851-0197-00L  Medieval and Early Modern Science and Philosophy

SemesterAutumn Semester 2021
LecturersE. Sammarchi
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish


AbstractThe course analyses the evolution of the relation between science and philosophy during the Middle Age and the Early Modern Period.
Learning objectiveThe course aims are:
- to introduce students to the philosophical dimension of science;
- to develop a critical understanding of scientific notions;
- to acquire skills in order to read and comment on scientific texts written in the past ages.
ContentThe course is focused on the investigation of scientific thought between 1000 and 1700, that is to say the period that saw the flourishing of natural philosophy and the birth of the modern scientific method. Several case-studies, taken from different scientific fields (especially algebra, astronomy, and physics) are presented in class in order to examine the relation between science and philosophy and the shift from medieval times to the early modern world.