Paradigms Lost
History of Science & Medicine @ SJC
Friday, May 05, 2006
History of Science Essay Contest!
To celebrate the rebranding of the British Society for the History of Science website and the foundation of the Outreach and Education Committee, the BSHS is proud to announce a new competition. We are offering a prize of £250 for the best 500-word answer to this question:WHY SHOULD ANYONE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE?The prize may be split between two entries if the judges decide that they are both of high merit. The winning entry will be made available on the BSHS website. Essays should be written for a general audience; footnotes should be avoided. Entries which are accompanied by one or more images (not exceeding 200KB in memory size), on which there are no copyright restrictions, are especially welcome. The competition is open to non-members of the Society, but only one entry per person may be made, and all entrants must be aged 18 or older. Anyone wishing to submit essays should contact outreach@bshs.org.ukto be given an entry identification number, before any essay is sent. This will permit essays to be assessed anonymously. The closing date for submission is 31st August 2006. The winner will beannounced, and the prize awarded, by the end of October 2006.
posted by Michelle at 2:00 PM 0 comments
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Take Home Final Essay Exam and In-Class Presentations
Well, gang, I'm still sick... so we have to rearrange our calendar a bit.We'll do our in-class presentations during the time scheduled for our final exam, Monday, May 8th at 2:45 pm.As a result, our final essay exam will have to be all take-home. But I'll accept your responses until 11:59 pm on Wednesday, May 10th via email (and sooner, if you'd like to hand them in in hard copy, you may do so during business hours to the Faculty Secretary...)So, without further adieu, here are the final exam questions!INSTRUCTIONS: Please answer the following two essays in no more than 5 pages each, typewritten, doublespaced with 12 point font and 1 inch margins... Remember to use both primary and secondary sources in your response!There's an old joke about a quiz which goes, "The Industrial Revolution was neither industrial nor a revolution. Discuss." And I'd be tempted to ask you the same thing about the Scientific Revolution... But let's try asking it in a way which doesn't seem so sinister! :-)1) What was the scientific and medical paradigm which was prevalent before the Scientific Revolution, and what were the various ways in which that changed over the course of the Scientific Revolution? Being sure to use primary sources, address in what specific ways and why would (pick one) a) Scientific Societies or b) Isaac Newton epitomize the new scientific methods advocated in the Scientific Revolution. And in what specific ways did some of their writings actually uphold the old paradigm, and why, do you think?2) Gender has been an ongoing theme in our class. How did the scientists and physicians of the Scientific Revolution tend to react to issues of gender, both from the perspective of women as practitioners and from that of women as scientific subjects or patients? (Remember to utilize both primary and secondary sources!)
posted by Michelle at 12:29 PM 0 comments
Thursday, April 27, 2006
FYI- re: Gender in the Scientific Revolution
Financial Times.com / Books - Sex, under the microscope(from the Chronicle of Higher Education's Art & Letters Daily)
posted by Michelle at 8:30 AM 0 comments
Monday, April 24, 2006
Re: the article about Harvey
What was going on in the historical background...English Civil War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 11:49 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
FYI - Los Angeles woman hospitalized with bubonic plague
Yikes!!USATODAY.com - Los Angeles woman hospitalized with bubonic plague
posted by Michelle at 6:20 PM 0 comments
Star Wars Fun!
Funny news from the dark side with the "Imperial News Network"!The Emperor is on the hunt for a new job with a temp agency: Watch the Video!"The media bias against Imperial government": Watch the Video!
posted by Michelle at 6:15 PM 0 comments
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Re: Alchemy... Pottery points to monks' quest to create gold
Mirabilis.ca: Pottery points to monks' quest to create gold
posted by Michelle at 6:09 PM 0 comments
Read for 4/24: "Fibonacci Flim-Flam"
Fibonacci Flim-Flam.
posted by Michelle at 7:42 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Newton's Three Laws of Motion
Newton's Three Laws of Motion
posted by Michelle at 11:51 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Question... Want to see the Star Wars exhibit at MoS?
Hey, ya'll... The tickets to see the IMAX of the Amazon will be $4 for each of you. Would you want to also pay an additional $5 each to be able to enter this exhibition?? Let me know!!Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination
posted by Michelle at 1:23 PM 0 comments
Monday, April 10, 2006
REVISED Schedule for April
Monday, April 3: Magic, the Occult and the Scientific RevolutionReading Assignment:
Science in Europe, 7.1 (originally scheduled last Wed.)
Science in Europe, Chap. 6 & Section 8.7;
Mary Quinlan-McGrath, “The Foundation Horoscope(s) for St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, 1506: Choosing a Time, Changing the Storia,” Isis, Vol. 92 (2001), only pp. 716-726, 731-733, and 739-741. (This article is available outside my office for anybody not in class... hint hint!)
Monday, April 10: Scientific Societies & the “Production” of Scientific KnowledgeReading Assignment:
Shapin, 96-109;
Science in Europe, Chap. 9;
Peter Dear, “Totius in Verba: Rhetoric and Authority in the Early Royal Society,” in Isis, Vol. 76 (1985), pp. 144-161;
J. V. Golinski, “A Noble Spectacle: Phosphorus and the Public Cultures of Science in the Early Royal Society,” in Isis, Vol. 80 (1989), pp. 11-39.
Wednesday, April 12: Newton and His Synthesis
Reading Assignment:
Shapin, 57-64 & 109-117;
Science in Europe, Chap. 10;
Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727): Optics, excerpts;
B. J. T. Dobbs, “Newton's Alchemy and His Theory of Matter,” in Isis, Vol. 73 (1982), pp. 511-528
Monday, April 17: Easter Monday - NO CLASS!
Wednesday, April 19: Field Trip to Boston's Museum of Science (meet at 10am in front of Alfond Center!)
Monday, April 24: The (Non-Scientific?) "Uses" of Science Reading Assignment:
Shapin, Chap. 3;
Christopher Hill, “William Harvey and the Idea of Monarchy,” in The Intellectual Revolution of the Seventeenth Century, ed. Charles Webster (London: Routledge & Kegan, 1974), 160-81.
Wednesday, April 26: Women & Gender in Early-Modern Science & Medicine
Reading Assignment:
The Healing Arts, Chap.2.4; Chap. 8;
Health, Disease & Society, 2.2-2.3; 6.7; Chap. 8
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762), “Smallpox Vaccination in Turkey”
Monday, May 1: Eighteenth- & Nineteenth-Century Science: Towards Positivism and the "Cult of Progress"
Reading Assignment:
Science in Europe, 12.1, 14.1, 15.4; and Chap. 16;
Charles Darwin (1809-1882), “On the Origins of Species,”
Reaction to Darwin;
Social Darwinism: Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)
Wednesday, May 3: In-Class presentations
Monday, May 8, 2006 at 2:45PM in Alfond Hall 230: In-Class presentations!
(Have a great summer!!)
posted by Michelle at 3:01 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
FYI: "9,000-Year-Old Dental Drill Is Found - Yahoo! News"
9,000-Year-Old Dental Drill Is Found - Yahoo! News
posted by Michelle at 6:53 PM 0 comments
FYI: Biopharm Leeches - Suppliers of Medicinal Leeches Since 1812
Biopharm Leeches - Suppliers of Medicinal Leeches Since 1812!
posted by Michelle at 6:25 PM 0 comments
NPR : Thinkers Lay Out the Beliefs They Can't Prove
NPR : Thinkers Lay Out the Beliefs They Can't Prove
posted by Michelle at 7:12 AM 0 comments
A discussion about Science in the Age of Certainty on April 12th
A discussion about Science in the Age of Certainty
posted by Michelle at 7:10 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
FYI: Fun astronomy classes at the Portland Planetarium!
Southworth Planetarium University of Southern Maine
posted by Michelle at 1:25 PM 0 comments
Rene' Descartes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rene' Descartes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 11:36 AM 0 comments
Mechanism (philosophy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mechanism (philosophy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 11:34 AM 0 comments
Rob: Hot off the Presses about the telescope!!
Amazon.com: Galileo's Instruments of Credit : Telescopes, Images, Secrecy: Books: Mario BiagioliAmazon.com: Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope: Books: Fred Watson
posted by Michelle at 11:29 AM 1 comments
Monday, March 27, 2006
Extra-Credit Opportunity!!
Amanda Gaeb (Class of 2009), Salem Witch Trial reenactmentBelieve it or not, the actual court transcripts and other trial documents for Salem still survive! Come see firsthand what the Salem Witch Trials were like… (Amanda, by the way, is actually a descendant of an accused witch from another series of witch trials in Colonial Massachusetts, and she will be discussing also her colorful family history!)
Dr. Michelle A. Laughran (History) “Who’s the Witch? Witchcraft & Witch Trials in Early-Modern History.” Salem may be the most famous, but it was not the only incidence of witch trials after the Renaissance. Thousands of people would wind up being tried for witchcraft all over Europe and the settlements in the New World. What did people at the time think witches and witchcraft were like, and how did they go about hunting down witches?
Dr. Dale J. Brooker (Sociology), “Examining the Salem Witch Trials using one’s Sociological Imagination: Constructions of Deviance and Community Boundaries in 17th century New England” When Kai Erikson wrote The Wayward Puritans in 1966, he envisioned the Salem Witch Trials as a social experience, one that was deeply rooted in the Puritan culture of 17th century Massachusetts. In his analysis he provides readers with a picture that portrays a world in which community boundaries are constructed around various perceived threats to the community. This paper focuses on the sociological analysis of the Salem settlement with a focus on the witch trials as not only a functional component to ensure social cohesion, but also as an attempt to construct and place labels upon those in the community who were seen as outside the boundaries of what a “good and whole” Puritan settlement should be like.
Dr. Beth Auger (Biology), "Blame it on Ergot?"Among the potential factors leading to the witchcraft hysteria in Salem is the possible presence of ergot in and on the grain crops stored by the colonists. Ergot (Claviceps purpurea) produces LSD and related hallucinogenic compounds; these compounds have been observed to cause symptoms similar to those noted in the residents of Salem during the time of the Witchcraft Trials. We will examine the biology of ergot and similar chemicals and discuss the likelihood for the invo
posted by Michelle at 11:52 AM 0 comments
Theriacum Andromachi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
One example of a recipe for theriac...Theriacum Andromachi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 9:58 AM 0 comments
Saturday, March 25, 2006
FYI... From this week's "Internet Scout Report"
The Deadly Virus: The Influenza Epidemic of 1918The history of human civilizations is rife with disastrous epidemics and plagues, a fact that is sometimes lost on modern-day pundits and commentators. Fortunately, the National Archives hasn’t forgotten about one of history’s more recent tragedies, namely the influenza epidemic of 1918. They recently created this engaging and fascinating collection of documents and photographs that offer a first-hand perspective on this epidemic. All told, the collection offered here contains several dozen primary source materials, including a directive from the Navy in order to educate sailors about the health risks of the disease and a photograph of Seattle police officers clad in protective face masks. One special feature of the site is that visitors can also order copies of the documents, if they are so inclined. Overall, this is a well-designed site that offers a glimpse of theAmerican perspective on this rampant epidemic which eventually killed 20 million people across the world. [KMG]
posted by Michelle at 6:57 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Assignment Calendar for March
Wednesday, March 22:Reading Assignment:
Laughran, "Professionalization of the Apothecary..."
