Science, Technology & Modernity

Birla Institute Of Technology And Science–Pilani (BITS–Pilani) via Coursera

Go to class Write review

Details

Go to class

Provider

Coursera
Pricing

Paid Course
Languages

English
Certificate

Paid Certificate Available
Duration & workload

1 day 23 hours 5 minutes
Sessions

On-Demand
Subtitles

English

Found in

Overview

Coursera Flash Sale

40% Off Coursera Plus for 3 Months!

Grab it

Explore how modern science and technology evolved through contributions from civilizations across the world. This course examines the interrelationship between scientific development and the emergence of modern societies. Beginning with ancient Greek natural philosophy, you'll trace the evolution of scientific thought through contributions from India, China, and Islamic civilization during the Middle Ages. You'll analyze the European Renaissance, the astronomical revolution, and the groundbreaking work of Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton that challenged classical worldviews. Discover how the Industrial Revolution transformed Western societies and learn about the mathematisation of science that gave rise to science-based industries. The course critically examines the concept of modernity, exploring enlightenment ideals, the promise of progress, and contemporary perspectives on globalisation. Through dialogues and assessments, you'll sharpen critical thinking to evaluate perspectives and explore how science and technology shape society. This interdisciplinary course offers a holistic view of global scientific heritage and its influence on modern civilization.

Syllabus

How to Understand Science, Technology and Modernity

This module aims to provide you with a clearer conception of terms such as ‘Science’, ‘Technology’ and ‘Modernity’. It will help you identify the ethos of science and the challenges such ethos faces in the contemporary period. In this module, you will learn about a brief history of the idea of technology and the nature of its relationship with science.

Natural Philosophy from Ancient Greek

This module will take you through the Natural Philosophy of the ancient Greek era, which is widely held to be furnishing the roots for Modern Science. It will introduce you to some of the key ideas of natural philosophers such as Thales, Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Archimedes etc. In this section, you will find out how the Greek period natural philosophy was truly path-breaking, and one that eventually shaped knowledge of nature, for the next two millennia.

Indian Contribution

This module will introduce you to some of the major scientific and technological advances that ancient Indians did as part of their contribution to modern science. In this module, there will be discussion on topics such as Vedic ideas, nature of astronomy and mathematics that was pursued and technological advancement in the field of metallurgy, medicine and agriculture.

Arabic Contribution to Science

This module will take you through Arabic science during the middle ages, when significant accomplishments were made. It will help you understand how Islamic religion contributed to a scientific renaissance in the Arab and Middle east region that eventually laid the foundation for the emergence of modern science in the west.

Technological Tradition and Applied Science in China

This module will help you understand how technology and applied science developed in Chinese from an ancient period. In this section, you will learn how technologies such as printing, hydraulic, maritime, gunpowder etc. developed in China and its kind of sciences that carried a different character as compared to the western tradition.

Scientific Revolution I

This module will take you through how Europe revived itself in the middle ages, establishing not just universities for higher learning, but also providing a fertile ground for a scientific revolution to take place in subsequent periods. In this module, you will find discussion on the European Renaissance and the astronomical revolution that challenged the classical geocentric worldview.

Scientific Revolution II

This module will take you through the important contributions made by Galileo and Newton in shaping the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century. In this module, you will learn about Galileo’s famous trial and a brief overview of his path-breaking work such as, ‘Two New Sciences’. In addition to Galileo, you will also learn about Newton, his worldview and a brief introduction to his work - Principia. Further in this module, you will be introduced to the contributions of Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes, both of whom are well known for their notable role in the making of modern science.

Industrial Revolution I

This module will help you learn how societies in the West began to transform from an agriculture-based economy to industries in the eighteenth century. In this module, you will have the scope to find out how innovation in textile industries, iron making, and the invention of the steam engine were interrelated in quite unanticipated ways, leading to a social transformation that was not seen since the Neolithic period.

Industrial Revolution II

This module will take you through yet another phase of the scientific revolution in which new empirical sciences were mathematised and merged with classical sciences, giving rise to science-based industries. In this module, you will learn how a classical worldview emerged, providing a philosophical anchor to broader changes in science and technology and the way in which the industrialisation process spread rapidly to all parts of the world. Further in this module, you will have the scope to reflect on how industrialisation was tied to ‘colonialism’ and the type of impact it had on countries such as India.

Modernity

This module will take you through the idea of enlightenment and its relationship with modernity. In this course, you will learn different ways through which scholars and thinkers have engaged with modernity, including the approach of post-modernity and critical negotiations.