History480B
RenaissanceScienceandtheSecretsofNature
Spring,2015
Thursday:1:00–3:45
FH219
Prof.BruceT.Moran
Office:MSS210
Officehour:Wed.4:00‐5:00andbyappt.
OfficePhone:784‐6677
[email protected]
History480B/680BisaculturalandsocialhistoryofEuropeansciencefromc.1450toc.
1650,focusinguponthehistoricalimpactofscientificandtechnologicalknowledgewithin
frameworksofartistic,social,political,religious,andcommerciallife.
CO9.Studentswillbeabletoconnectscienceandtechnologytorealworldproblemsby
explaininghowsciencerelatestoproblemsofsocietalconcern;beabletodistinguish
betweensoundandunsoundinterpretationsofscientificinformation;employcogent
reasoningmethodsintheirownexaminationsofproblemsandissues;andunderstandthe
applicationsofscienceandtechnologyinsocietalcontext
Onthiscourse,ouraimwillbetoexaminetheemergenceofideasthathelpedshaped
modernscience.Indoingsowewillexaminethewaysinwhichknowledgewasproduced
andacquiredduringoneofthemostintellectuallyexplosiveperiodsinthehistoryof
science.Ourattentionwillbeespeciallydirectedtowardtheproductionandconsumption
ofknowledgeasasocialprocesswithinvariouscommunities,especiallyastheorymeets
practice,andasintellectualsinteractwiththepracticesofcraftspeopleandpractitionersto
createnewwaysofknowing.Justasimportant,wewillbepayingattentionavarietyof
influences–social,economic,religious,andcultural‐‐thatshapedthecontextofdiscovery,
encouragedchangesintheoryandpractice,andsometimesofferedresistancetonew
interpretationsofthenaturalworld.Wewillalsoseehowdiscoveriesrelatedtonature
andthebody,aswellasinnovationsrelatedtomining,printing,navigation,mapmaking,
collecting,humanandanimaldissection,andtechniquesofpicturingnatureimpacted
socialroles,institutions,andevaluationsoftheplaceofthehumanbeinginnatureduring
theperiodoftheso‐called“ScientificRevolution.”
ThisCapstonecoursesatisfiesCoreObjectives9and13oftheSilverCoreCurriculum.
CO13.IntegrationandSynthesis:Studentswillbeabletointegrateandsynthesize
Coreknowledge,enablingthemtoanalyzeopen‐endedproblemsorcomplexissues.
Studentsexamineanddiscussthemainissuesofthecourse,researchandwriteessaysin
whichtheysynthesizeinformationandposeandprovearguments.
Inaddition,History480BhelpsstudentsrefineskillsdescribedinCoreObjectives1and3.
Theseobjectivesarereinforcedthroughoutthecurriculuminothercoursesstudentstake
tofulfillcoreandmajorrequirements.ItalsodevelopsaswellassatisfiesCO9.
CO1.EffectiveCompositionandCommunication:Studentswillbeabletoeffectively
composewritten,oral,andmultimediatextsforavarietyofscholarly,professional,and
creativepurposes.
CO3.CriticalAnalysisandUseofInformation:Studentswillbecriticalconsumersof
information,abletoengageinsystematicresearchprocesses,framequestions,read
critically,andapplyobservationalandexperimentalapproachestoobtaininformation.