Shapin, pp. 81-89Monday, March 27: Francis Bacon and the Origins of Scientific MethodReading Assignment:
Shapin, 89-96
Science in Europe, 8.3Wednesday, March 29: The Scientific Method of Rene' DescartesReading Assignment:
Shapin, 47-64
Science in Europe, 7.1
posted by Michelle at 12:09 PM 0 comments
Monday, March 20, 2006
Midterm Receipts (update)
This announcement was supposed to be posted also on my other two course blogs... I don't know why it didn't stick.Anyway, here it is again... The Capstone: Midterm Receipts (update)
posted by Michelle at 8:19 PM 0 comments
Friday, March 10, 2006
FYI: Science lit links from this week's "Internet Scout Report"
"LabLit.com - The Culture of Science in Fiction & Fact: Some might be asking themselves: 'What is LabLit?' LabLit.com is '…dedicated to real laboratory culture and to the portrayal and perceptions of that culture-science, scientists and labs-in fiction, the media and across popular culture.' Edited by the researcher Jennifer Rohn, the site contains a cornucopia of material ranging from humor pieces about laboratory life and culture, interviews with scientists and novelists, and a number of surveys and quizzes. From the homepage, visitors can delve right into some of these materials, which also include a number of online forums where lively debates take place on topics such as the perception of science on television and the stereotypes about those working in the field. The site is rounded out by the'Lab Lit List', which contains an extensive list of novels, films, plays,and television programs that fall squarely into this particular genre.""Public Library of Science: In 2003, the Public Library of Science (PLOS) began a rather ambitious and most welcome project that would effectively offer unlimited access to the latest scientific research by creating a number of high-quality, open access journals. The first journal, PLOS Biology was launched three years ago, and since then, PLOS has created several additional journals dealing withmedicine, computational biology, and genetics. Visitors should feel free to browse through back issues of each journal, and download various articles that might be of interest. Along with access to these peer-edited journals, users should also take a look at their 'News & Events' area, which contains information about upcoming conferences and events sponsored by PLOS and other scientific organizations and professional groups."
Discovery in Turkey may hold clue to human evolution: Family may provide evolution clue
Walking on all fours with the ancestors
Family Walks on all Fours, May Offer Evolution Insight, Experts Say
Becoming Human: Paleoanthropology, Evolution and Human Origins
Understanding Evolution
The Paleoanthropology Society
"Over the past few years, a group of scholars from a number of institutions(including the London School of Economics) have been researching a ratherunusual family living in Turkey. Based on their observations, it wouldappear that all five siblings in this family walk on all fours almostexclusively as a form of ambulation. The family may in fact reveal important information about how previous hominids made the transition from four-legged to two-legged animals. All of the siblings appear to have been born with a form of brain damage, which affects both balance and coordination. Professor Humphrey from the London School of Economics has noted that these siblings put their weight on the wrists as they move about, as opposed to chimpanzees and gorillas, who walk on their knuckles. Humphrey also remarked that, 'These kids have kept their fingers very agile, for example, the girls in the family can do crochet and embroidery.' Scientists continue to study the family as they may represent an important step in the transition to bipedalism utilized by modern-day humans.
The first link will take users to a news story from the BBC that talks about the recent research on this family in Turkey. The second link leads to another piece of reporting from The Times, which discusses the cultural and genetic influences, which may have played a role in this family’s particular adaptation. The third link leads to a very good piece from the National Geographic online news service, which also contains links to a number of evolution-related stories. The fourth link whisks users to a fine site, which provides an interactive introduction to the nature of paleoanthropology, offered by Arizona State University. The fifth link leads to a site that provides high-quality information about evolution. Designed by a team of scholars at the University of California-Berkeley, visitors can peruse this site to learn about evidence for evolution and the impact of evolution more generally. The final link leads to the homepage of The Paleoanthropology Society, where visitors can learn about their work and also peruse back issues of their fine journal."
posted by Michelle at 8:31 AM 1 comments
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
FYI: Martha Ballard, Midwifery and Herbal Medicine
Midwifery and Herbal MedicineMartha Ballard and a "Man-Midwife""There are still 18th-century buildings standing in Hallowell, Maine, such as Old Fort Western. With the Martha Ballard Walking Tour you can take a virtual tour of the town, complete with maps and pictures, or print it to take a real walking tour."
posted by Michelle at 11:41 AM 0 comments
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Midterm Question!
Well, turns out that there are a number of ways in which this city is kinda irritating. Not least of which is, oddly enough, that I had difficulty accessing internet at a technology workshop here. Go figure...Anyway, it's my firm belief that when such snafus happen, students certainly shouldn't be the ones penalized for them! That's why I'll be glad to give you all until 11:59 pm on Sunday, March 12th (via email, or you can hand it in by Friday before at 4 pm in hard copy to the Faculty Secretaries) to answer the following question (and if there's still even a scheduling problem about you being about to meet this deadline - since it's been adjusted - let me know as soon as you can before the deadline and we'll see what we can work out!!)As always, please contact me if you have any questions (but be warned that SJC's remote email access seems to be going up and down, so please don't panic if you don't hear back from me immediately!) See you at the normal place and time on Monday!!INSTRUCTIONS: Please answer the following (yes, it's just one essay!) in no more than 5 pages, typewritten, doublespaced with 12 point font and 1 inch margins... Remember to use both primary and secondary sources in your response!Explain the macrocosmic/microcosmic paradigm that characterized science and medicine before the Scientific Revolution, and give specific examples of the major ways it appeared in scientific and medical primary sources of the time. In what specific ways and why would (pick three) Copernicus, Galileo, Vesalius and/or Paracelsus challenge this paradigm in their writings? And in what specific ways did some of their writings actually uphold the old paradigm, and why would they have wanted to do so, do you think?
posted by Michelle at 2:07 PM 1 comments
Monday, February 27, 2006
Monumentaluhren
Monumentaluhren
posted by Michelle at 11:48 AM 1 comments
Zodiac Man
Zodiac Man
posted by Michelle at 11:47 AM 0 comments
Borelli's Man-As-Machine
Borelli's Man-As-Machine
posted by Michelle at 11:45 AM 0 comments
Torre dell'Orologio
OROLOGIO 01
posted by Michelle at 11:43 AM 0 comments
Newsflash: It could be the head of Nicolaus Copernicus!
" It could be the head of Nicolaus Copernicus"
posted by Michelle at 5:06 AM 0 comments
Friday, February 17, 2006
FYI: Forensic Science
The Panopticon: Visible Proofs
posted by Michelle at 9:13 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Tour of University of Padua
Tour of University of Padua
posted by Michelle at 11:50 AM 0 comments
Historical Anatomies on the Web
Historical Anatomies on the Web
posted by Michelle at 11:49 AM 0 comments
Friday, February 10, 2006
FYI: Folk Medicine Database
UCLA Folkmed Database - Search Page
posted by Michelle at 6:44 AM 0 comments
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Galileo dissing the pope? You make the call!
"In an undated record of a conversation between Galileo and Urban VIII, the latter's Papal theologian, Agostino Oregio, explained that, having allowed all the arguments that Galileo had brought to bear on the question, the Pope
asked him at the end whether God could not have the power and wisdom to dispose and move in another way the orbs and the stars and all that is seen in the sky and all that is said of the motions, order, location, distance and disposition of the stars... Because if God knew how and had the power to dispose all of this in another way than that which has been thought—in such wise as to save all that has been said—we cannot limit the divine power and wisdom to this way. (quoted by Fantoli, op cit, 322)In response, said Oregio, 'that most learned man [Galileo] remained silent.' According to Urban VIII, then, astronomy must remain an instrumental science: if more than one system can save the appearances, or if there is no reason why other, currently unknown systems may not do likewise, we should view them as calculating devices or tools of prediction and not speak of their truth. "
(from Paul Newell, The Galileo Affair)
"Galileo rejected Kepler's explanation that the tides are caused by the moon's attraction. Again a willingness to study Kepler might have saved him embarrassment. But he was captivated by the necessity of finding a physical proof and he convinced himself that he had it in [his] tidal theory. As far as his readers were concerned, Galileo's explanation of the tides was even less tenable than the Copernican system itself...Though he tried, Galileo did not prove that the earth moves. He did succeed in showing that it is not impossible for the earth to move; his arguments against the objections to such motion were, in general, quite valid. This in itself was a great accomplishment, enough in fact to merit the Dialogue an important position in the history of science... As it was, he had again committed himself to his theory as though it were fact and tried to convert his suspecting, conservative, but not totally ignorant contemporaries. True, he did insert a submission clause at the end of the book. It was [Pope] Urban [VIII's] maxim that God could have established the universe in such a way that man could never discover its secrets and therefore to hold one system as certain would be to put limitations on the power and wisdom of God. But Galileo had the objection spoken by the poor Aristotelian, Simplicio, who had been buffetted about during the entire four-day discussion:
As to the discourses we have held, and especially this last one concerning the reasons for the ebbing and flowing of the ocean, I am really not entirely convinced; but from such feeble ideas of the matter as I have formed, I admit that your thoughts seem to me more ingenious that many others I have heard. I do not therefore consider them true and conclusive; indeed, keeping always before my mind's eye a most solid doctrine that I once heard from a most eminent and learned person, and before which one must fall silent, I know that if asked whether God in His infinite power and wisdom could have conferred upon the watery element its observed reciprocating motion using some other means than moving its containing vessels, both of you would reply that He could have, and that He would have known how to do this in many ways which are unthinkable to our minds. From this I forthwith conclude that, this being so, it would be excessive boldness for anyone to limit and restrict the divine power and wisdom to some particular fancy of his own.
It does not help matters any that Salviati answers:
An admirable and angelic doctrine, and well in accord with another one, also divine, which, while it grants to us the right to argue about the constitution of the universe (perhaps in order that the working of the human mind shall not be curtailed or made lazy), adds that we cannot discover the work of His hands. Let us, then, exercise these activities permitted to us and ordained by God, that we may recognize and thereby so much the more admire His greatness, however much less fit we may find ourselves to penetrate the profound depths of His infinite wisdom.
Coming as it did at the conclusion of a strong stand for the Copernican system, this looked very much like an inane, futile, face-saving dodge of pietism which had to be used to escape the bonds of cold, hard logic. It stands in silent contradiction to the entire text."
