Course Schedule

Course Schedule
Week 1 Laying the Groundwork.
W (01/21) Course Introduction.
F (01/23) What is the History of Science? Key questions and guidelines.

Week 2 Pre-Modern “Science.”
M (01/26) Background: Ancient “Science” and the Scientific Revolution.
W (01/28) The Scientific Revolution, continued.
F (01/30) The Scientific Revolution, continued.
Reading Assignment: Lindberg and Numbers, ch. 2: “Galileo, the Church, and the Cosmos”

Week 3 The Enlightenment and Modern Science.
M (02/02) Scientific Revolution, concluded, Introduction to Science in the Enlightenment.
W (02/04) Science in the Enlightenment, continued.
F (02/06) Science and Society in the Enlightenment.

Week 4 Science and Religion in the Eighteenth and Early Nineteenth Centuries.
M (02/09) Science and Religion in the Enlightenment, Introduction
W (02/11) Science and Religion in the Enlightenment, continued.
Reading Assignment: Lindberg and Numbers, ch. 4: “Matter, Force, and the Christian Worldview in the Enlightenment.”
F (02/13) Science and Religion after the Enlightenment.
Reading Assignment: Lindberg and Numbers, ch. 6: “Genesis and Geology Revisited.”

Week 5 Charles Darwin: A Case Study in Science and Culture.
M (02/16) Transition. The “lost causes” and theories of evolution before Darwin.
W (02/18) Introduction to Darwin.
Reading Assignment: Bowler, chapter 1.
*F (02/20) Darwin introduction, continued.
Reading Assignment: Bowler, chapter 2.
Written Assignment due: Review of Lynn, Michael R., “Divining the Enlightenment: Public Opinion and Popular Science in Old Regime France.” Isis, vol. 92, No. 1 (Mar., 2001), 34-54. Available Online via J-Stor. Article Review Due.

 

Week 6 Charles Darwin, continued.
M (02/23) Darwin’s Formative Years.
Reading Assignment: Bowler, chapters 3 & 4.
W (02/25) Darwin’s Theory Develops.
Reading Assignment: Bowler, chapters 5 & 6.
F (02/27) Darwin’s Theory hits the Public Sphere.
Reading Assignment: Bowler, chapters 7 & 8.

Week 7 Darwin and Darwinism.
M (03/02) Darwin in the public, continued. The Fallout.
Reading Assignment: Bowler, chapter 9.
W (03/04) Darwin and the Origins of Man.
Reading Assignment: Bowler, chapter 10.
F (03/06) Darwin and Christianity.
Reading Assignment: Lindberg and Numbers, ch. 8: “Re-placing Darwinism and Christianity.”

Week 8 Midterm
M (03/09) Leftover discussion points and Review for Midterm.
W (03/11) MID-TERM EXAMINATION.
F (03/13) Tests returned and discussed.

SPRING BREAK

Week 9 A Brief History of Medicine.
M (03/23) Introduction to the History of Medicine.
W (03/25) Blood and Guts, part 1.
Reading Assignment: Porter, Blood and Guts, first half.
F (03/27) Blood and Guts, part 2.
Reading Assignment: Porter, Blood and Guts, second half.

Week 10 History of Science Theater (3000).
M (03/30) Part 1.
W (04/01) Part 2.
F (04/03) Movie: “The Boldest Hoax.”

Week 11 Men Who Made a New Physics.
M (04/06) History of Science Theater, concluded.
W (04/08) Ernest Rutherford.
Reading Assignment: Cline, Chapter 1.
F (04/10) Rutherford, Continued.
Reading Assignment: Cline, Chapter 2.

Week 12 Men Who Made a New Physics, continued
M (04/13) Max Planck
Reading Assignment: Cline, Chapters 3&4.
W (04/15) Early Einstein.
Reading Assignment: Cline, Chapter 5.
F (04/17) Neils Bohr and Co.
Reading Assignment: Cline, Chapters 6 & 7.

 

Week 13 Men Who Made a New Physics, wrap-up.
M (04/20) Life at the Institute and Quantum Theory, for the Rest of Us.
Reading Assignment: Cline, Chapters 8 & 9.
W (04/22) Quantum Theory, and the General Theory.
Reading Assignment: Cline, Chapters 10, 11, & 12.
F (04/24) Men Who Made A New Physics, Concluded.
Reading Assignment: Cline, Chapters 13 & 14.

Week 14 Copenhagen.
M (04/27) Copenhagen, part 1.
W (04/29) Copenhagen, part 2.
F (05/01) Copenhagen, concluded.

Week 15
**M (05/04) Copenhagen discussion.
COPENHAGEN RESPONSE PAPERS DUE.
W (05/06) Conclusion of modern physics section.
F (05/08) Review for final.

FINAL EXAMINATION: Wednesday, May 13, 2:00-3:55.