HIS 4930
Scientific Biography
Spring 2008, Prof. F Gregory
Office
Hours: M, W, F 9:30- 10:30; W, F 11:45-12:30 or by appt
Keene-Flint Hall 225
Students who have a documented disability and who wish to discuss academic accommodations with me are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.
Note: All students are required to abide by the Academic Honesty Guidelines which have been accepted by the University
This
course will explore the medium of biography as it has been employed in history
of science. We will begin with an
exposure to the theoretical issues involved in writing scientific biography. We will then explore two biographies each of
Galileo Galilei and Charles Darwin in order to compare different biographical
approaches. Next we will look at a
biography of William Jennings Bryan to understand the importance of the
interaction of science and politics. We
will then read two historiographical experiments that make use of biography in
novel ways. The final meetings of the
class will be devoted to student presentations of the biographical project
described below.
Assignments:
1. Students will sign up to find and report on
a review of three of the texts indicated below for review. Hand in a one-page summary of the
reviewer's praise and criticisms. Be
prepared to orally summarize the review in class.
2. Find a natural philosopher or scientist with
no substantive Wikipedia biographical entry and write one. (For a list of possible subjects, click
here.) The entry should be approximately 20 typed
double-spaced pages, including endnotes of documentation and bibliography that
follow a standard manual of style. Each
student will give a presentation in class on his or her entry. Papers will be handed in by April 21. To complete the assignment, the entry must
be posted on Wikipedia by the due date for papers.
Grades
are assigned according to the following scheme: Presentation, 20%, paper/posted
entry, 30%; assigned reviews, 15%, general participation, 20%; attendance, 15%.
Books for the class may be purchased at Goerings Book Store.
(AHR) American Historical Review
(AmScist) American Scientst
(HisSci) History of Science
(Isis) Isis
(JHistAstrn) Journal of the History of Astronomy
(JHist Ideas) Journal of the History of Ideas
(NYRevBks) New York Review of Books
(NYTimesBkRev) New York Times Book review
(PhilSocScis) Philosophy of the Social Sciences
(QrtlyRev) Quarterly Review
(SocSocStudSci) Society for the Social Study of Science
Class Schedule
Jan 7 Introduction
Jan
14 On
the genre of scientific biography
Reading: Thomas Hankins, “In
Defense of Biography” History of Science, 17(1979), pp. 1-16. (You likely have to use an on campus computer to get direct access to this link.)
Jan 21 Martin Luther King Day - No class
Jan
28 Michael
Sharratt, Galileo: Decisive Innovator
Reviews:
Isis; Hist Phil Life Scis; J Hist Astron; J Mod Hist
Reports
on reviews:
Ryan (Isis)___ Cliff ((Hist. Phil. Life Sciences) Haley (J. Hist Astron) Matt (J. Mod Hist)__
Joe (Isis)____ Jeff K (Hist. Phil. Life Sciences) Greg (J. Hist. Astron) Paige (J. Mod Hist)_
Feb 4 Mario
Biagioli, Galileo Courtier: The Practice of Science in the Culture of
Absolutism
Reviews:
Ann Sci; Brit Jl Hist Sci; J Hist Astron; J Hist Ideas
Reports
on reviews:
Joe (Ann Sci)_ Ryan (BJHS) Todd (Jl. Hist. Astron) Jeff S. (Jl. Hist. Ideas) Tim (Phil of the Soc. Scis)__
Josh (Ann Sci) Tom (BJHS) Mark (Jl Hist. Astron) Doug ((Jl. Hist. Ideas) Paige ((Phil of the Soc. Scis)
Feb 11 Peter Bowler, Charles Darwin: The
Man and his Influence, Cambridge University Press
Reviews:
Sci; Qtly Rev Biol; British Jl Hist. Sci; Isis
Reports
on reviews:
Kyle (Qtrly Rev)______ Cliff (BJHS) _________ Haley (His Sci)________ Mark (Isis)___________
Ryan (Qtrly Rev)______ Jeff K (His Sci)_______ Jeff S (His Sci)________ Matt (Isis)____________
Teddy (BJHS)________
Feb 18 Janet Browne, Charles
Darwin Voyaging
Reviews: J Hist Biol; NY Rev Bks; AHR; Isis
Reports
on reviews:
Tom (J His Biol)______ Doug (NYRevBks)____ Todd (Isis)__________ Haley (AHR)___________
Teddy (J His Biol)_____ Cliff (NYRevBks)_____ Josh (Isis)__________ Greg (AHR)____________
Jeff K (AHR)___________
Feb
25 Robert
W. Cherny , A Righteous Cause: The Life of William Jennings Bryan
Reports
on reviews:
Mar 3 Laura Otis, Müller's
Lab
Mar
17 Russell
McCormmach, Night Thoughts of a Classical Physicist
Reviews:
Isis; NY Times Bk Rev; Am Scist; Soc. Soc Stud Sci; NY Rev Bks
Reports
on reviews:
Joe (Isis)____________
Teddy (NYTimesBkRev) Tom (Am Scist)______
Josh(SocSocStudSci)__
Todd (Isis)__________ Matt (NYTimesBkRev)_ Doug (Am Scist)______ Kyle (NYRevBks)____
Jeff S (NYRevBks)____
Paige (NYTimesBkRev)_
Mark (Am Scist)______
Greg (NYRevBks)____
Mar 24 Biography
presentations 1-4
Ryan______
Paige______
Haley_____
Matt______
Mar 31 Biography
presentations 5-8
Cliff_______
Doug______
Jeff S______
Jeff K______
April 7 Biography
presentations 9-12
Joe________
Greg_______
Josh_______
Tom_______
April 14 No class
April 21
Biography presentations 13-16
Teddy_____
Todd______
Kyle______
Mark______
Jason
Papers
due