Skills‐BasedCurriculum
ThehistoryprogramatUNRhelpsstudentstodevelopproficiencyinbroadlyapplicable
skillswhilemasteringspecificsubjectareas.Inadditiontolearningabouttheculturaland
socialhistoryofEuropeanscienceandtechnologyintheRenaissance,studentswillhave
opportunitiestopracticeandimprovethefollowingskillsinthiscourse:
• criticalthinking(throughreadingandanalyzingwrittendocumentsandcultural
sources,formulatingargumentssupportedbyhistoricalevidence,andorganizing
informationinaclearandlogicalmanner)
• historicalresearch(throughfindinginformationabouthistoricaltopicsinshort
assignmentsandanintegrativeessay)
• writtencommunication(throughwritingshortassignments,afilmanalysis,andan
integrativeessay)
• primarysourceanalysis(throughreadingandidentifyingthekeypoints,meaning,and
significanceofargumentsandideaspresentedinhistoricaldocumentsandcultural
artifactscreatedduringthetimeperiodswearestudying)
• secondarysourceanalysis(throughreadingandidentifyingthekeypoints,meaning,
andsignificanceofargumentsandideaspresentedinbooksandarticleswrittenby
scholarsaboutthetimeperiodwearestudying)
• culturaltextanalysis(throughthinkingaboutthesignificanceofculturaltextssuchas
newsreports,magazinearticles,music,andfilmsandplacingtheminhistoricalcontext)
• oralexpression(throughsmallgroupandwholeclassdiscussionsandstudent
presentations)
• usingtheinternet(throughresearchassignmentsandguidanceonhowtoevaluate
internetsources)
StudentLearningOutcomes(SLOs)andCorrelationtoCoreObjectives(COs)
Studentssuccessfullycompletingthiscoursewillbeableto:
1. connectscienceandtechnologyduringtheRenaissancetosocial,commercial,religious,
andeconomicproblemsandbeabletodistinguishsoundscientificargumentationand
theuseofobservationalevidenceasopposedtounsoundscientificreasoningbymeans
ofenagingwiththescientificdebatesoftheperiod.Theywillbeabletoexplainhow
scientificandtechnologicaldiscoveriesandinnovationsaffectedsocialinstitutions,
professionalroles,andeducation,andhowscientificandtechnologicalknowledgewas
producedandconsumedaspartofsocialprocesseswithinvariouscommunities.They
willenaggethesubjectbymeansofwrittencompositionsandoralcommunication
withincalldiscussionsandassignments(CO1,CO3,CO9,CO13)
2. analyzeandsynthesizeprimary,secondary,andculturalsources(CO3,CO13)
3. findandusehistoricalscholarshipandsourcestoansweraresearchquestion(CO3,
CO13)
4. presentideaspertainingtoscientificdiscoveryandtechnologicalinnovationduringthe
Renaissanceastheyrelatetothesocietalconcernsoftheperiodinaclearand
persuasivemannerbothorallyandinwriting,(CO1,CO3,CO9,,CO13)
5. userelevantscholarshipandhistoricalevidencetoanalyzeandsynthesizethe
relationshipbetweenscience,technology,art,religion,society,andcommerceinthe
Renaissanceperiod(CO3,CO9,CO13)
GradingCriteria
Gradingcriteriaforwrittenworkaresetoutbelow.
F(lessthan60%)
Fisforworkthatisnotacceptable.Itdemonstratesthatthestudenthasnoideawhatthe
coursematerialisabout,suggestingalackofinterestoreffortandpossiblysomeabsences
fromclass.StudentswhodothereadingandcometoclassregularlyrarelyreceiveanF.If
youthinkyouhavebeentryinghardandyougetanFonanassignment,Iencourageyouto
cometomeforhelp.
D–(60–62%),D(63–66%),D+(67–69%)
Disgivenforworkthatisinadequate.Itomitsimportantpoints,containsmorethanafew
inaccuracies,andisbadlyorganized.Itsuggeststhatthestudenthasnotbeenpayingmuch
attentiontothecourseorishavingproblemsunderstandingthematerial.Asinthecaseof
anFgrade,ifyouthinkyouhavebeentryinghardandreceiveaDgradeforawriting
assignment,comeandseemeforhelp.IwilldoeverythingIcantoassiststudentswho
wanttoworktoimprovetheirgrades.
C–(70–72%),C(73–76%),C+(77–79%)
Cisgivenforworkthatisaverage.Thestudentshowsfamiliaritywiththematerialandis
mostlyaccurate,butthepaperlacksdetailoreffectiveorganization.TheCessaymight
makegeneralpointsbutfailtosupportthemwithspecificevidence,oritmightbemerelya
collectionoffacts,withnocoherentthemeorthesis.Youcanpassthecoursewiththiskind
ofwork,butyoushouldaimhigher.
B–(80–82%),B(83–86%),B+(87–89%)
Bdenotesworkthatisaboveaverageinquality.Itdemonstratesthatthestudentknows
andunderstandsthematerialcoveredinclass,andthats/heiscapableofsynthesizingit
intoacompetentessay.Itisaccurate,detailed,andwellorganized,withanintroduction,a
thesis,andaconclusion.
A–(90–94%),A(95–100%)
Aisforworkofexceptionalquality.Thisgradeisforessaysthatpresentaclearthesis
supportedbypersuasiveevidenceandanalysis,logicallyorganized,andfreefromtypingor
grammaticalerrors.TheAessaydoesmorethanjustcompetentlysummarizematerial
fromthereadingsorlectures.Itshowsthestudenthasthoughtthingsthroughonadeeper
levelandoffershisorherownperspectiveonthetopicsunderconsideration.
expectallstudentstodotheirownworkinthiscourseunlessIhavespecificallyassigneda
groupactivityorproject.Copyingsomeoneelse'swork,orallowingyourownworktobe
copied,isdishonestandunfairtootherstudentswhoarestrivingtocompleteassignments
andessaysontheirown.
