Science in Western Culture
HIST 254
Fall 2014
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
SISP 254 |
| Certificates: International Relations |
This course offers an introduction to the history of the sciences between the late 17th and early 20th centuries, with the aim of understanding the varied ways of knowing that have come to be called "science" and how they have attained such an important status in shaping modern Western culture. To do so, we will both investigate key intellectual developments--such as Newtonianism, theories of energy and matter, and the rise of evolutionary thought--and consider these ideas in the cultural contexts in which they developed to better understand how people have "done science" in different times and places.
Throughout, we will pay attention to the relationships between science and other knowledge systems, between scientists and nonscientists, and between science and state power by exploring the changing nature of scientific authority, the cultural status of the scientist, and the connections among science, commerce, technology, and empire. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Lecture | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (EDST)(HIST-MN)(HIST)(IDEA-MN)(IDEA)(STS) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 75% - 89% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Betty Jo Teeter Dobbs and Margaret Jacob, NEWTON AND THE CULTURE OF NEWTONIANISM (Atlantic Highlands, NJ: Humanities Press, 1995).
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Examinations and Assignments:
In addition to brief assignments based on the readings, there will be three take-home examinations. |
| Instructor(s): Erickson,Paul Hilding Times: .M.W.F. 11:00AM-11:50AM; Location: PAC125; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 40 | | SR major: 6 | JR major: 6 | | |
| Seats Available: 2 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 4 | JR non-major: 4 | SO: 10 | FR: 10 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 7 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 1 | 3rd Ranked: 1 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 5 |
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