(from Jerome L. Langford, Galileo, Science and the Church, 127-29;
left, title page of the original edition of the Dialogues from the Galilean Library;
and right, image of this actual excerpt from the Univ. of OK History of Science department!)
posted by Michelle at 11:04 AM 0 comments
FYI - Open-source music library app MetaFilter
Open-source music library app MetaFilter
posted by Michelle at 4:48 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
FYI - "Evolution Sunday"
linkfilter.net - Evolution Sunday!
posted by Michelle at 12:25 PM 0 comments
FYI - "Heliocentrism Day!"
linkfilter.net - Heliocentrism Day
posted by Michelle at 12:23 PM 0 comments
Monday, February 06, 2006
WikiProject History of Science
Hmmm... Sounds like a possibility!! :-)
---------------------H-Sci-Med-Tech:List members with concerns about or active interest in Wikipedia may be interested in WikiProject History of Science, an effort to organize and improve the history of science, technology and medicine content on Wikipedia.A small number of historians of science are already active editors on Wikipedia, but there is much more work to do.Project page:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_History_of_ScienceShare your thoughts on the discussion page:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_History_of_ScienceAs Wikipedia becomes more sophisticated, undergraduates will increasingly rely on it as a starting point (and ideally only a starting point, but often more) for writing papers. So even if you have no desire to contribute to Wikipedia, it pays as an historian to familiarize yourself with it.At least one historian (T. Mills Kelly) has begun to use Wikipedia as the focus of assignments, having students correct shoddy articles or write new ones. As you might expect, students gained more of an appreciation of the potential pitfalls of using Wikipedia as a source after trying their hands at editing material with which they were familiar.See Kelly's blog:http://chnm.gmu.edu/history/faculty/kelly/blogs/edwired/archives/2005/12/whither_wiki.htmlI think Wikipedia has the potential to be an extremely effective way to promote our discipline, especially by the creation of many high quality ("Feature" quality) articles, which can be promoted on the main page (and and thus read by thousands of people).Sincerely,Sage RossGraduate StudentYale UniversityProgram in History of Medicine and Science
posted by Michelle at 2:41 PM 1 comments
FYI: Writings by Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno: The Heroic Frenzies ('De Gli Eroici Furori')
posted by Michelle at 1:43 PM 0 comments
Galileo on the Moon!
Video of Galileo's falling objects' experiment conducted on the moon!
posted by Michelle at 11:18 AM 0 comments
Ms. 72 di Galileo / Ingresso - Entry
View Galileo's actual manuscript Ms. Gal. 72 containing drafts (texts, drawings, and calculations) mostly pertaining to the theorems on motion...Ms. 72 di Galileo
posted by Michelle at 11:04 AM 0 comments
Assignment for 2/8: The Crime of Galileo: Indictment and Abjuration of 1633
Modern History Sourcebook: The Crime of Galileo: Indictment and Abjuration of 1633
posted by Michelle at 11:00 AM 2 comments
FYI: The Galileo Project
The Galileo Project
posted by Michelle at 10:58 AM 0 comments
FYI: Supporters say DNA bill not just about Dechaine
Supporters say DNA bill not just about DechaineScience and the Law
posted by Dale J. Brooker at 4:15 AM 0 comments
Friday, February 03, 2006
FYI: Students to Track Discarded Spacesuit - Yahoo! News
Students to Track Discarded Spacesuit - Yahoo! News
posted by Michelle at 1:04 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
For 2/1: Geocentric, Heliocentric & Geoheliocentric...
Diagram of Ptolemaic conception of the universe
Diagram of Copernican conception of the universe
Diagram of Tychonic conception of the universe
(from TychoBrahe.com)
posted by Michelle at 8:30 AM 0 comments
For 2/1: The medieval universe
More explanations of the medieval universe...
posted by Michelle at 8:22 AM 0 comments
For 2/1: Retrograde Motion Animation
Retrograde Motion
posted by Michelle at 8:17 AM 1 comments
For 2/1: Epicycle animation
epicycle
posted by Michelle at 8:13 AM 0 comments
FYI: "A Unique Perspective into the Realm of Historical Asylums and State Hospitals"
"Forgotten Photography provides a photographic journey through some of our nation's historical asylums and state hospitals. In the 1800's these elegant asylums and state hospitals were intended to be the first step towards the humane treatment of the mentally ill. These once lavish buildings now stand empty, a hollow shell of what was once the best mankind could offer for an illness he didn't understand and couldn’t cure..."
posted by Michelle at 5:16 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Extra-Credit Opportunity!
Watch the following program on Feb. 2 on the History Channel, and post an analytical comment or reaction to the program on the blog!
8-9pm -- Ancient Marvels - Ancient Discoveries: Galen, Doctor to the Gladiators. In this fascinating series, we examine ancientinventions once believed to have been created inmodern times, and test the wits of ancient inventorsagainst some of the world's great modern inventors. Part 2 uncovers the revolutionary work of Galen, the great Roman doctor to the gladiators, who was performing brain surgery 2,000 years ahead of his time. We also explore the sophistication of Roman medicine and compare it to modern techniques.
posted by Michelle at 2:56 PM 1 comments
Monday, January 30, 2006
Hi!
Hi, My name is Allison and I'm a Junior Psychology major. After I graduate from Saint Joe's I plan on getting a degree in nursing and working as a psychiatric nurse. I'm interested in all sorts of things and history is one of them, this is why I took the class.
posted by Allison at 8:21 AM 0 comments
Saturday, January 28, 2006
UPDATED:Assignment Calendar for February
Note: the following schedule is subject to change with notification...Wednesday, February 1 - Copernicus and his “Revolution”?Reading Assignment:
Shapin, Chap. 1, pp. 15-30;
Science in Europe, Sections 2.1 & 2.2 & 3.3 - 3.5
Monday & Wednesday, February 6 & 8 - Galileo & the Heliocentric System
Reading Assignment:
Science in Europe, Section 2.2, 3.3-3.5 and Chapter 4.
Monday, February 13 - Science, Medicine & Religion
Reading Assignment:
Shapin, pp. 65-80;
Healing Arts, Chapter 4;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 4.
Wednesday, February 15 - Medical Renaissance of the Sixteenth Century
Reading Assignment:
Science in Europe, Sections 2.3;
Healing Arts, Chapter 3;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 3;
"The Italian Patient"
Monday, February 20 - Presidents' Day break - NO CLASS!
Wednesday, February 22 - Prof away at conference - NO CLASS!
Monday, February 27 - The Natural Machine & Early-Modern Medical Practitioners
Reading Assignment:
Shapin, pp. 30-46;
Healing Arts, Chapter 7;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 7.
Healing Arts, Chapter 2;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 2.
posted by Michelle at 1:36 PM 0 comments
Previous Posts
History of Science Essay Contest!
Take Home Final Essay Exam and In-Class Presentati...
FYI- re: Gender in the Scientific Revolution
Re: the article about Harvey
FYI - Los Angeles woman hospitalized with bubonic ...
Star Wars Fun!
Re: Alchemy... Pottery points to monks' quest to c...
Read for 4/24: "Fibonacci Flim-Flam"
Newton's Three Laws of Motion
Question... Want to see the Star Wars exhibit at M...
Archives
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This is a paragraph of text that could go in the sidebar.
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Put simply… for every attempt that modern Western man may make to understand himself and make himself known to others… nothing is more essential than an understanding of science as it has developed in history (R.C. Olby, et al., "Preface," Companion to the History of Modern Science).
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Notes from old Science Class blog
Paradigms Lost
History of Science & Medicine @ SJC
Friday, May 05, 2006
History of Science Essay Contest!
To celebrate the rebranding of the British Society for the History of Science website and the foundation of the Outreach and Education Committee, the BSHS is proud to announce a new competition. We are offering a prize of £250 for the best 500-word answer to this question:WHY SHOULD ANYONE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE?The prize may be split between two entries if the judges decide that they are both of high merit. The winning entry will be made available on the BSHS website. Essays should be written for a general audience; footnotes should be avoided. Entries which are accompanied by one or more images (not exceeding 200KB in memory size), on which there are no copyright restrictions, are especially welcome. The competition is open to non-members of the Society, but only one entry per person may be made, and all entrants must be aged 18 or older. Anyone wishing to submit essays should contact outreach@bshs.org.ukto be given an entry identification number, before any essay is sent. This will permit essays to be assessed anonymously. The closing date for submission is 31st August 2006. The winner will beannounced, and the prize awarded, by the end of October 2006.
posted by Michelle at 2:00 PM 0 comments
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Take Home Final Essay Exam and In-Class Presentations
Well, gang, I'm still sick... so we have to rearrange our calendar a bit.We'll do our in-class presentations during the time scheduled for our final exam, Monday, May 8th at 2:45 pm.As a result, our final essay exam will have to be all take-home. But I'll accept your responses until 11:59 pm on Wednesday, May 10th via email (and sooner, if you'd like to hand them in in hard copy, you may do so during business hours to the Faculty Secretary...)So, without further adieu, here are the final exam questions!INSTRUCTIONS: Please answer the following two essays in no more than 5 pages each, typewritten, doublespaced with 12 point font and 1 inch margins... Remember to use both primary and secondary sources in your response!There's an old joke about a quiz which goes, "The Industrial Revolution was neither industrial nor a revolution. Discuss." And I'd be tempted to ask you the same thing about the Scientific Revolution... But let's try asking it in a way which doesn't seem so sinister! :-)1) What was the scientific and medical paradigm which was prevalent before the Scientific Revolution, and what were the various ways in which that changed over the course of the Scientific Revolution? Being sure to use primary sources, address in what specific ways and why would (pick one) a) Scientific Societies or b) Isaac Newton epitomize the new scientific methods advocated in the Scientific Revolution. And in what specific ways did some of their writings actually uphold the old paradigm, and why, do you think?2) Gender has been an ongoing theme in our class. How did the scientists and physicians of the Scientific Revolution tend to react to issues of gender, both from the perspective of women as practitioners and from that of women as scientific subjects or patients? (Remember to utilize both primary and secondary sources!)
posted by Michelle at 12:29 PM 0 comments
Thursday, April 27, 2006
FYI- re: Gender in the Scientific Revolution
Financial Times.com / Books - Sex, under the microscope(from the Chronicle of Higher Education's Art & Letters Daily)
posted by Michelle at 8:30 AM 0 comments
Monday, April 24, 2006
Re: the article about Harvey
What was going on in the historical background...English Civil War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 11:49 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
FYI - Los Angeles woman hospitalized with bubonic plague
Yikes!!USATODAY.com - Los Angeles woman hospitalized with bubonic plague
posted by Michelle at 6:20 PM 0 comments
Star Wars Fun!
Funny news from the dark side with the "Imperial News Network"!The Emperor is on the hunt for a new job with a temp agency: Watch the Video!"The media bias against Imperial government": Watch the Video!
posted by Michelle at 6:15 PM 0 comments
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Re: Alchemy... Pottery points to monks' quest to create gold
Mirabilis.ca: Pottery points to monks' quest to create gold
posted by Michelle at 6:09 PM 0 comments
Read for 4/24: "Fibonacci Flim-Flam"
Fibonacci Flim-Flam.
posted by Michelle at 7:42 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Newton's Three Laws of Motion
Newton's Three Laws of Motion
posted by Michelle at 11:51 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Question... Want to see the Star Wars exhibit at MoS?
