Class Discussion Page

Course Structure and Information This course will focus on the historical development of science in the context of embedded culture. That is, we will probe the cultural conditions that must exist before scientific theory is accepted. We will concentrate on a few important historical periods to identify and assess various scientific ideas within those periods in the context of both social and technological settings. Throughout, we will attempt to trace the origin, transmission and refinement of scientific ideas from their early inception to their modern manifestation. This is an interdisicplinary course designed to enhance both the science and cultural literacy of the students. We intend to present science as an empirical process driven by observations and curiousity that represents an ongoing humanistic endeavor to understand the world. Students will work together in various teams to do various ob servations and or experiments and will then present their observations/work to their peers, who will represent the skeptical culture of the time. The way this will work should become clear in the first week of classes. The course website is http://zebu.uoregon.edu/2003/hum399.html This course has three main goals: To get students to understand that science is a process deeply embedded in culture and language To get students to realize that "scientific knowledge" is largely acquired via a combination of accidental discovery and an open mind. To get students to work together collaboratively to form and present hypothesis based on thinking critially about some set of observations or experiments. Grading Policy Your grade will be based on this approximately criteria: Group/Individual assignments and presentations: 45% The Final Exam: 40% In class participation: 15% Other Reference Material: Comprehensive overview of most of this entire course