PH458 Half Unit
Evidence and Policy
This information is for the 2025/26 session.
Course Convenor
Dr Liam Kofi Bright
Availability
This course is available on the MSc in Philosophy and Public Policy, MSc in Philosophy of Economics and the Social Sciences and MSc in Philosophy of Science. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit. This course uses controlled access as part of the course selection process.
How to apply: Priority is given to Philosophy students during week one of course selection.
From Thursday 02 October available spaces will be allocated via a random ballot process with priority given to students with the course in their Programme Regulations.
Students will have to select their own seminar group after being offered a space.
For queries contact: Philosophy.Pg@lse.ac.uk
This course is capped at 51.
Course content
The course will explore how scientific reasoning does and should inform policy making in a democracy. In the first part of the course we will examine how it is that ethical or political preferences come to influence scientific reasoning in light of its democratic role. In the second part of the course we will explore the sort of evidence policy makers might be especially interested in acquiring and the difficultives involved in producing such.
Teaching
15 hours of seminars and 10 hours of lectures in the Autumn Term.
Formative assessment
Students will be expected to produce 1 essay in the AT.
Indicative reading
Christensen, D. (2014). “Disagreement and Public Controversy” in Lackey, J. (ed.) Essays in Collective Epistemology. Oxford University Press.
Douglas, H. (2009). Science, Policy, and the Value Free Ideal. University of Pittsburgh Press.
Hardwig, J. (1985). Epistemic Dependence. The Journal of Philosophy.
Schenwar, M. & Law, V. (2021). Prison by Any Other Name: The Harmful Consequences of Popular Reforms. New Press.
Thoma, J. (2022). Weighing the Costs and Benefits of Public Policy: On the Dangers of Single Metric Accounting. LSE Public Policy Review.
Assessment
Essay (100%, 2000 words)
Part of the assessment of the final essay will be discussing how they have responded to feedback on the formative.
Key facts
Department: Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method
Course Study Period: Autumn Term
Unit value: Half unit
FHEQ Level: Level 7
CEFR Level: Null
Total students 2024/25: 40
Average class size 2024/25: 13
Controlled access 2024/25: YesCourse selection videos
Some departments have produced short videos to introduce their courses. Please refer to the course selection videos index page for further information.
Personal development skills
- Leadership
- Self-management
- Team working
- Problem solving
- Application of information skills
- Communication
- Application of numeracy skills
- Specialist skills