Hey, ya'll... The tickets to see the IMAX of the Amazon will be $4 for each of you. Would you want to also pay an additional $5 each to be able to enter this exhibition?? Let me know!!Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination
posted by Michelle at 1:23 PM 0 comments
Monday, April 10, 2006
REVISED Schedule for April
Monday, April 3: Magic, the Occult and the Scientific RevolutionReading Assignment:
Science in Europe, 7.1 (originally scheduled last Wed.)
Science in Europe, Chap. 6 & Section 8.7;
Mary Quinlan-McGrath, “The Foundation Horoscope(s) for St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, 1506: Choosing a Time, Changing the Storia,” Isis, Vol. 92 (2001), only pp. 716-726, 731-733, and 739-741. (This article is available outside my office for anybody not in class... hint hint!)
Monday, April 10: Scientific Societies & the “Production” of Scientific KnowledgeReading Assignment:
Shapin, 96-109;
Science in Europe, Chap. 9;
Peter Dear, “Totius in Verba: Rhetoric and Authority in the Early Royal Society,” in Isis, Vol. 76 (1985), pp. 144-161;
J. V. Golinski, “A Noble Spectacle: Phosphorus and the Public Cultures of Science in the Early Royal Society,” in Isis, Vol. 80 (1989), pp. 11-39.
Wednesday, April 12: Newton and His Synthesis
Reading Assignment:
Shapin, 57-64 & 109-117;
Science in Europe, Chap. 10;
Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727): Optics, excerpts;
B. J. T. Dobbs, “Newton's Alchemy and His Theory of Matter,” in Isis, Vol. 73 (1982), pp. 511-528
Monday, April 17: Easter Monday - NO CLASS!
Wednesday, April 19: Field Trip to Boston's Museum of Science (meet at 10am in front of Alfond Center!)
Monday, April 24: The (Non-Scientific?) "Uses" of Science Reading Assignment:
Shapin, Chap. 3;
Christopher Hill, “William Harvey and the Idea of Monarchy,” in The Intellectual Revolution of the Seventeenth Century, ed. Charles Webster (London: Routledge & Kegan, 1974), 160-81.
Wednesday, April 26: Women & Gender in Early-Modern Science & Medicine
Reading Assignment:
The Healing Arts, Chap.2.4; Chap. 8;
Health, Disease & Society, 2.2-2.3; 6.7; Chap. 8
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762), “Smallpox Vaccination in Turkey”
Monday, May 1: Eighteenth- & Nineteenth-Century Science: Towards Positivism and the "Cult of Progress"
Reading Assignment:
Science in Europe, 12.1, 14.1, 15.4; and Chap. 16;
Charles Darwin (1809-1882), “On the Origins of Species,”
Reaction to Darwin;
Social Darwinism: Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)
Wednesday, May 3: In-Class presentations
Monday, May 8, 2006 at 2:45PM in Alfond Hall 230: In-Class presentations!
(Have a great summer!!)
posted by Michelle at 3:01 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
FYI: "9,000-Year-Old Dental Drill Is Found - Yahoo! News"
9,000-Year-Old Dental Drill Is Found - Yahoo! News
posted by Michelle at 6:53 PM 0 comments
FYI: Biopharm Leeches - Suppliers of Medicinal Leeches Since 1812
Biopharm Leeches - Suppliers of Medicinal Leeches Since 1812!
posted by Michelle at 6:25 PM 0 comments
NPR : Thinkers Lay Out the Beliefs They Can't Prove
NPR : Thinkers Lay Out the Beliefs They Can't Prove
posted by Michelle at 7:12 AM 0 comments
A discussion about Science in the Age of Certainty on April 12th
A discussion about Science in the Age of Certainty
posted by Michelle at 7:10 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
FYI: Fun astronomy classes at the Portland Planetarium!
Southworth Planetarium University of Southern Maine
posted by Michelle at 1:25 PM 0 comments
Rene' Descartes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rene' Descartes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 11:36 AM 0 comments
Mechanism (philosophy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mechanism (philosophy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 11:34 AM 0 comments
Rob: Hot off the Presses about the telescope!!
Amazon.com: Galileo's Instruments of Credit : Telescopes, Images, Secrecy: Books: Mario BiagioliAmazon.com: Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope: Books: Fred Watson
posted by Michelle at 11:29 AM 1 comments
Monday, March 27, 2006
Extra-Credit Opportunity!!
Amanda Gaeb (Class of 2009), Salem Witch Trial reenactmentBelieve it or not, the actual court transcripts and other trial documents for Salem still survive! Come see firsthand what the Salem Witch Trials were like… (Amanda, by the way, is actually a descendant of an accused witch from another series of witch trials in Colonial Massachusetts, and she will be discussing also her colorful family history!)
Dr. Michelle A. Laughran (History) “Who’s the Witch? Witchcraft & Witch Trials in Early-Modern History.” Salem may be the most famous, but it was not the only incidence of witch trials after the Renaissance. Thousands of people would wind up being tried for witchcraft all over Europe and the settlements in the New World. What did people at the time think witches and witchcraft were like, and how did they go about hunting down witches?
Dr. Dale J. Brooker (Sociology), “Examining the Salem Witch Trials using one’s Sociological Imagination: Constructions of Deviance and Community Boundaries in 17th century New England” When Kai Erikson wrote The Wayward Puritans in 1966, he envisioned the Salem Witch Trials as a social experience, one that was deeply rooted in the Puritan culture of 17th century Massachusetts. In his analysis he provides readers with a picture that portrays a world in which community boundaries are constructed around various perceived threats to the community. This paper focuses on the sociological analysis of the Salem settlement with a focus on the witch trials as not only a functional component to ensure social cohesion, but also as an attempt to construct and place labels upon those in the community who were seen as outside the boundaries of what a “good and whole” Puritan settlement should be like.
Dr. Beth Auger (Biology), "Blame it on Ergot?"Among the potential factors leading to the witchcraft hysteria in Salem is the possible presence of ergot in and on the grain crops stored by the colonists. Ergot (Claviceps purpurea) produces LSD and related hallucinogenic compounds; these compounds have been observed to cause symptoms similar to those noted in the residents of Salem during the time of the Witchcraft Trials. We will examine the biology of ergot and similar chemicals and discuss the likelihood for the invo
posted by Michelle at 11:52 AM 0 comments
Theriacum Andromachi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
One example of a recipe for theriac...Theriacum Andromachi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 9:58 AM 0 comments
Saturday, March 25, 2006
FYI... From this week's "Internet Scout Report"
The Deadly Virus: The Influenza Epidemic of 1918The history of human civilizations is rife with disastrous epidemics and plagues, a fact that is sometimes lost on modern-day pundits and commentators. Fortunately, the National Archives hasn’t forgotten about one of history’s more recent tragedies, namely the influenza epidemic of 1918. They recently created this engaging and fascinating collection of documents and photographs that offer a first-hand perspective on this epidemic. All told, the collection offered here contains several dozen primary source materials, including a directive from the Navy in order to educate sailors about the health risks of the disease and a photograph of Seattle police officers clad in protective face masks. One special feature of the site is that visitors can also order copies of the documents, if they are so inclined. Overall, this is a well-designed site that offers a glimpse of theAmerican perspective on this rampant epidemic which eventually killed 20 million people across the world. [KMG]
posted by Michelle at 6:57 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Assignment Calendar for March
Wednesday, March 22:Reading Assignment:
Laughran, "Professionalization of the Apothecary..."
Shapin, pp. 81-89Monday, March 27: Francis Bacon and the Origins of Scientific MethodReading Assignment:
Shapin, 89-96
Science in Europe, 8.3Wednesday, March 29: The Scientific Method of Rene' DescartesReading Assignment:
Shapin, 47-64
Science in Europe, 7.1
posted by Michelle at 12:09 PM 0 comments
Monday, March 20, 2006
Midterm Receipts (update)
This announcement was supposed to be posted also on my other two course blogs... I don't know why it didn't stick.Anyway, here it is again... The Capstone: Midterm Receipts (update)
posted by Michelle at 8:19 PM 0 comments
Friday, March 10, 2006
FYI: Science lit links from this week's "Internet Scout Report"
"LabLit.com - The Culture of Science in Fiction & Fact: Some might be asking themselves: 'What is LabLit?' LabLit.com is '…dedicated to real laboratory culture and to the portrayal and perceptions of that culture-science, scientists and labs-in fiction, the media and across popular culture.' Edited by the researcher Jennifer Rohn, the site contains a cornucopia of material ranging from humor pieces about laboratory life and culture, interviews with scientists and novelists, and a number of surveys and quizzes. From the homepage, visitors can delve right into some of these materials, which also include a number of online forums where lively debates take place on topics such as the perception of science on television and the stereotypes about those working in the field. The site is rounded out by the'Lab Lit List', which contains an extensive list of novels, films, plays,and television programs that fall squarely into this particular genre.""Public Library of Science: In 2003, the Public Library of Science (PLOS) began a rather ambitious and most welcome project that would effectively offer unlimited access to the latest scientific research by creating a number of high-quality, open access journals. The first journal, PLOS Biology was launched three years ago, and since then, PLOS has created several additional journals dealing withmedicine, computational biology, and genetics. Visitors should feel free to browse through back issues of each journal, and download various articles that might be of interest. Along with access to these peer-edited journals, users should also take a look at their 'News & Events' area, which contains information about upcoming conferences and events sponsored by PLOS and other scientific organizations and professional groups."
Discovery in Turkey may hold clue to human evolution: Family may provide evolution clue
Walking on all fours with the ancestors
Family Walks on all Fours, May Offer Evolution Insight, Experts Say
Becoming Human: Paleoanthropology, Evolution and Human Origins
Understanding Evolution
The Paleoanthropology Society
"Over the past few years, a group of scholars from a number of institutions(including the London School of Economics) have been researching a ratherunusual family living in Turkey. Based on their observations, it wouldappear that all five siblings in this family walk on all fours almostexclusively as a form of ambulation. The family may in fact reveal important information about how previous hominids made the transition from four-legged to two-legged animals. All of the siblings appear to have been born with a form of brain damage, which affects both balance and coordination. Professor Humphrey from the London School of Economics has noted that these siblings put their weight on the wrists as they move about, as opposed to chimpanzees and gorillas, who walk on their knuckles. Humphrey also remarked that, 'These kids have kept their fingers very agile, for example, the girls in the family can do crochet and embroidery.' Scientists continue to study the family as they may represent an important step in the transition to bipedalism utilized by modern-day humans.
