The primary theme of the class is to use history of astronomy to provide an understanding of how science works using examples of theories that challenged various accepted ideas in astronomy and astronomy-related fields. We will explore the role of culture, politics, and religion in the scientific debates and highlight the human aspect of science.


Instructor:
Salman Hameed
e-mail: shameed@ast.smith.edu
Phone: 413-585-3964
Office: 410B, McConnell.
Office Hours: Tuesday 10:30-11:30 or by appointment

Syllabus (2004)

Quiz 3: Monday,  November 22


Topics Covered in the Course:

Understanding our planet Earth:

• Catastrophism vs Uniformitarianism
  
• Plate Tectonics

Revolutionary ideas or pseudoscience:

• Scientific thinking and the claims of the paranormal

Science and religion battle to explain our place in the universe:

• Galileo and the Heavens
• Darwin and the Origin of Species

Understanding the origin and evolution of our universe:

• Big Bang vs Steady State Model of the Universe
• The Existence of Dark Matter and Dark Energy

The world around us and the nature of science:

• Is Science just a Social Construct?