136-111 From Plato to Einstein

In this subject, we embark on a fascinating journey through the history of Western thought, exploring changing ideas about the physical world from antiquity to the present day. Beginning with the 'naturalistic' attitude which originated in Greece in the sixth century B.C., this subject traces the transforming image of the cosmos from the religious and magical outlook of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, to the birth of modern science and the secular vision of the Enlightenment. Our story concludes with the dramatic shift in our understanding of space, time and matter that took place in the twentieth century. Of particular interest will be the way in which thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Copernicus, Newton, and Einstein have shaped our understanding of the physical universe. We cover such topics as: ancient Greek theories of matter; renaissance magic and astrology; the rise and fall of the view that the universe is infinite; and the history of attempts to understand the nature of gravity. Students taking this subject will gain a wide ranging introduction of the history of science and an appreciation of the way in which it has been shaped by wider cultural and intellectual movements.

• Engage in critical reflection about the past and its connection to the present

• Develop skills in written and oral communication

• Conduct independent research

• Make use of appropriate primary and secondary sources in mounting an argument

• Form defensible judgments on the basis of a critical evaluation of arguments in the secondary literature

An essay of 2000 words 50% (due at the beginning of the examination period) and two class tests 25% each (one due mid-semester and the other in the second last week of semester).

A subject reader will be available for purchase from the University Book Shop.