The first link will take users to a news story from the BBC that talks about the recent research on this family in Turkey. The second link leads to another piece of reporting from The Times, which discusses the cultural and genetic influences, which may have played a role in this family’s particular adaptation. The third link leads to a very good piece from the National Geographic online news service, which also contains links to a number of evolution-related stories. The fourth link whisks users to a fine site, which provides an interactive introduction to the nature of paleoanthropology, offered by Arizona State University. The fifth link leads to a site that provides high-quality information about evolution. Designed by a team of scholars at the University of California-Berkeley, visitors can peruse this site to learn about evidence for evolution and the impact of evolution more generally. The final link leads to the homepage of The Paleoanthropology Society, where visitors can learn about their work and also peruse back issues of their fine journal."
posted by Michelle at 8:31 AM 1 comments
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
FYI: Martha Ballard, Midwifery and Herbal Medicine
Midwifery and Herbal MedicineMartha Ballard and a "Man-Midwife""There are still 18th-century buildings standing in Hallowell, Maine, such as Old Fort Western. With the Martha Ballard Walking Tour you can take a virtual tour of the town, complete with maps and pictures, or print it to take a real walking tour."
posted by Michelle at 11:41 AM 0 comments
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Midterm Question!
Well, turns out that there are a number of ways in which this city is kinda irritating. Not least of which is, oddly enough, that I had difficulty accessing internet at a technology workshop here. Go figure...Anyway, it's my firm belief that when such snafus happen, students certainly shouldn't be the ones penalized for them! That's why I'll be glad to give you all until 11:59 pm on Sunday, March 12th (via email, or you can hand it in by Friday before at 4 pm in hard copy to the Faculty Secretaries) to answer the following question (and if there's still even a scheduling problem about you being about to meet this deadline - since it's been adjusted - let me know as soon as you can before the deadline and we'll see what we can work out!!)As always, please contact me if you have any questions (but be warned that SJC's remote email access seems to be going up and down, so please don't panic if you don't hear back from me immediately!) See you at the normal place and time on Monday!!INSTRUCTIONS: Please answer the following (yes, it's just one essay!) in no more than 5 pages, typewritten, doublespaced with 12 point font and 1 inch margins... Remember to use both primary and secondary sources in your response!Explain the macrocosmic/microcosmic paradigm that characterized science and medicine before the Scientific Revolution, and give specific examples of the major ways it appeared in scientific and medical primary sources of the time. In what specific ways and why would (pick three) Copernicus, Galileo, Vesalius and/or Paracelsus challenge this paradigm in their writings? And in what specific ways did some of their writings actually uphold the old paradigm, and why would they have wanted to do so, do you think?
posted by Michelle at 2:07 PM 1 comments
Monday, February 27, 2006
Monumentaluhren
Monumentaluhren
posted by Michelle at 11:48 AM 1 comments
Zodiac Man
Zodiac Man
posted by Michelle at 11:47 AM 0 comments
Borelli's Man-As-Machine
Borelli's Man-As-Machine
posted by Michelle at 11:45 AM 0 comments
Torre dell'Orologio
OROLOGIO 01
posted by Michelle at 11:43 AM 0 comments
Newsflash: It could be the head of Nicolaus Copernicus!
" It could be the head of Nicolaus Copernicus"
posted by Michelle at 5:06 AM 0 comments
Friday, February 17, 2006
FYI: Forensic Science
The Panopticon: Visible Proofs
posted by Michelle at 9:13 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Tour of University of Padua
Tour of University of Padua
posted by Michelle at 11:50 AM 0 comments
Historical Anatomies on the Web
Historical Anatomies on the Web
posted by Michelle at 11:49 AM 0 comments
Friday, February 10, 2006
FYI: Folk Medicine Database
UCLA Folkmed Database - Search Page
posted by Michelle at 6:44 AM 0 comments
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Galileo dissing the pope? You make the call!
"In an undated record of a conversation between Galileo and Urban VIII, the latter's Papal theologian, Agostino Oregio, explained that, having allowed all the arguments that Galileo had brought to bear on the question, the Pope
asked him at the end whether God could not have the power and wisdom to dispose and move in another way the orbs and the stars and all that is seen in the sky and all that is said of the motions, order, location, distance and disposition of the stars... Because if God knew how and had the power to dispose all of this in another way than that which has been thought—in such wise as to save all that has been said—we cannot limit the divine power and wisdom to this way. (quoted by Fantoli, op cit, 322)In response, said Oregio, 'that most learned man [Galileo] remained silent.' According to Urban VIII, then, astronomy must remain an instrumental science: if more than one system can save the appearances, or if there is no reason why other, currently unknown systems may not do likewise, we should view them as calculating devices or tools of prediction and not speak of their truth. "
(from Paul Newell, The Galileo Affair)
"Galileo rejected Kepler's explanation that the tides are caused by the moon's attraction. Again a willingness to study Kepler might have saved him embarrassment. But he was captivated by the necessity of finding a physical proof and he convinced himself that he had it in [his] tidal theory. As far as his readers were concerned, Galileo's explanation of the tides was even less tenable than the Copernican system itself...Though he tried, Galileo did not prove that the earth moves. He did succeed in showing that it is not impossible for the earth to move; his arguments against the objections to such motion were, in general, quite valid. This in itself was a great accomplishment, enough in fact to merit the Dialogue an important position in the history of science... As it was, he had again committed himself to his theory as though it were fact and tried to convert his suspecting, conservative, but not totally ignorant contemporaries. True, he did insert a submission clause at the end of the book. It was [Pope] Urban [VIII's] maxim that God could have established the universe in such a way that man could never discover its secrets and therefore to hold one system as certain would be to put limitations on the power and wisdom of God. But Galileo had the objection spoken by the poor Aristotelian, Simplicio, who had been buffetted about during the entire four-day discussion:
As to the discourses we have held, and especially this last one concerning the reasons for the ebbing and flowing of the ocean, I am really not entirely convinced; but from such feeble ideas of the matter as I have formed, I admit that your thoughts seem to me more ingenious that many others I have heard. I do not therefore consider them true and conclusive; indeed, keeping always before my mind's eye a most solid doctrine that I once heard from a most eminent and learned person, and before which one must fall silent, I know that if asked whether God in His infinite power and wisdom could have conferred upon the watery element its observed reciprocating motion using some other means than moving its containing vessels, both of you would reply that He could have, and that He would have known how to do this in many ways which are unthinkable to our minds. From this I forthwith conclude that, this being so, it would be excessive boldness for anyone to limit and restrict the divine power and wisdom to some particular fancy of his own.
It does not help matters any that Salviati answers:
An admirable and angelic doctrine, and well in accord with another one, also divine, which, while it grants to us the right to argue about the constitution of the universe (perhaps in order that the working of the human mind shall not be curtailed or made lazy), adds that we cannot discover the work of His hands. Let us, then, exercise these activities permitted to us and ordained by God, that we may recognize and thereby so much the more admire His greatness, however much less fit we may find ourselves to penetrate the profound depths of His infinite wisdom.
Coming as it did at the conclusion of a strong stand for the Copernican system, this looked very much like an inane, futile, face-saving dodge of pietism which had to be used to escape the bonds of cold, hard logic. It stands in silent contradiction to the entire text."
(from Jerome L. Langford, Galileo, Science and the Church, 127-29;
left, title page of the original edition of the Dialogues from the Galilean Library;
and right, image of this actual excerpt from the Univ. of OK History of Science department!)
posted by Michelle at 11:04 AM 0 comments
FYI - Open-source music library app MetaFilter
Open-source music library app MetaFilter
posted by Michelle at 4:48 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
FYI - "Evolution Sunday"
linkfilter.net - Evolution Sunday!
posted by Michelle at 12:25 PM 0 comments
FYI - "Heliocentrism Day!"
linkfilter.net - Heliocentrism Day
posted by Michelle at 12:23 PM 0 comments
Monday, February 06, 2006
WikiProject History of Science
Hmmm... Sounds like a possibility!! :-)
---------------------H-Sci-Med-Tech:List members with concerns about or active interest in Wikipedia may be interested in WikiProject History of Science, an effort to organize and improve the history of science, technology and medicine content on Wikipedia.A small number of historians of science are already active editors on Wikipedia, but there is much more work to do.Project page:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_History_of_ScienceShare your thoughts on the discussion page:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_History_of_ScienceAs Wikipedia becomes more sophisticated, undergraduates will increasingly rely on it as a starting point (and ideally only a starting point, but often more) for writing papers. So even if you have no desire to contribute to Wikipedia, it pays as an historian to familiarize yourself with it.At least one historian (T. Mills Kelly) has begun to use Wikipedia as the focus of assignments, having students correct shoddy articles or write new ones. As you might expect, students gained more of an appreciation of the potential pitfalls of using Wikipedia as a source after trying their hands at editing material with which they were familiar.See Kelly's blog:http://chnm.gmu.edu/history/faculty/kelly/blogs/edwired/archives/2005/12/whither_wiki.htmlI think Wikipedia has the potential to be an extremely effective way to promote our discipline, especially by the creation of many high quality ("Feature" quality) articles, which can be promoted on the main page (and and thus read by thousands of people).Sincerely,Sage RossGraduate StudentYale UniversityProgram in History of Medicine and Science
posted by Michelle at 2:41 PM 1 comments
FYI: Writings by Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno: The Heroic Frenzies ('De Gli Eroici Furori')
posted by Michelle at 1:43 PM 0 comments
Galileo on the Moon!
Video of Galileo's falling objects' experiment conducted on the moon!
posted by Michelle at 11:18 AM 0 comments
Ms. 72 di Galileo / Ingresso - Entry
View Galileo's actual manuscript Ms. Gal. 72 containing drafts (texts, drawings, and calculations) mostly pertaining to the theorems on motion...Ms. 72 di Galileo
posted by Michelle at 11:04 AM 0 comments
Assignment for 2/8: The Crime of Galileo: Indictment and Abjuration of 1633
Modern History Sourcebook: The Crime of Galileo: Indictment and Abjuration of 1633
posted by Michelle at 11:00 AM 2 comments
FYI: The Galileo Project
The Galileo Project
posted by Michelle at 10:58 AM 0 comments
FYI: Supporters say DNA bill not just about Dechaine
Supporters say DNA bill not just about DechaineScience and the Law
posted by Dale J. Brooker at 4:15 AM 0 comments
Friday, February 03, 2006
FYI: Students to Track Discarded Spacesuit - Yahoo! News
Students to Track Discarded Spacesuit - Yahoo! News
posted by Michelle at 1:04 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
For 2/1: Geocentric, Heliocentric & Geoheliocentric...
