Theories and Models
HIST 339
Fall 2011
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01
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This class will focus on how theories and models are designed and regarded across the university curriculum--in the humanities, the social sciences, and the sciences. This topic is particularly pertinent to intellectual history, a subject that regularly uses texts from across the modern university curriculum as its primary readings. Given the range of intellectual history, both in terms of chronology and subject matter, intellectual history could be argued to be the subject best positioned to consider the process of making theory.
Questions to be addressed include the following: What are some of the unexpected results of the increased use of mathematics and computers even in the humanities and social sciences, not just in the sciences, and how has this changed the relationship of theory and models for each of these disciplines? To what extent does the debate about the refutability, the falsifiability--or truth status--of models indicate an ongoing need for theory? The specific modern academic subjects to be examined will be Philosophy, Economics, and Physics. Thomas Kuhn's THE STRUCTURE OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTIONS (1962) will serve as a starting point for this study; however, most of the readings during the semester will be much more recent. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Logical Reasoning, Writing
This reading and writing class will stress forms of argumentation and logical reasoning at all stages.
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (CSCT) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Thomas S. Kuhn, THE STRUCTURE OF SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTIONS
Sunny Y. Auyang, FOUNDATIONS OF COMPLEX-SYSTEM THEORIES IN ECONOMICS, EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, AND STATISTICAL PHYSICS
Daniel Dennett, CONSCIOUSNESS EXPLAINED (as well as responses to this book)
Steven E. Landsburg, THE BIG QUESTIONS: TACKLING THE PROBLEMS OF PHILOSOPHY WITH IDEAS FROM MATHEMATICS, ECONOMICS, AND PHYSICS
And other readings to be assigned.
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Examinations and Assignments:
Reading notes and three papers. |
| Instructor(s): Miller,Cecilia Times: .....F. 01:10PM-04:00PM; Location: PAC107; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 19 | | SR major: 4 | JR major: 3 | | |
| Seats Available: 15 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 3 | JR non-major: 3 | SO: 3 | FR: 3 |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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