History of Science
Intensive reading and analysis of key works in the history and historiography of science. Introduces students to basic interpretive issues, bibliographic sources, and professional standards. Topics change from year to year.
Fall 2015
This course offers an introduction to the history and historiography of science from ancient Greece to the present. It is designed to serve as an introduction for those who have no prior background in the field and to deepen the knowledge of those who already do. We will consider how the history of science has responded to its encounters with philosophy, sociology, economics, and anthropology. Our readings and discussions will focus on determining what makes particular works effective, understanding major contemporary trends and debates in the history of science, and establishing resources for further research.
Readings
- For an overview of major events in the history of science see: Bowler, Peter, and Iwan Morus. Making Modern Science: A Historical Survey . University of Chicago Press, 2005. ISBN: 9780226068619.
- For an overview of the historiography of science consult: Golinski, Jan. Making Natural Knowledge: Constructivism and the History of Science . University of Chicago Press, 2005. ISBN: 9780226302317.
Prerequisites & course information
Prereq: Permission of instructor Acad Year 2027-2028: G (Fall) Acad Year 2028-2029: Not offered 3-0-9 units
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Fall 2015
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.