Conceptual Foundations of Modern Science

3 units

Where does modern science come from? This course examines the winding paths by which the dominant scientific world-views of the 20th century became established. We will discuss a variety of broad themes: scientific method or methods, revolutionary science, the relationship between science and society, and the aims of science. This course is not intended to be a comprehensive survey of the history of science. Instead, we will focus upon a few key figures - Galileo, Newton, Darwin - and we will read both primary and secondary literature on their significance to these broad themes.