History 181 - Hist Western Sci&Technology II

Science in the modern world from the Enlightenment to the Cold War. Key scientific issues of the modern age, the social organization of science, the place of the scientific community in larger social and cultural context, and the expanding relationship between science and modern technology. (Gen.Ed. HS)

This sequel to History 180 surveys Western science and technology in their cultural context from the Scientific Revolution to the Cold War. The course introduces students to key scientific ideas of the modern age through the lens of social, political, and intellectual history. Important themes include the social organization of science, the creation scientific spaces and sites for the production of scientific knowledge, and the role of technology in both science and the basic infrastructure of modern life. Course topics will vary widely, including subjects such as the Copernican view of the universe, Darwinian evolution in science and society, the quantum revolution in 20th century physics, and the Space Race. Readings will consist of primary and secondary sources; short research and response papers will be assigned. No prerequisites, although previous exposure to a course in modern European or American history is helpful.