Studentswillreceivegradesaccordingtohowwelltheycompletethefollowing:
Participationindiscussion–25%
FirstWrittenAssignment:Integrativeessay(10pages)basedinReadingandDiscussion–
25%
SecondWrittenAssignment:Integrativeessay(10pages)basedinReadingandDiscusssion
–25%
ThirdWrittenAssignmentbasedinReadingandAnalyticalCritiqueofPrimarySource‐‐
25%
ClassParticipation(SLOs1‐5)
Thiscoursewillbetaughtinalecture/discussionformat.Lectureswillprovidehistorical
contextandexplainkeyconcepts,butmuchofourworkwillbedonethroughdiscussionof
theassignedreadings.Passivereadingandlistening,inotherwords,isnotenough.You
willneedtotakeanactiveroleinthelearningprocess.Thismeansworkingthroughthe
assignedtextscarefullyandcritically,thinkingaboutandanalyzingtheinformation
presented.
IntegrativeEssays(SLOs1‐5)
Studentswillwritetwo10pageessayssynthesizingmaterialfromreadings,discussions,
andlectures.Theessayswillincludeanalysisofprimaryandsecondarysourcesand
presentargumentsinresponsetoahistoricalquestionsregardingtherelationshipbetween
Renaissancescienceandtechnologytosocial,religious,commercialorpoliticalcontexts.
IntegrativeEssaysandPromarySourceAnalysis(SLOs1‐5)
Studentswillwritea10pagepaperthatsynthesizesmaterialsfromreadings,lecture,and
discussionandwhichcriticallyanalyzesaprimarysource,drawnfromAgricola,
Paracelsus,Kepler,orGalileo,astheyrelatetotheirimapctuponintellectualand
social/religious,commercial/politicalissues. Theuniversity’sAcademicStandardspolicystates:
Academicdishonestyisagainstuniversityaswellasthesystemcommunitystandards.
Academicdishonestyincludes,butisnotlimitedto,thefollowing:
Plagiarism:definedassubmittingthelanguage,ideas,thoughtsorworkofanotheras
one'sown;orassistingintheactofplagiarismbyallowingone'sworktobeusedinthis
fashion.
Cheating:definedas(1)obtainingorprovidingunauthorizedinformationduringan
examinationthroughverbal,visualorunauthorizeduseofbooks,notes,textandother
materials;(2)obtainingorprovidinginformationconcerningallorpartofan
examinationpriortothatexamination;(3)takinganexaminationforanotherstudent,
orarrangingforanotherpersontotakeanexaminone'splace;(4)alteringorchanging
testanswersaftersubmittalforgrading,gradesaftergradeshavebeenawarded,or
otheracademicrecordsoncetheseareofficial....
Sanctionsforviolationsofuniversityacademicstandardsmayincludethefollowing:
(1)filingafinalgradeof“F”;(2)reducingthestudent’sfinalcoursegradeoneortwo
fullgradepoints;(3)awardingafailingmarkonthetestorpaperinquestion;(4)
requiringthestudenttoretakethetestorresubmitthepaper. Copyingsomeoneelse’sentirepaperorarticleisaclearexampleofacademicdishonesty,
butnotethatplagiarismcantakeother,lessobviousformsaswell.“Language,ideas,
thoughtsorworkofanother”includesanymaterialusedinyourassignmentsandessays
thatwaswrittenorproducedbyothers.Usingbriefphrasesorsentencesfrombooks,
articles,internetsites,documents,orothersourceswithoutlettingyourreaderknow
wheretheycamefromisaformofplagiarism.Youmustproperlyacknowledgeyouruseof
otherpeople’swordsbyplacingtheminquotationmarksandcitingallsourcesusedin
yourpaper.Evenifyouparaphrasesomeoneelse’sideasanddonotquotethemdirectly,
youmuststillindicatewherethoseideascamefrom.Citationsshouldalsobegivenfor
little‐knownfactsandstatistics.
Anystudentfoundviolatingacademicstandardsinthiscoursewillreceiveazeroforthe
assignmentinquestion.AsecondoffensewillresultinanFinthecourse.Inaddition,all
casesofacademicdishonestyarereportedtotheOfficeofStudentConductandbecome
partofthestudent’sacademicrecord.Potentialemployersaswellasthedirectorsof
graduateandprofessionalprogramstowhichstudentsmayapplycanrequestcopiesof
theserecords,inwhichcasetheacademicdishonestychargewillbedisclosed.
