2024 Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
History of Science B
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Yoshimi Takuwa
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon / 1-2 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.T202
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2024
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 17, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This lecture traces the history of science from ancient times to the 19th century by viewing scientists’ achievements and lives.
In particular, each class focuses on a scientist and explains their historical background so as to watch videos and read Japanese translations of his/her own writings. Students will consider how scientists’ lives and achievements are accepted in society by reading classic books that changed the view of nature at the time, such as Galileo Galilei’s Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (1632) and Isaac Newton’s Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy (1687).
Course description and aims
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Understand the origin of science and scientific activities, and their changes.
2) Have their own opinions on the descriptions of history: looking at the past as the origin of the present, or looking at things which had value at the time.
Keywords
History of Science, History of Philosophy, Scientist, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
Each class consists of a short lecture on a scientist’s achievements and related history, and a comparative survey of primary source materials and videos.
Materials are read aloud in turn with a group.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Guidance: Introduction to the history of ‘scientists’ | Understand what the discipline of the history of science is." |
| Class 2 | "Let no one ignorant of geometry enter" | Taking Plato as an example, understand mathematics in ancient Greece. |
| Class 3 | "Plato is my friend, but truth is a better friend" | Taking Aristotle as an example, understand philosophy in ancient Greece. |
| Class 4 | "Philosophy as the handmaiden of theology" | Taking Aquinas as an example, understand medieval Scholastic philosophy. |
| Class 5 | "Make haste slowly" | Taking the Medici family as an example, understand the Renaissance art patronage. |
| Class 6 | "Seeking the truth to the extent permitted by God" | Taking Copernicus as an example, understand cosmology in the 16th century. |
| Class 7 | "Yet the earth does move" | Taking Galilei and Kapler as an example, understand cosmology in the 17th century. |
| Class 8 | "The universe is written in mathematical language" | Taking Galilei as an example, understand the relationship between theories and experiments in the 17th century. |
| Class 9 | "God as a watchmaker" | Taking Descartes as an example, understand the mechanical philosophy in the 17th century. |
| Class 10 | "The secrets of nature reveal themselves under the vexations of art" | Taking Bacon as an example, understand the rise of academic societies. |
| Class 11 | "Standing on the shoulders of giants" | Taking Newton as an example, understand scientific journals and controversies in the 17th century. |
| Class 12 | "Figurative system of human knowledge" | Taking d'Alembert as an example, understand Enlightenment in the 18th century. |
| Class 13 | "Freedom to teach" and "Freedom to learn" | Taking Humboldt as example, understand the reforms of universities in the 19th century. |
| Class 14 | "Not philosopher but scientist" | Taking Whewell as example, understand the creation of the profession of scientist in the 19th century. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
None required.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Yasu Furukawa, Social History of Science (Chikuma Shobō, 2018). (Japanese text)
Other references will be informed during the lecture.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Engagement to the class (attendance and short reports) 50 %, Midterm report 30 %, Final exam 20%
Related courses
- LAH.T102 ： History of Science A
- LAH.T302 ： History of Science C
- LAH.T103 ： History of Technology A
- LAH.T203 ： History of Technology B
- LAH.T303 ： History of Technology C
- LAH.T204 ： Special Lecture: History of Universities
Prerequisites
Mainly use materials and videos translated in Japanese and partially use videos in English.
It is preferable to have intermediate-level capacity for reading Japanese and elementary-level capacity for listening to English.
Contact information (e-mail and phone) Notice : Please replace from ”[at]” to ”@”(half-width character).
takuwa.y.aa[at]m.titech.ac.jp
Office hours
Informed during the lecture.