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Unit of study_

HPSC2100: The Birth of Modern Science

2025 unit information

Modern culture is a culture of science and modern science is the outcome of a historical process of 2,500 years. In this course we investigate how traditional knowledge gradually acquired the characteristics of 'science': the social structure, contents, values and procedures we are familiar with. We will look at some primary chapters of this process, from antiquity to the end of the seventeenth century, and try to understand their implications to understanding contemporary science in its culture.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Science

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit History and Philosophy of Science Academic Operations
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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12 cp from (1000-level units or 2000-level units)
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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HPSC2900
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Identify and discuss some major chapters in the history of science from antiquity through the scientific revolution
  • LO2. Read and try to interpret primary historical material from these periods (in English translation)
  • LO3. Appreciate and discuss some of the particular philosophical and methodological challenges involved in the historiography of science.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2020
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Intensive January 2020
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Remote
Intensive February 2021
Block mode Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Intensive February 2021
Block mode Remote
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Remote

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

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