AcademicSuccessServices
YourstudentfeescoveruseoftheTutoringCenter,theUniversityWritingCenter,andthe
MathCenter.Studentsareencouragedtotakeadvantageoftheseservicesasneeded.
TutoringCenter:ph.784‐6801orvisitwww.unr.edu/tutoring
UniversityWritingCenter:ph.784‐6030orvisitwww.unr.edu/writing_center
MathCenter:ph.784‐4433orvisitwww.unr.edu/mathcenter
TheHistoryDepartmentiscommittedtoequalopportunityineducationforallstudents,
includingthosewithdocumentedphysicaldisabilitiesordocumentedlearningdisabilities.
Ifyouhaveadocumenteddisabilityandwillberequiringassistance,pleasecontactmeor
theDisabilityResourceCenter(ThompsonBuildingSuite101)assoonaspossibleto
arrangeforappropriateaccommodations.
AudioandVideoRecording
Surreptitiousorcovertvideotapingofclassorunauthorizedaudiorecordingofclassis
prohibitedbylawandbyBoardofRegentspolicy.Thisclassmaybevideotapedoraudio
recordedonlywiththewrittenpermissionoftheinstructor.Inordertoaccommodate
studentswithdisabilities,somestudentsmaybegivenpermissiontorecordclasslectures
anddiscussions.Therefore,studentsshouldunderstandthattheircommentsduringclass
mayberecorded.
RequiredTextsandreadingsonReserve:
Agricola,DeReMetallica[selection,e‐reserve];Barrera‐Osorio,ExperiencingNature
[selection,e‐reserve];Biagioli,GalileoCourtier[selection,e‐reserve];DastonandPark,
WondersandtheOrderofNature[selection,e‐reserve]Debus,Allen:ManandNaturein
theRenaissance[inprint];Edgerton,“Galileo,FlorentineDisegno,andteStrange
SpottednesseoftheMoon,”[e‐reserve];Freedberg,TheEyeoftheLynx[selection,e‐
reserve];Galileo:DiscoveriesandOpinionsofGalileo[inprint];Galluzzi,“ArtandArtifice
intheDepictionofRenaissanceMachines”[Handout];Jardine,WorldlyGoods[selection,
e‐reserve];Kemp,“TemplesoftheBodyandTemplesoftheCosmos:Visionand
VisualizationintheVesalianandCopernicanRevolutions”[e‐reserve];Kepler,
MysteriumCosmographicum,trans.Duncan[selection,e‐reserve];Kusukawa,“TheUses
ofPicturesintheFormationofLearnedKnowledge:TheCasesofLeonhardFuchsand
AndreasVesalius”[Handout];Moran,DistillingKnowledge[selection,e‐reserve];Ogilvie,
TheScienceofDescribing[selection,e‐reserve];Paracelsus,FourTreatises[selection,e‐
reserve];Park,“TheRediscoveryoftheClitoris,”[Handout];Portuondo,SecretScience
[selectiopn,e‐reserve];Principe,TheSecretsofAlchemy[selection,e‐reserve];Renn,
GalileoinContext[selection,e‐reserve];SheaandArtigas:GalileoinRome[inprint];
SmithandFindlen,MerchantsandMarvels[selection,e‐reserve];Zwijnenberg,The
WritingsandDrawingsofLeonardodaVinci[section,e‐reserve];Westman,“The
Astronomer’sRoleinthe16thc.,”[e‐reserve];Wightman,ScienceinaRenaissance
Society[selection,e‐reserve].
