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)

Open to Scientific Thinking RAP students in James Hall. Students in the Scientific Thinking RAP in James Hall will enroll together in The History of Science and Technology in the Western World (History 181). This course examines the development of science and technology in the West, focusing on key scientific ideas, discoveries, and players during the modern period spanning from the Scientific Revolution to the Cold War. Students will critically examine science's historical interaction with culture, politics, and religion. By the end of the semester, students will be able to evaluate and analyze both primary and secondary sources and engage with fundamental questions: What is "science," who are "scientists" and how does science happen? How has science changed the way we see, interpret, and understand the world around us? How do power and money benefit and/or constrain science? And, ultimately, is science a force for good or ill?