CFU
8
Length
14 Weeks
Semester DD
Second
Pre-scientific knowledge and science: the demarcation problem. Philosophia Naturalis in classical Greece. The method and the results of the hellenistic science. The Scientific Renaissance. Galilean age. Main features of science in the18th century. The origin of the main characteristics of the theories of the 19th century: non-Euclidean geometries, thermodynamics, electromagnetism, chemistry, evolution theory. The crisis of hard sciences in the early 20th century. Information revolution and its consequences. Today relationship between science and technology.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the presentation of some specific themes, the students should learn to read the relations between the ellenistic science, the modern science and the recent developments of the science in the last century.
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
The students have to know in a detailed way the subjects presented during the course, and they have to understand their role in the development of the science.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING:
The students should be able, reading suitable references, to understand and present in a complete way the relations between the recent description of a scientific subject and the history of the thought about that subject.
MAKING JUDGEMENTS:
The students should be able to discuss historically a subject not specifically treated during the course. They should be also able to evaluate the reliability of the sources.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
The students should be able to present the historical development of a subject in a complete way, both to specialists and to non-specialists
LEARNING SKILLS:
The historical method presented during the course could be useful in the leaning of scientific subjects.