Diagram of Ptolemaic conception of the universe
Diagram of Copernican conception of the universe
Diagram of Tychonic conception of the universe
(from TychoBrahe.com)
posted by Michelle at 8:30 AM 0 comments
For 2/1: The medieval universe
More explanations of the medieval universe...
posted by Michelle at 8:22 AM 0 comments
For 2/1: Retrograde Motion Animation
Retrograde Motion
posted by Michelle at 8:17 AM 1 comments
For 2/1: Epicycle animation
epicycle
posted by Michelle at 8:13 AM 0 comments
FYI: "A Unique Perspective into the Realm of Historical Asylums and State Hospitals"
"Forgotten Photography provides a photographic journey through some of our nation's historical asylums and state hospitals. In the 1800's these elegant asylums and state hospitals were intended to be the first step towards the humane treatment of the mentally ill. These once lavish buildings now stand empty, a hollow shell of what was once the best mankind could offer for an illness he didn't understand and couldn’t cure..."
posted by Michelle at 5:16 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Extra-Credit Opportunity!
Watch the following program on Feb. 2 on the History Channel, and post an analytical comment or reaction to the program on the blog!
8-9pm -- Ancient Marvels - Ancient Discoveries: Galen, Doctor to the Gladiators. In this fascinating series, we examine ancientinventions once believed to have been created inmodern times, and test the wits of ancient inventorsagainst some of the world's great modern inventors. Part 2 uncovers the revolutionary work of Galen, the great Roman doctor to the gladiators, who was performing brain surgery 2,000 years ahead of his time. We also explore the sophistication of Roman medicine and compare it to modern techniques.
posted by Michelle at 2:56 PM 1 comments
Monday, January 30, 2006
Hi!
Hi, My name is Allison and I'm a Junior Psychology major. After I graduate from Saint Joe's I plan on getting a degree in nursing and working as a psychiatric nurse. I'm interested in all sorts of things and history is one of them, this is why I took the class.
posted by Allison at 8:21 AM 0 comments
Saturday, January 28, 2006
UPDATED:Assignment Calendar for February
Note: the following schedule is subject to change with notification...Wednesday, February 1 - Copernicus and his “Revolution”?Reading Assignment:
Shapin, Chap. 1, pp. 15-30;
Science in Europe, Sections 2.1 & 2.2 & 3.3 - 3.5
Monday & Wednesday, February 6 & 8 - Galileo & the Heliocentric System
Reading Assignment:
Science in Europe, Section 2.2, 3.3-3.5 and Chapter 4.
Monday, February 13 - Science, Medicine & Religion
Reading Assignment:
Shapin, pp. 65-80;
Healing Arts, Chapter 4;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 4.
Wednesday, February 15 - Medical Renaissance of the Sixteenth Century
Reading Assignment:
Science in Europe, Sections 2.3;
Healing Arts, Chapter 3;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 3;
"The Italian Patient"
Monday, February 20 - Presidents' Day break - NO CLASS!
Wednesday, February 22 - Prof away at conference - NO CLASS!
Monday, February 27 - The Natural Machine & Early-Modern Medical Practitioners
Reading Assignment:
Shapin, pp. 30-46;
Healing Arts, Chapter 7;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 7.
Healing Arts, Chapter 2;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 2.
posted by Michelle at 1:36 PM 0 comments
Previous Posts
History of Science Essay Contest!
Take Home Final Essay Exam and In-Class Presentati...
FYI- re: Gender in the Scientific Revolution
Re: the article about Harvey
FYI - Los Angeles woman hospitalized with bubonic ...
Star Wars Fun!
Re: Alchemy... Pottery points to monks' quest to c...
Read for 4/24: "Fibonacci Flim-Flam"
Newton's Three Laws of Motion
Question... Want to see the Star Wars exhibit at M...
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This is a paragraph of text that could go in the sidebar.
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Put simply… for every attempt that modern Western man may make to understand himself and make himself known to others… nothing is more essential than an understanding of science as it has developed in history (R.C. Olby, et al., "Preface," Companion to the History of Modern Science).
History of Science & Medicine @ SJC
Friday, May 05, 2006
History of Science Essay Contest!
To celebrate the rebranding of the British Society for the History of Science website and the foundation of the Outreach and Education Committee, the BSHS is proud to announce a new competition. We are offering a prize of £250 for the best 500-word answer to this question:WHY SHOULD ANYONE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE?The prize may be split between two entries if the judges decide that they are both of high merit. The winning entry will be made available on the BSHS website. Essays should be written for a general audience; footnotes should be avoided. Entries which are accompanied by one or more images (not exceeding 200KB in memory size), on which there are no copyright restrictions, are especially welcome. The competition is open to non-members of the Society, but only one entry per person may be made, and all entrants must be aged 18 or older. Anyone wishing to submit essays should contact outreach@bshs.org.ukto be given an entry identification number, before any essay is sent. This will permit essays to be assessed anonymously. The closing date for submission is 31st August 2006. The winner will beannounced, and the prize awarded, by the end of October 2006.
posted by Michelle at 2:00 PM 0 comments
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Take Home Final Essay Exam and In-Class Presentations
Well, gang, I'm still sick... so we have to rearrange our calendar a bit.We'll do our in-class presentations during the time scheduled for our final exam, Monday, May 8th at 2:45 pm.As a result, our final essay exam will have to be all take-home. But I'll accept your responses until 11:59 pm on Wednesday, May 10th via email (and sooner, if you'd like to hand them in in hard copy, you may do so during business hours to the Faculty Secretary...)So, without further adieu, here are the final exam questions!INSTRUCTIONS: Please answer the following two essays in no more than 5 pages each, typewritten, doublespaced with 12 point font and 1 inch margins... Remember to use both primary and secondary sources in your response!There's an old joke about a quiz which goes, "The Industrial Revolution was neither industrial nor a revolution. Discuss." And I'd be tempted to ask you the same thing about the Scientific Revolution... But let's try asking it in a way which doesn't seem so sinister! :-)1) What was the scientific and medical paradigm which was prevalent before the Scientific Revolution, and what were the various ways in which that changed over the course of the Scientific Revolution? Being sure to use primary sources, address in what specific ways and why would (pick one) a) Scientific Societies or b) Isaac Newton epitomize the new scientific methods advocated in the Scientific Revolution. And in what specific ways did some of their writings actually uphold the old paradigm, and why, do you think?2) Gender has been an ongoing theme in our class. How did the scientists and physicians of the Scientific Revolution tend to react to issues of gender, both from the perspective of women as practitioners and from that of women as scientific subjects or patients? (Remember to utilize both primary and secondary sources!)
posted by Michelle at 12:29 PM 0 comments
Thursday, April 27, 2006
FYI- re: Gender in the Scientific Revolution
Financial Times.com / Books - Sex, under the microscope(from the Chronicle of Higher Education's Art & Letters Daily)
posted by Michelle at 8:30 AM 0 comments
Monday, April 24, 2006
Re: the article about Harvey
What was going on in the historical background...English Civil War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 11:49 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
FYI - Los Angeles woman hospitalized with bubonic plague
Yikes!!USATODAY.com - Los Angeles woman hospitalized with bubonic plague
posted by Michelle at 6:20 PM 0 comments
Star Wars Fun!
Funny news from the dark side with the "Imperial News Network"!The Emperor is on the hunt for a new job with a temp agency: Watch the Video!"The media bias against Imperial government": Watch the Video!
posted by Michelle at 6:15 PM 0 comments
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Re: Alchemy... Pottery points to monks' quest to create gold
Mirabilis.ca: Pottery points to monks' quest to create gold
posted by Michelle at 6:09 PM 0 comments
Read for 4/24: "Fibonacci Flim-Flam"
Fibonacci Flim-Flam.
posted by Michelle at 7:42 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Newton's Three Laws of Motion
Newton's Three Laws of Motion
posted by Michelle at 11:51 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Question... Want to see the Star Wars exhibit at MoS?
Hey, ya'll... The tickets to see the IMAX of the Amazon will be $4 for each of you. Would you want to also pay an additional $5 each to be able to enter this exhibition?? Let me know!!Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination
posted by Michelle at 1:23 PM 0 comments
Monday, April 10, 2006
REVISED Schedule for April
Monday, April 3: Magic, the Occult and the Scientific RevolutionReading Assignment:
Science in Europe, 7.1 (originally scheduled last Wed.)
Science in Europe, Chap. 6 & Section 8.7;
Mary Quinlan-McGrath, “The Foundation Horoscope(s) for St. Peter's Basilica, Rome, 1506: Choosing a Time, Changing the Storia,” Isis, Vol. 92 (2001), only pp. 716-726, 731-733, and 739-741. (This article is available outside my office for anybody not in class... hint hint!)
Monday, April 10: Scientific Societies & the “Production” of Scientific KnowledgeReading Assignment:
Shapin, 96-109;
Science in Europe, Chap. 9;
Peter Dear, “Totius in Verba: Rhetoric and Authority in the Early Royal Society,” in Isis, Vol. 76 (1985), pp. 144-161;
J. V. Golinski, “A Noble Spectacle: Phosphorus and the Public Cultures of Science in the Early Royal Society,” in Isis, Vol. 80 (1989), pp. 11-39.
Wednesday, April 12: Newton and His Synthesis
Reading Assignment:
Shapin, 57-64 & 109-117;
Science in Europe, Chap. 10;
Sir Isaac Newton (1642-1727): Optics, excerpts;
B. J. T. Dobbs, “Newton's Alchemy and His Theory of Matter,” in Isis, Vol. 73 (1982), pp. 511-528
Monday, April 17: Easter Monday - NO CLASS!
Wednesday, April 19: Field Trip to Boston's Museum of Science (meet at 10am in front of Alfond Center!)
Monday, April 24: The (Non-Scientific?) "Uses" of Science Reading Assignment:
Shapin, Chap. 3;
Christopher Hill, “William Harvey and the Idea of Monarchy,” in The Intellectual Revolution of the Seventeenth Century, ed. Charles Webster (London: Routledge & Kegan, 1974), 160-81.
Wednesday, April 26: Women & Gender in Early-Modern Science & Medicine
Reading Assignment:
The Healing Arts, Chap.2.4; Chap. 8;
Health, Disease & Society, 2.2-2.3; 6.7; Chap. 8
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1762), “Smallpox Vaccination in Turkey”
Monday, May 1: Eighteenth- & Nineteenth-Century Science: Towards Positivism and the "Cult of Progress"
Reading Assignment:
Science in Europe, 12.1, 14.1, 15.4; and Chap. 16;
Charles Darwin (1809-1882), “On the Origins of Species,”
Reaction to Darwin;
Social Darwinism: Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)
Wednesday, May 3: In-Class presentations
Monday, May 8, 2006 at 2:45PM in Alfond Hall 230: In-Class presentations!
(Have a great summer!!)
posted by Michelle at 3:01 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
FYI: "9,000-Year-Old Dental Drill Is Found - Yahoo! News"
9,000-Year-Old Dental Drill Is Found - Yahoo! News
posted by Michelle at 6:53 PM 0 comments
FYI: Biopharm Leeches - Suppliers of Medicinal Leeches Since 1812
Biopharm Leeches - Suppliers of Medicinal Leeches Since 1812!
posted by Michelle at 6:25 PM 0 comments
NPR : Thinkers Lay Out the Beliefs They Can't Prove
NPR : Thinkers Lay Out the Beliefs They Can't Prove
posted by Michelle at 7:12 AM 0 comments
A discussion about Science in the Age of Certainty on April 12th
A discussion about Science in the Age of Certainty
posted by Michelle at 7:10 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
FYI: Fun astronomy classes at the Portland Planetarium!
