HIST2230 · History
Morrissey College of Arts & Sciences
The advent of modern science in the western world was never a necessary outcome of Western intellectual activity. Yet histories of science frequently spin a tale of intellectual progress leading inexorably to scientific thinking (and hint at brighter futures to come). This course examines the technologies and philosophical tools that would give rise to science, but with an eye to their historical contexts and their many non-scientific aspects. We especially will focus on how pre-modern medicine, astronomy, and alchemy relate, or do not, to their modern counterparts.
Course experience
Averages use the original five-point historical evaluation scale.
Organization
4.4 / 5
How well the course was organized
Challenge
4.3 / 5
How intellectually challenging students found it
Attendance
4.6 / 5
How necessary attendance was
Assignments
4.1 / 5
How helpful assignments were
Weekly effort
~3
hours per week
Estimated from the original workload response buckets. Individual sections may differ.
Instructor options
Ratings below reflect only recovered evaluations connected to this course.
Across time
Section-level results available in the recovered archive.
Spring 2025
1 sectionSpring 2024
1 sectionSpring 2023
1 sectionSpring 2021
1 sectionSpring 2020
1 section