History of science : history of science to the age of Newton Spring 2010

Transcription

1 History of science : history of science to the age of Newton Spring 2010 Instructor: assistant professor Rienk H. Vermij Physical Sciences Building, room 606, tel office hours: Monday , Tuesday , or by appointment TA: Henry Zepeda PHSC room 611, tel. (626) office hours: Wednesday Class meets MWF in Physical Science Building, room 363. This course will give insight into the way people in the past, roughly speaking from prehistoric times to the seventeenth century, looked upon nature and tried to come to grips with it. In most cases, their ideas do not appear very "scientific" to us. Properly speaking, there was no such thing as modern science at this period. In investigating nature, people did not just give different answers than those we are familiar with; they often did not even pose the same kind of questions. Their knowledge of nature might be inseparably entwined with ideas now regarded as superstitious, magical, religious or philosophical. So, when and how did in course of time emerge something what we might recognize as "science"? The course offers not just a rehearsal of important discoveries (although these will inevitably turn up). It aims to give insight in the genesis of modern scientific thinking, and modern scientific practices, as such. Therefore, we are not just interested in ideas and theories which today are regarded as correct, but also in the ideas which they came to supplant; and not just in the theories, but also in the circumstances which made them possible. General rules Everyone is expected to keep up with the reading schedule, and to participate in class discussion of the reading. Exams are given both over assigned readings and over the information the instructor gives in class. If any students have missed a class, it is their responsibility to find out what has been taught. It is the policy of the university to excuse the absence of students that result from religious observances and to provide without penalty for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required class work that may fall on religious holidays. Please see me in advance. Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible so that we can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational opportunities.

2 Course assessment Course assessment is by essays and examinations. There are 500 points in all, divided as follows over the various parts: Essays: Midterm examination: Final examination: 300 points 100 points 100 points There are four essay assignments, of which the students have to complete at least three. Each essay counts for 100 points. You may do all four, but only the three highest grades will count. Essays have to be turned in at the due time. Late essays are not acceptable. Course readings Textbook: Andrew Ede and Lesley B. Cormac, A history of science in society. From philosophy to utility (Peterborough, Ontario: Broadview Press 2004) The content of this book will be part of the examination. The book is available for purchase in the university bookstore. Class meetings will focus frequently on additional readings, often of primary sources. These readings are available on D2L, in the Library's electronic reserve, or on public sites on the internet. The texts have to be studied before the respective class meeting. Please have them printed and bring them to the meeting. - Jonathan Barnes ed., Early Greek philosophy (London: Penguin books 2001) 18-23, E.J.L. Edelstein and L. Edelstein, Asclepius. Collection and interpretation of the documents (Baltimore 1998) Hippocrates, 'Oath', 'Treatise on man' and 'The sacred disease', from The medical works of Hippocrates, translated by J. Chadwick and W.N. Mann (Oxford: Blackwell s.a.). - Epicurus, Letter to Herodotus, in: The essential Epicurus, translated by E. O'Connor (Buffalo:Prometheus books 1993) Plato, from the Republic; Plato, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Symposium, Republic, translated by B. Jowett (New York: Walter Black 1942) Aristotle, History of animals, book III, chapter 2-3; book VI, chapter 3. - Aristotle, Physics, book I, chapter 1; book II, chapter 1. - Hero of Alexandria, Pneumatics, translated by J.G. Greenwood (London and New York 1971, original edition 1851). - Plutarchus, Life of Marcellus, chapter David A. King, 'Science in the service of religion: the case of Islam', in: id., Astronomy in the service of Islam (Aldershot 1993), I. - Petrus Abelard, 'The calamities of Petrus Abelard', in Lettes and other writings, translated by William Levitan (Indianapolis: Hackett publishing company 2007) The letter of Petrus Peregrinus on the magnet, A.D. 1269, translated by brother Arnold

3 (New York: McGraw-Hill 1904) Marbodus, 'The meaning of stones' (Liber lapidum), in P.G. Maxwell-Stuart, The occult in mediaeval Europe, (New York: Palgrave Macmillan 2005) Robert Bartlett, The natural and the supernatural in the Middle Ages (Cambridge etc: Cambridge University Press 2008) Georgius Agricola, De re metallica, translated by H.C. Hoover and H.H. Hoover (1912, reprint New York: Dover 1950) Copernicus, On the revolutions, book I, chapter 10. This work is available at - William Gilbert, On the magnet, book I, chapter 3 and 17; book V chapter William Harvey, An anatomical disputation concerning the movement of the heart and blood, translated by G. Whitteridge (Oxford etc.: Blackwell 1976) 74-77, Galileo Galilei, The starry messenger, from Discoveries and opinions of Galileo, translated by Stillman Drake (New York: Anchor Books 1957) Maurice A. Finocchiaro, The Galileo affair. A documentary history (University of California Press 1989) and René Descartes, The world, - Bernard Le Bovier de Fontenelle, Conversations on the plurality of worlds, translated by H.A. Hargreaves (Berkeley etc. 1990) Thomas Sprat, History of the Royal Society (Saint Louis and London 1959) Isaac Newton, fragments from Principia: General scholium. Available at - Newton, New theory of light and colors, available at Reading schedule. The schedule may be subject to modification. Jan 20 (Introduction) 22 Barnes, Early Greek philosophy 25 Edelstein, Asclepius; Hippocrates, 'Sacred disease' 27 Hippocrates, 'Oath' and 'Nature of man' 29 Plato, Republic Febr 1 Aristophanes, Clouds First essay due 3 Epicurus, Letter to Herodotus 5

4 8 Aristotle, Physics 10 (continued) 12 Aristotle, History of animals 15 (Ancient astronomy.) Please study the animations of planetary models at: 17 Hero, Pneumatics. 19 Plutarch, 'Life of Marcellus' 22 King, 'Science in Islam' Second essay due 24 Physiologus; Marbod, Meaning of stones 26 Abelard, The calamities March 1 Bartlett, The natural and the supernatural 3 Peregrinus, Letter on the magnet 5 (mapmaking, practical arts) 8 (Renaissance, introduction) 10 April 2 12 (midterm examination) Spring vacation, no class 22 Agricola, De re metallica 24 Copernicus, On the revolutions 26 (Sixteenth-century astronomy) 29 Gilbert, On the magnet Third essay due 31 Harvey, The movement of the heart and blood

5 5 Galileo, Starry messenger 7 Finocchiaro, Galileo affair 9 (Galileo, continued) 12 Descartes, The world 14 Fontenelle, Conversations on the plurality of worlds 16 Sprat, History of the Royal Society 19 (Seventeenth-century science, continued) 21, 23 (Absence of instructor) 26 Newton, Fragments from Principia Fourth essay due 28 Newton, 'New theory of light and colors' 30 Newton project, on line May 3 t.b.a. 5 t.b.a. 7 t.b.a.