Southworth Planetarium University of Southern Maine
posted by Michelle at 1:25 PM 0 comments
Rene' Descartes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rene' Descartes - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 11:36 AM 0 comments
Mechanism (philosophy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mechanism (philosophy) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 11:34 AM 0 comments
Rob: Hot off the Presses about the telescope!!
Amazon.com: Galileo's Instruments of Credit : Telescopes, Images, Secrecy: Books: Mario BiagioliAmazon.com: Stargazer: The Life and Times of the Telescope: Books: Fred Watson
posted by Michelle at 11:29 AM 1 comments
Monday, March 27, 2006
Extra-Credit Opportunity!!
Amanda Gaeb (Class of 2009), Salem Witch Trial reenactmentBelieve it or not, the actual court transcripts and other trial documents for Salem still survive! Come see firsthand what the Salem Witch Trials were like… (Amanda, by the way, is actually a descendant of an accused witch from another series of witch trials in Colonial Massachusetts, and she will be discussing also her colorful family history!)
Dr. Michelle A. Laughran (History) “Who’s the Witch? Witchcraft & Witch Trials in Early-Modern History.” Salem may be the most famous, but it was not the only incidence of witch trials after the Renaissance. Thousands of people would wind up being tried for witchcraft all over Europe and the settlements in the New World. What did people at the time think witches and witchcraft were like, and how did they go about hunting down witches?
Dr. Dale J. Brooker (Sociology), “Examining the Salem Witch Trials using one’s Sociological Imagination: Constructions of Deviance and Community Boundaries in 17th century New England” When Kai Erikson wrote The Wayward Puritans in 1966, he envisioned the Salem Witch Trials as a social experience, one that was deeply rooted in the Puritan culture of 17th century Massachusetts. In his analysis he provides readers with a picture that portrays a world in which community boundaries are constructed around various perceived threats to the community. This paper focuses on the sociological analysis of the Salem settlement with a focus on the witch trials as not only a functional component to ensure social cohesion, but also as an attempt to construct and place labels upon those in the community who were seen as outside the boundaries of what a “good and whole” Puritan settlement should be like.
Dr. Beth Auger (Biology), "Blame it on Ergot?"Among the potential factors leading to the witchcraft hysteria in Salem is the possible presence of ergot in and on the grain crops stored by the colonists. Ergot (Claviceps purpurea) produces LSD and related hallucinogenic compounds; these compounds have been observed to cause symptoms similar to those noted in the residents of Salem during the time of the Witchcraft Trials. We will examine the biology of ergot and similar chemicals and discuss the likelihood for the invo
posted by Michelle at 11:52 AM 0 comments
Theriacum Andromachi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
One example of a recipe for theriac...Theriacum Andromachi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
posted by Michelle at 9:58 AM 0 comments
Saturday, March 25, 2006
FYI... From this week's "Internet Scout Report"
The Deadly Virus: The Influenza Epidemic of 1918The history of human civilizations is rife with disastrous epidemics and plagues, a fact that is sometimes lost on modern-day pundits and commentators. Fortunately, the National Archives hasn’t forgotten about one of history’s more recent tragedies, namely the influenza epidemic of 1918. They recently created this engaging and fascinating collection of documents and photographs that offer a first-hand perspective on this epidemic. All told, the collection offered here contains several dozen primary source materials, including a directive from the Navy in order to educate sailors about the health risks of the disease and a photograph of Seattle police officers clad in protective face masks. One special feature of the site is that visitors can also order copies of the documents, if they are so inclined. Overall, this is a well-designed site that offers a glimpse of theAmerican perspective on this rampant epidemic which eventually killed 20 million people across the world. [KMG]
posted by Michelle at 6:57 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Assignment Calendar for March
Wednesday, March 22:Reading Assignment:
Laughran, "Professionalization of the Apothecary..."
Shapin, pp. 81-89Monday, March 27: Francis Bacon and the Origins of Scientific MethodReading Assignment:
Shapin, 89-96
Science in Europe, 8.3Wednesday, March 29: The Scientific Method of Rene' DescartesReading Assignment:
Shapin, 47-64
Science in Europe, 7.1
posted by Michelle at 12:09 PM 0 comments
Monday, March 20, 2006
Midterm Receipts (update)
This announcement was supposed to be posted also on my other two course blogs... I don't know why it didn't stick.Anyway, here it is again... The Capstone: Midterm Receipts (update)
posted by Michelle at 8:19 PM 0 comments
Friday, March 10, 2006
FYI: Science lit links from this week's "Internet Scout Report"
"LabLit.com - The Culture of Science in Fiction & Fact: Some might be asking themselves: 'What is LabLit?' LabLit.com is '…dedicated to real laboratory culture and to the portrayal and perceptions of that culture-science, scientists and labs-in fiction, the media and across popular culture.' Edited by the researcher Jennifer Rohn, the site contains a cornucopia of material ranging from humor pieces about laboratory life and culture, interviews with scientists and novelists, and a number of surveys and quizzes. From the homepage, visitors can delve right into some of these materials, which also include a number of online forums where lively debates take place on topics such as the perception of science on television and the stereotypes about those working in the field. The site is rounded out by the'Lab Lit List', which contains an extensive list of novels, films, plays,and television programs that fall squarely into this particular genre.""Public Library of Science: In 2003, the Public Library of Science (PLOS) began a rather ambitious and most welcome project that would effectively offer unlimited access to the latest scientific research by creating a number of high-quality, open access journals. The first journal, PLOS Biology was launched three years ago, and since then, PLOS has created several additional journals dealing withmedicine, computational biology, and genetics. Visitors should feel free to browse through back issues of each journal, and download various articles that might be of interest. Along with access to these peer-edited journals, users should also take a look at their 'News & Events' area, which contains information about upcoming conferences and events sponsored by PLOS and other scientific organizations and professional groups."
Discovery in Turkey may hold clue to human evolution: Family may provide evolution clue
Walking on all fours with the ancestors
Family Walks on all Fours, May Offer Evolution Insight, Experts Say
Becoming Human: Paleoanthropology, Evolution and Human Origins
Understanding Evolution
The Paleoanthropology Society
"Over the past few years, a group of scholars from a number of institutions(including the London School of Economics) have been researching a ratherunusual family living in Turkey. Based on their observations, it wouldappear that all five siblings in this family walk on all fours almostexclusively as a form of ambulation. The family may in fact reveal important information about how previous hominids made the transition from four-legged to two-legged animals. All of the siblings appear to have been born with a form of brain damage, which affects both balance and coordination. Professor Humphrey from the London School of Economics has noted that these siblings put their weight on the wrists as they move about, as opposed to chimpanzees and gorillas, who walk on their knuckles. Humphrey also remarked that, 'These kids have kept their fingers very agile, for example, the girls in the family can do crochet and embroidery.' Scientists continue to study the family as they may represent an important step in the transition to bipedalism utilized by modern-day humans.
The first link will take users to a news story from the BBC that talks about the recent research on this family in Turkey. The second link leads to another piece of reporting from The Times, which discusses the cultural and genetic influences, which may have played a role in this family’s particular adaptation. The third link leads to a very good piece from the National Geographic online news service, which also contains links to a number of evolution-related stories. The fourth link whisks users to a fine site, which provides an interactive introduction to the nature of paleoanthropology, offered by Arizona State University. The fifth link leads to a site that provides high-quality information about evolution. Designed by a team of scholars at the University of California-Berkeley, visitors can peruse this site to learn about evidence for evolution and the impact of evolution more generally. The final link leads to the homepage of The Paleoanthropology Society, where visitors can learn about their work and also peruse back issues of their fine journal."
posted by Michelle at 8:31 AM 1 comments
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
FYI: Martha Ballard, Midwifery and Herbal Medicine
Midwifery and Herbal MedicineMartha Ballard and a "Man-Midwife""There are still 18th-century buildings standing in Hallowell, Maine, such as Old Fort Western. With the Martha Ballard Walking Tour you can take a virtual tour of the town, complete with maps and pictures, or print it to take a real walking tour."
posted by Michelle at 11:41 AM 0 comments
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Midterm Question!
Well, turns out that there are a number of ways in which this city is kinda irritating. Not least of which is, oddly enough, that I had difficulty accessing internet at a technology workshop here. Go figure...Anyway, it's my firm belief that when such snafus happen, students certainly shouldn't be the ones penalized for them! That's why I'll be glad to give you all until 11:59 pm on Sunday, March 12th (via email, or you can hand it in by Friday before at 4 pm in hard copy to the Faculty Secretaries) to answer the following question (and if there's still even a scheduling problem about you being about to meet this deadline - since it's been adjusted - let me know as soon as you can before the deadline and we'll see what we can work out!!)As always, please contact me if you have any questions (but be warned that SJC's remote email access seems to be going up and down, so please don't panic if you don't hear back from me immediately!) See you at the normal place and time on Monday!!INSTRUCTIONS: Please answer the following (yes, it's just one essay!) in no more than 5 pages, typewritten, doublespaced with 12 point font and 1 inch margins... Remember to use both primary and secondary sources in your response!Explain the macrocosmic/microcosmic paradigm that characterized science and medicine before the Scientific Revolution, and give specific examples of the major ways it appeared in scientific and medical primary sources of the time. In what specific ways and why would (pick three) Copernicus, Galileo, Vesalius and/or Paracelsus challenge this paradigm in their writings? And in what specific ways did some of their writings actually uphold the old paradigm, and why would they have wanted to do so, do you think?
posted by Michelle at 2:07 PM 1 comments
Monday, February 27, 2006
Monumentaluhren
Monumentaluhren
posted by Michelle at 11:48 AM 1 comments
Zodiac Man
Zodiac Man
posted by Michelle at 11:47 AM 0 comments
Borelli's Man-As-Machine
Borelli's Man-As-Machine
posted by Michelle at 11:45 AM 0 comments
Torre dell'Orologio
OROLOGIO 01
posted by Michelle at 11:43 AM 0 comments
Newsflash: It could be the head of Nicolaus Copernicus!
" It could be the head of Nicolaus Copernicus"
posted by Michelle at 5:06 AM 0 comments
Friday, February 17, 2006
FYI: Forensic Science
The Panopticon: Visible Proofs
posted by Michelle at 9:13 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Tour of University of Padua
Tour of University of Padua
posted by Michelle at 11:50 AM 0 comments
Historical Anatomies on the Web
Historical Anatomies on the Web
posted by Michelle at 11:49 AM 0 comments
Friday, February 10, 2006
FYI: Folk Medicine Database
UCLA Folkmed Database - Search Page
posted by Michelle at 6:44 AM 0 comments
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Galileo dissing the pope? You make the call!
