History of Science
Code
9923
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Department
Departamento de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas
Credits
6.0
Teacher in charge
Ana Maria Oliveira Carneiro
Weekly hours
3
Total hours
42
Teaching language
Português
Objectives
The general purpose of this course is to provide students with a corpus of knowledge which will enable them to understand and reflect critically about the structuring role of science in European society throughout history. The mutual interactions between scientific knowledge and practices, and society and cultures are especially emphasized.
Prerequisites
None
Subject matter
The following topics are addressed:
- Ways of understanding Nature in the Greek world;
- Medieval contexts of natural knowledge;
- The Renaissance and a new concept of Man and Nature;
- The Scientific Revolution;
- The Enlightenment and the new authority of Nature;
- Evolution;
- Relativity and quantum mechanics;
- The molecular revolution in biology.
Bibliography
P. J. Bowler and John V. Pickstone, The Cambridge History of Science: Volume 6, Modern Life and Earth Sciences (Cambridge, 2009)
P. J. Bowler & I. R. Morus, Making Modern Science. A Historical Survey (Chicago, 2005)
R. Porter, ed., The Cambridge History of Science: Volume 4, Eighteenth-Century Science: Eighteenth-century Science Vol 4 (Cambridge, 2003)
M. J. Nye, ed., The Cambridge History of Science: Volume 5, The Modern Physical and Mathematical Sciences: Modern Physical and Mathematical Sciences Vol 5 (Cambridge, 2002)
R. C. Olby et al., eds., Companion to the History of Modern Science, (London/Nova Iorque, 1990)
Teaching method
Teaching methods are diversified and include:
- Introductory lectures to specific topics
- Discussion and critical analysis of texts and audio-visual materials pelos estudantes
- Research and systematization of scientific information and secondary sources carried out by the students
Evaluation method
Evaluation
- five short essays on selected papers;
- one long essay on a selected work in accordance with the student’s interests;
- participation in the lectures.