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  6. HS2503: HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE II

HS2503: HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE II (2014-2015)

Last modified: 28 Jun 2018 10:27


Course Overview

How is science made, and how is it shaped by the culture which creates it? This course explores the making of some of the most important scientific developments in modern times. Spanning the period from 1750 to the present, it covers such topics as the Industrial Revolution, the unearthing of geological time, the emergence and impacts of Darwinism, the birth of psychology, and the making of the atomic bomb. Students will be asked to think not just about how science and technology changed, but why, and what connected these changes to the societies which hosted them.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 2
Term Second Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus None. Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Ben Marsden

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

None.

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

This course offers an introduction to the history of science, technology and medicine from the late eighteenth century to recent times. It focuses on key historical topics, including: science and cultures of improvement in the Enlightenment; James Watt and revolutions in industry; evolution and its impacts before and after Darwin; scientizing the human mind and body (including intelligence testing and eugenics); medicine in history; ethical issues in contemporary science (e.g., 'Big Science' and the making of the atomic bomb). Students are asked to consider the nature of scientific and medical change; the relationship of science and medicine to wider cultural forms; and the impacts of science and medicine in everyday lives.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

1 one-and-a-half-hour written examination (60%) and in-course assessment (40%) of which essay (2000 words, 30%) and tutorial assessment (10%). Resit: 1 one-and-a-half-hour written examination (100%).

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Feedback

Essay: feedback is provided through the standard History essay feedback form which indicates student achievement in key areas (sources, language, argument etc) Tutorial: each student is asked to do a presentation and to participate meaningfully in class discussion (on set readings, and peers' presentations); the tutor provides ongoing verbal feedback regarding class discussion; and feedback verbally or via e-mail on strengths and weaknesses of presentation.

Course Learning Outcomes

None.
 

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