OVERVIEW

The course introduces the main themes in the history of science, with particular reference to the defining features of modern science as they emerged during the period of the Scientific Revolution (ca. 1450–1700).

Students will explore a broad range of topics, including:

• the emergence of a new view of the universe and the physical world during the Renaissance and the early modern period;
• the study of nature through observation and experimental practices;
• the relationship between nature, disease, and the environment, including epidemics and pandemics;
• the contribution of technology and scientific instruments to the development of modern science;
• utopian conceptions based on the new science and technological progress: on this topic, students will read in class The City of the Sun by Tommaso Campanella and New Atlantis by Francis Bacon.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to: 1. Provide a broad understanding of science and scientific thought. The course will cover both the historical development of various scientific disciplines and the analysis of the theoretical and methodological aspects at the origins of modern science. 2. Offer a solid education on the history of science and its historiography, particularly concerning the period of the 'scientific revolution' in the 16th and 17th centuries. 3. Develop advanced skills in understanding and analyzing the key issues of modern science. Encourage a critical approach to argumentative methods, including the ability to directly engage with the reading of texts from the modern era. 4. Equip students with the necessary skills to effectively use bibliographic tools, facilitating research, selection, and management of sources to deepen the topics covered in the course. 5. Develop advanced skills in understanding and communicating information so that students can present their acquired knowledge clearly and persuasively in the context of the study of the history of science.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The module aims to:

• introduce the basic historical notions of the history of science.
• introduce the methods of analysis in the history of science.
• introduce the reading of key texts in the history of modern science.

At the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Understand the defining characteristics of modern science.
• Understand and use the technical terminology of the history of science.
• Analyze scientific texts from the early modern period.
• Apply analytical and conceptual tools specific to the history of science.
• Reflect critically on the main themes of the history of science.
• Present their own research

PREREQUISITES

None. The course does not require any previous knowledge of the discipline

TEACHING METHODS

The course includes both lectures and seminars, as well as presentations organized and delivered by students. Attendance and active participation are strongly encouraged. Oral presentations are an integral part of the learning process and entitle students to a partial exemption from the oral examination (see below).

Classes are held in person. Working students and those who do not regularly attend classes are invited to contact the instructor. Upon request, it will be possible to attend classes remotely (via live streaming on Microsoft Teams).

All course materials, including lecture PowerPoint presentations and recordings, are available on the Teams channel “Storia del Pensiero Scientifico”. Teams code: f24fn3t.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The course is organized into thematic units:

• Science, history, and scientific historiography
• Systems of the world: astronomy and cosmology
• Man and nature in the Renaissance and the early modern era
• History of scientific observation and experimental philosophy
• Science, technology, and utopia (including texts by Campanella and Bacon)
• Medicine, epidemics, and society

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bibliography:

1. Mandatory bibliography for all students:

a) P. Govoni, Che cos'è la storia della scienza, Rome, Carocci.

b) A. Clericuzio, Uomo e natura. Scienza, tecnica e società dall’antichità all’età moderna, Rome, Carocci (Parts 2, 3, 4; pp. 115-451)

2. One text of choice between:

a) Tommaso Campanella, La città del Sole (any modern edition)

b) Francesco Bacone, La nuova atlantide (any modern edition)

3. One text of choice between:

a) M. Bucciantini, M. Camerota, F. Giudice, Il telescopio di Galileo. Una storia europea, Turin, Einaudi.

b) F. M. Snowden, Storia delle epidemie. Dalla morte nera al covid-19, Gorizia, LEG Edizioni.

c) A. Wulf, L'invenzione della natura. Le avventure di Alexander von Humboldt l'eroe perduto della scienza, Rome, Luiss University Press.

d) Franco Brevini, L'invenzione della natura selvaggia. Storia di un'idea dal XVIII secolo a oggi, Turin, Bollati Boringhieri.

e) Carolyn Merchant, La morte della natura. Donne, ecologia e rivoluzione scientifica​, Milano, Editrice Bibliografica

[Exemptions: Attending students will have the option to replace the oral examination of one chosen text (lists 2 and 3) with an in-class presentation.]

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Classes take place in the second term, beginning on 15th February 2027. The timetable and classroom locations will be communicated as soon as possible.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam will assess the students' understanding of the content, and their ability to thinking critically and independently. 

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Oral exam in Italian or in English. Erasmus students can replace the oral exam with a written essay of approximately 3,000 words. It is mandatory to agree on the topic with the teacher at least 30 days before submission. There are no formal deadlines, but marks will be registered during the exam periods only. 

For students with disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD/DSA).

Students with disabilities or SLD/DSA are reminded that, in order to request exam accommodations, they must first upload their certification on the university website at servizionline.unige.it, in the “Students” section. The documentation will be verified by the University’s Student Inclusion Services for students with disabilities and SLD/DSA (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111).

Afterwards, and well in advance (at least 7 days before the exam date), students must send an email to the instructor with whom they will take the exam, copying both the School Inclusion Coordinator for students with disabilities and SLD/DSA (email of the coordinator) and the above-mentioned office. The email must specify:

• the name of the course
• the exam session date
• the student’s surname, name, and matriculation number
• the requested and/or useful compensatory tools and dispensatory measures

The coordinator will confirm to the instructor that the applicant is entitled to request exam accommodations and that these must be agreed upon with the instructor. The instructor will reply indicating whether the requested accommodations can be granted.

Requests must be sent at least 7 days before the exam date so that the instructor has sufficient time to evaluate them. In particular, if students intend to use concept maps during the exam (which must be much more concise than those used for studying), late submission will not allow enough time for any necessary adjustments.

For further information on how to request services and accommodations, consult the webpage: https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa/modulistica