"In an undated record of a conversation between Galileo and Urban VIII, the latter's Papal theologian, Agostino Oregio, explained that, having allowed all the arguments that Galileo had brought to bear on the question, the Pope
asked him at the end whether God could not have the power and wisdom to dispose and move in another way the orbs and the stars and all that is seen in the sky and all that is said of the motions, order, location, distance and disposition of the stars... Because if God knew how and had the power to dispose all of this in another way than that which has been thought—in such wise as to save all that has been said—we cannot limit the divine power and wisdom to this way. (quoted by Fantoli, op cit, 322)In response, said Oregio, 'that most learned man [Galileo] remained silent.' According to Urban VIII, then, astronomy must remain an instrumental science: if more than one system can save the appearances, or if there is no reason why other, currently unknown systems may not do likewise, we should view them as calculating devices or tools of prediction and not speak of their truth. "
(from Paul Newell, The Galileo Affair)
"Galileo rejected Kepler's explanation that the tides are caused by the moon's attraction. Again a willingness to study Kepler might have saved him embarrassment. But he was captivated by the necessity of finding a physical proof and he convinced himself that he had it in [his] tidal theory. As far as his readers were concerned, Galileo's explanation of the tides was even less tenable than the Copernican system itself...Though he tried, Galileo did not prove that the earth moves. He did succeed in showing that it is not impossible for the earth to move; his arguments against the objections to such motion were, in general, quite valid. This in itself was a great accomplishment, enough in fact to merit the Dialogue an important position in the history of science... As it was, he had again committed himself to his theory as though it were fact and tried to convert his suspecting, conservative, but not totally ignorant contemporaries. True, he did insert a submission clause at the end of the book. It was [Pope] Urban [VIII's] maxim that God could have established the universe in such a way that man could never discover its secrets and therefore to hold one system as certain would be to put limitations on the power and wisdom of God. But Galileo had the objection spoken by the poor Aristotelian, Simplicio, who had been buffetted about during the entire four-day discussion:
As to the discourses we have held, and especially this last one concerning the reasons for the ebbing and flowing of the ocean, I am really not entirely convinced; but from such feeble ideas of the matter as I have formed, I admit that your thoughts seem to me more ingenious that many others I have heard. I do not therefore consider them true and conclusive; indeed, keeping always before my mind's eye a most solid doctrine that I once heard from a most eminent and learned person, and before which one must fall silent, I know that if asked whether God in His infinite power and wisdom could have conferred upon the watery element its observed reciprocating motion using some other means than moving its containing vessels, both of you would reply that He could have, and that He would have known how to do this in many ways which are unthinkable to our minds. From this I forthwith conclude that, this being so, it would be excessive boldness for anyone to limit and restrict the divine power and wisdom to some particular fancy of his own.
It does not help matters any that Salviati answers:
An admirable and angelic doctrine, and well in accord with another one, also divine, which, while it grants to us the right to argue about the constitution of the universe (perhaps in order that the working of the human mind shall not be curtailed or made lazy), adds that we cannot discover the work of His hands. Let us, then, exercise these activities permitted to us and ordained by God, that we may recognize and thereby so much the more admire His greatness, however much less fit we may find ourselves to penetrate the profound depths of His infinite wisdom.
Coming as it did at the conclusion of a strong stand for the Copernican system, this looked very much like an inane, futile, face-saving dodge of pietism which had to be used to escape the bonds of cold, hard logic. It stands in silent contradiction to the entire text."
(from Jerome L. Langford, Galileo, Science and the Church, 127-29;
left, title page of the original edition of the Dialogues from the Galilean Library;
and right, image of this actual excerpt from the Univ. of OK History of Science department!)
posted by Michelle at 11:04 AM 0 comments
FYI - Open-source music library app MetaFilter
Open-source music library app MetaFilter
posted by Michelle at 4:48 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
FYI - "Evolution Sunday"
linkfilter.net - Evolution Sunday!
posted by Michelle at 12:25 PM 0 comments
FYI - "Heliocentrism Day!"
linkfilter.net - Heliocentrism Day
posted by Michelle at 12:23 PM 0 comments
Monday, February 06, 2006
WikiProject History of Science
Hmmm... Sounds like a possibility!! :-)
---------------------H-Sci-Med-Tech:List members with concerns about or active interest in Wikipedia may be interested in WikiProject History of Science, an effort to organize and improve the history of science, technology and medicine content on Wikipedia.A small number of historians of science are already active editors on Wikipedia, but there is much more work to do.Project page:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_History_of_ScienceShare your thoughts on the discussion page:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:WikiProject_History_of_ScienceAs Wikipedia becomes more sophisticated, undergraduates will increasingly rely on it as a starting point (and ideally only a starting point, but often more) for writing papers. So even if you have no desire to contribute to Wikipedia, it pays as an historian to familiarize yourself with it.At least one historian (T. Mills Kelly) has begun to use Wikipedia as the focus of assignments, having students correct shoddy articles or write new ones. As you might expect, students gained more of an appreciation of the potential pitfalls of using Wikipedia as a source after trying their hands at editing material with which they were familiar.See Kelly's blog:http://chnm.gmu.edu/history/faculty/kelly/blogs/edwired/archives/2005/12/whither_wiki.htmlI think Wikipedia has the potential to be an extremely effective way to promote our discipline, especially by the creation of many high quality ("Feature" quality) articles, which can be promoted on the main page (and and thus read by thousands of people).Sincerely,Sage RossGraduate StudentYale UniversityProgram in History of Medicine and Science
posted by Michelle at 2:41 PM 1 comments
FYI: Writings by Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno: The Heroic Frenzies ('De Gli Eroici Furori')
posted by Michelle at 1:43 PM 0 comments
Galileo on the Moon!
Video of Galileo's falling objects' experiment conducted on the moon!
posted by Michelle at 11:18 AM 0 comments
Ms. 72 di Galileo / Ingresso - Entry
View Galileo's actual manuscript Ms. Gal. 72 containing drafts (texts, drawings, and calculations) mostly pertaining to the theorems on motion...Ms. 72 di Galileo
posted by Michelle at 11:04 AM 0 comments
Assignment for 2/8: The Crime of Galileo: Indictment and Abjuration of 1633
Modern History Sourcebook: The Crime of Galileo: Indictment and Abjuration of 1633
posted by Michelle at 11:00 AM 2 comments
FYI: The Galileo Project
The Galileo Project
posted by Michelle at 10:58 AM 0 comments
FYI: Supporters say DNA bill not just about Dechaine
Supporters say DNA bill not just about DechaineScience and the Law
posted by Dale J. Brooker at 4:15 AM 0 comments
Friday, February 03, 2006
FYI: Students to Track Discarded Spacesuit - Yahoo! News
Students to Track Discarded Spacesuit - Yahoo! News
posted by Michelle at 1:04 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
For 2/1: Geocentric, Heliocentric & Geoheliocentric...
Diagram of Ptolemaic conception of the universe
Diagram of Copernican conception of the universe
Diagram of Tychonic conception of the universe
(from TychoBrahe.com)
posted by Michelle at 8:30 AM 0 comments
For 2/1: The medieval universe
More explanations of the medieval universe...
posted by Michelle at 8:22 AM 0 comments
For 2/1: Retrograde Motion Animation
Retrograde Motion
posted by Michelle at 8:17 AM 1 comments
For 2/1: Epicycle animation
epicycle
posted by Michelle at 8:13 AM 0 comments
FYI: "A Unique Perspective into the Realm of Historical Asylums and State Hospitals"
"Forgotten Photography provides a photographic journey through some of our nation's historical asylums and state hospitals. In the 1800's these elegant asylums and state hospitals were intended to be the first step towards the humane treatment of the mentally ill. These once lavish buildings now stand empty, a hollow shell of what was once the best mankind could offer for an illness he didn't understand and couldn’t cure..."
posted by Michelle at 5:16 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Extra-Credit Opportunity!
Watch the following program on Feb. 2 on the History Channel, and post an analytical comment or reaction to the program on the blog!
8-9pm -- Ancient Marvels - Ancient Discoveries: Galen, Doctor to the Gladiators. In this fascinating series, we examine ancientinventions once believed to have been created inmodern times, and test the wits of ancient inventorsagainst some of the world's great modern inventors. Part 2 uncovers the revolutionary work of Galen, the great Roman doctor to the gladiators, who was performing brain surgery 2,000 years ahead of his time. We also explore the sophistication of Roman medicine and compare it to modern techniques.
posted by Michelle at 2:56 PM 1 comments
Monday, January 30, 2006
Hi!
Hi, My name is Allison and I'm a Junior Psychology major. After I graduate from Saint Joe's I plan on getting a degree in nursing and working as a psychiatric nurse. I'm interested in all sorts of things and history is one of them, this is why I took the class.
posted by Allison at 8:21 AM 0 comments
Saturday, January 28, 2006
UPDATED:Assignment Calendar for February
Note: the following schedule is subject to change with notification...Wednesday, February 1 - Copernicus and his “Revolution”?Reading Assignment:
Shapin, Chap. 1, pp. 15-30;
Science in Europe, Sections 2.1 & 2.2 & 3.3 - 3.5
Monday & Wednesday, February 6 & 8 - Galileo & the Heliocentric System
Reading Assignment:
Science in Europe, Section 2.2, 3.3-3.5 and Chapter 4.
Monday, February 13 - Science, Medicine & Religion
Reading Assignment:
Shapin, pp. 65-80;
Healing Arts, Chapter 4;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 4.
Wednesday, February 15 - Medical Renaissance of the Sixteenth Century
Reading Assignment:
Science in Europe, Sections 2.3;
Healing Arts, Chapter 3;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 3;
"The Italian Patient"
Monday, February 20 - Presidents' Day break - NO CLASS!
Wednesday, February 22 - Prof away at conference - NO CLASS!
Monday, February 27 - The Natural Machine & Early-Modern Medical Practitioners
Reading Assignment:
Shapin, pp. 30-46;
Healing Arts, Chapter 7;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 7.
Healing Arts, Chapter 2;
Health, Disease and Society, Part 2.
posted by Michelle at 1:36 PM 0 comments
Previous Posts
History of Science Essay Contest!
Take Home Final Essay Exam and In-Class Presentati...
FYI- re: Gender in the Scientific Revolution
Re: the article about Harvey
FYI - Los Angeles woman hospitalized with bubonic ...
Star Wars Fun!
Re: Alchemy... Pottery points to monks' quest to c...
Read for 4/24: "Fibonacci Flim-Flam"
Newton's Three Laws of Motion
Question... Want to see the Star Wars exhibit at M...
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Put simply… for every attempt that modern Western man may make to understand himself and make himself known to others… nothing is more essential than an understanding of science as it has developed in history (R.C. Olby, et al., "Preface," Companion to the History of Modern Science).
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