2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses

History of Science C

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): 3-4 Mon / 3-4 Thu
Class: -
Course Code: LAH.T302
Number of credits: 200
Course offered: 2025
Offered quarter: 2Q
Syllabus updated: Mar 19, 2025
Language: Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

This lecture traces the history of science from ancient times to the early 20th century by viewing experimental and observational instruments.
In particular, each class focuses on a single scientific instrument, explains its development and each phase’s experimental/observational accuracy, and related discoveries. Students will consider why they conduct experiments and observations and why they can trust and accept experimental/observational results by learning about Aristotle’s deductive method, Francis Bacon’s inductive method based on experiments, and the formation of experimentalism societies.

Course description and aims

At the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Understand the origin of experiments and observations.
2) Have their own opinions on why they conduct experiments and observations and why they can trust and accept experimental/observational results.

Keywords

History of Science, History of Philosophy, experiment, observation, scientific instrument

Competencies

Specialist skills
Intercultural skills
Communication skills
Critical thinking skills
Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

A theme (an instrument) will be discussed in each class.
Students discuss the theme and read materials aloud in turn with a group.

Should the number of applicants for this course exceed the limit, a lottery system will be used to determine which students are admitted. Be sure to attend the first class.

Course schedule/Objectives

	Course schedule	Objectives
Class 1	Guidance: Introduction to the history of ‘experiments’	Understand what the discipline of the history of science is.
Class 2	Observing	Understand Aristotle’s concept of observation.
Class 3	Viewing	Understand Euclid’s concept of optics.
Class 4	Measuring	Understand the history of measurement.
Class 5	Slopes and pendulums	Understand Galilei’s experiments on slopes and pendulums.
Class 6	Eye glasses	Understand the appearance of eye glasses and optical instruments.
Class 7	Telescopes	Understand the development of telescopes.
Class 8	Presentation of midterm report	Peer review activities to improve report.
Class 9	Air pumps	Understand Boyle’s experiments on air pumps.
Class 10	Glass prisms	Understand Newton’s experiments on glass prisms.
Class 11	Microscopes	Understand Hooke’s observations on microscopes.
Class 12	Shape of the Earth	Understand the controversy about the shape of the Earth.
Class 13	Handling experimental data	Understanding scientists’ misconduct on experimental data.
Class 14	Presentation of final report	Peer review activities to improve report.

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.

Reference books will be informed during the lecture.

Evaluation methods and criteria

Engagement in the class and short reports 50%, Final report 50%

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.

Other

Should the number of applicants for this course exceed the limit, a lottery system will be used to determine which students are admitted. Be sure to attend the first class.