with no possibility of a refund.)

Note that you will need to pay a non-refundable fee of $180.

University of Toronto has contracted with the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) to provide application processing services. When you begin the application process, you will be transferred to the OUAC website where you will complete and submit your application. You will be required to create an OUAC Account (if you do not already have one). You may have only one OUAC Account. Direct any application process questions to the OUAC.