"We can say that 80 to 90 percent of all scientists that have ever lived are alive now." So wrote the late Yale historian of science, Derek J. De Solla Price in 1962. This statistic gives some idea of the tremendous growth of science in modern times. Part of the growth was due to the rapidly increasing scientific impact on engineering, industry, medicine and psychology, and military affairs. But the sciences themselves underwent dramatic transformations, such as the development of relativity theory and quantum mechanics in physics and the development of genetics in biology. It is a challenge to fit this vast subject into one course! In order to achieve reasonably balanced treatment, we shall:
1) Examine topics in the history of 3 sciences: physics biology and psychology.
2) Consider aspects of the social, institutional and cultural dimensions of modern sicence, e.g., science as a professional activity, science and the state, industrial science, science as reflected in literature. The focus here will be on U.S. science with subsidiary theme of science in Germany down to WW II.
3) Enable students to explore issues in contemporary sciences with an historical perspective. |
