探索科學II:從前現代到現代科學

Modern culture is a culture of science. Modern science is the outcome of a historical process of more than 4000 years. It is often presented as progressive historical product where science evolves following improvements and revolutionary ideas made by genius. In this course we will see that things are different. We will follow several disciplines, namely astronomy, physics, chemistry and biology and we will investigate texts and materials from various centuries. We will see how scientists struggled with mistakes, old and new concepts, unsufficient experiments and materials, social policies, moral values and how they created new problems. In this course we investigate how knowledge acquired the characteristics of modern science: the social structure, contents, values and methods, and how their history was built.

A basic level of English is sufficient to enter this class, teacher and students can also communicate in Chinese. If you already followed the course Exploring History of Science Part I: Science in the Ancient Worlds, the class will be easier for you, yet, it is possible to follow this course without attending the Part I.

This course is taught partly by the teacher and partly by dialogue with students. One part of the class is dedicated to the lecture, showing and explaining notions and historical element. Then, in the other parts, Students and teacher discuss historical texts in class. The teaching method requires participation from the students. Many questions are raised, and the answers are discussed. The other part of the class is dedicated to student’s interest, where selected topics are presented by students and discussed with the students and teacher.

Although the class is in English, the level of language is not taken into account for the evaluation. To do so, the evaluation follows two processes: one is made through short quiz tests every week, and longer quiz tests for the mid-term and final exam, the other through oral presentation and participation in class. The short quiz test consists of a single multiple choice question on the previous lecture. The longer quiz test consists in a set of multiple choice questions. The documents provided in class can be used while the exam. The other part of the evaluation consists of a poster presentation, quality of questions and criticism sent by students and participation in class. Class participation (including prepared questions, criticisms, opinions): 5% Oral presentation: 20% Weekly multiple choice questions: 10% Mid-term open book exam: 30% Final exam: 35%

All materials are provided by the teacher. (A. Koyre, From the Closed World to the Infinite Universe, Peter Smith Publisher 1983. T.S. Kuhn, Structure of Scientific Revolution, Wiley ed. 2002. D. R. Danielson, The Book of the Cosmos, Helix Books Perseus Publishing, Cambridge Massachusetts, 2000; etc.)

地點

A609

時間

2CD, 3CD, 4CD

聯絡方式

philo.nctu@gmail.com