Time Schedule:
Katharine Renee Zimmerman
HIST 312
Seattle Campus
Growth of modern science since the Renaissance, emphasizing the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century, the development of methodology, and the emergence of new fields of interest and new modes of thought.
Class description
This course examines key episodes and themes in the history of science since the 17th century. Students will learn to situate scientific ideas within their social, cultural, and broader intellectual contexts. We will survey a range of scientific developments, treating science both as a body of knowledge and as a set of practices, and moving across centuries, continents, and disciplines to see how what we know about the natural world is tied to the who, when, where, and how’s of knowledge production and circulation. To understand how modern scientific practices emerged, we will examine the changing nature of scientific inquiry and methodology, the importance of social supports and institutions for scientists, and the growing cultural importance of science in society.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Lectures & class discussion.
Recommended preparation
No prerequisites.
Class assignments and grading
Short writing assignments and in-class exercises
