Natural Science 0208 - Science in a Cultural Context

In this course we will develop an understanding of scientific inquiry and its methods as a human activity, inextricably linked to the cultural context in which it unfolds. By examining some of the major scientific revolutions in physics, we will ask: What kinds of truths do the sciences produce and how? What is the role of data and technology in the making of scientific progress? What is the interaction between the sciences and other aspects of culture, such as politics, religion, and the arts? What kind of a person is a scientist and how does that depend on the time and place? We will seek the answers by collaboratively studying a variety of sources, including historical documents; scholarly works of historians, philosophers, and other types of scholars; and both scientific and reflective writings of scientists themselves. This course will be accessible to all students who are interested in how scientific inquiry fits into the historical and contemporary cultural contexts. This is a reading- and writing-intensive course and written work will be assigned for each class.

Writing and Research Independent Work Students are generally expected to spend at least 6 to 8 hours per week on preparation and work outside of class time.