Also:
https://web.stanford.edu/class/history13/earlysciencelab/body/bodymaincopy.html
ScheduleandAssignments
Jan.22:Introduction:Artandnaturein1450.TraditionandReform‐‐Perspective,
HumanistCertainty,andEducationontheEveoftheRenaissance
Jan.29:Thewaythebodylookedin1500:Function,Rationality,andDissection
https://web.stanford.edu/class/history13/earlysciencelab/body/bodymaincopy.html
Feb.5:Leonardoandnewwaysofseeinganddescribingtheworld
PaoloGalluzzi,“ArtandArtificeintheDepictionofRenaissanceMachines”[Handout];
“ScienceandtheEmergentNationStates,”inWrightman,ScienceinaRenaissance
Society[e‐reserve];Zwijnenberg,WritingsandDrawingsofLeonardo[e‐reserve,
chapter2“theoryandpractice,”and6“anatomy”]
Feb.12:Vesaliusandtheanatomists:traditionandautopsia
AllenDebus,ManandNatureintheRenaissance,chapter4;Park,“TheRediscoveryof
theClitoris,”inHillmanandMazzio,ThePartsoftheBody,[Handout]
Feb19Mining,Navigation,Cartography,andtheNewWorld
Agricola,DeReMetallica[e‐reserve];Barrera‐Osorio,ExperiencingNature[e‐reserve,
chapter3,“communitiesofexpertsintheNewWorld,”];Portuondo,SecretScience[e‐
reserve,chapter1“RenaissanceCosmographyintheEraofDiscovery,”andchapter3,
“CosmographyCodified,”]
Feb.26:MeasuringtheHeavens:AncientCosmology,Astrology,andNewModelsofthe
Universe
Debus,ManandNature,chapter5;Kepler,MysteriumCosmographicum,trans.Duncan
[selection,e‐reserve]Westman,“TheAstronomer’sRoleinthe16thc.,”[e‐reserve]
March5:Curiosity,Collecting,andtheMiddleNaturesofThings
DastonandPark,WondersandtheOrderofNature“MarvelousParticulars,”and
“Monsters:aCaseStudy,”inDastonandPark,[Handout];Debus,ManandNature,
Chapter3;Freedberg,TheEyeoftheLynx[e‐reserve,chapter10“Description,
DissectionandtheProblemofIllustration”andcgapter13“TheOrderofNature”]
March12:VisualizingNature
MartinKemp,“TemplesoftheBodyandTemplesoftheCosmos:Visionand
VisualizationintheVesalianandCopernicanRevolutions”[Handout]];Ogilvie,The
ScienceofDescribing[e‐reserve,chapter4,“AScienceofDescribing”];Sachiko
Kusukawa,“TheUsesofPicturesintheFormationofLearnedKnowledge:TheCasesof
LeonhardFuchsandAndreasVesalius”[Handout]
March19:NetworksofKnowledge:Commerce,Technology,andScience
Jardine,WorldlyGoods[e‐reserve,chapter6“ACultureofCommodities”];Smithand
Findlen,MerchantsandMarvels[e‐reserve,chapter7“MerchantsandMarvels”and
chapter10“Cartography,Entrepreneuialism,andPower”];
March26:TheSpiritsofNatureandtheBody
AllenDebus,ManandNatureintheRenaissance,Chapter2;Paracelsus,FourBooks[e‐
reserve,Part4,ABookofNymphs,Sylphs,Pygmies,etc.[Handout]
April2:DistillingKnowledge:Alchemy,ChemistryandCommerce
Moran,DistillingKnowledge[e‐reserve,chapter4“SitesofLeraningandtheLanguageof
Chemistry,”andchapter5“Alchemy,Chemistry,andtheTechnologyofKnowing];
Principe,TheSecretsofAlchemy[e‐reserve,chapter5“PracticingChymistryintheEarly
ModernPeriod”]SmithandFindlen,MerchantsandMarvels[e‐reserve,chapter8
“PracticalAlchemyandCommercialExchange”]
April9:Art,CourtlyEtiquetteandaChangingtheWorldOrder
Biagioli,GalileoCourtier[e‐reserve,chapter1“Galileo’sSelfFashioning,”andchapter2
“DiscoveriesandEtiquette,”];Debus,ManandNatureintheRenaissance,Chapter5;
Edgerton,“Galileo,FlorentineDisegno,andteStrangeSpottednesseoftheMoon,”[e‐
reserve];Galileo,StarryMessanger,fromDiscoveriesandOpinions.
April16:Galileo–TheTruthofNatureandtheNatureofTruth
Galileo,TheAssayer,fromDiscoveriesandOpinions;Renn,GalileoinContext[ereserve,
pp.277‐322,“TheEconomiesofInventionandDiscoveryinGalileo’sObservationsof
1610”]
April23:Galileo–Science,Religion,andthe“GalileoAffair”
LettertotheGrandDuchessChristina,fromDiscoveriesandOpinion...;andSheaand
Artigas,GalileoinRome,chapters1‐3.
April30:TheTrialofGalileo
SheaandArtigas,GalileoinRome,chapters4‐7
[StudentswillbeexpectedtopresentoralargumentsforandagainstGalileo,based
uponaknowledgeoftheology,Galileo’sobservations,andphilosophicalclaimstotruth
andsoundscientifcreasoningasGalileoisaccusedofheresy]