2014–15 Academic Catalog

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Philosophy Of Science [clear]

Title		Offering	Standing	Credits	Credits	When	F	W	S	Su	Description	Preparatory	Faculty	Days	Multiple Standings	Start Quarters	Open Quarters
Bodies of Knowledge Donald Morisato and Rita Pougiales anthropology biology cultural studies literature philosophy of science Signature Required: Winter Spring		Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		The human body has long been a natural locus of study, interpretation and storytelling. Corporeal existence has been conceptualized and experienced in radically different ways across time and across cultures, conceived as an irreducible whole by some and as an amalgam of separate systems or individual elements by others. How has our philosophical and biological conception of the body changed over time? How is the body used to find or express meaning? What is the relationship of the body to the mind and the soul?In this program, we will explore the nature and essence of the body and reflect on the experience of being human. Knowledge about the body and our lived experiences within our bodies has been created from the culturally distinct perspectives of biologists, social scientists, artists, philosophers and storytellers. We will read philosophical and historical texts and closely analyze some of the ideas that have helped shape our conception of the body. We will study the genetic development and biological function of the body, carrying out experiments in the laboratory to get a direct sense of the process of scientific investigation. Finally, we will read novels and look at visual images as other ways of engaging with the body, particularly the physical manifestation and representation of emotion. Throughout our inquiry, we will ask how we have come to know what we claim to know.Our investigations will follow a particular progression. In fall quarter, we will consider the body: the history of the conception of the body, images of the body, evolution of the body, the body as the site of meaning-making and genetic approaches to deciphering the development of the human organism. In winter quarter, we will examine aspects of the mind: the Cartesian dualism, the functional organization of the brain, processes of cognition, measuring intelligence, use of language and the importance of emotions. In spring quarter, we will explore the notion of the soul: death and burial rituals in different cultures, philosophical and literary investigations of the soul, ethics, beauty and religion. The program will use regular writing assignments, including essays and papers, to strengthen and deepen analytical thinking skills. We anticipate reading such authors as Michel Foucault, Rene Descartes, Martha Nussbaum, Thomas Kuhn, Oliver Sacks, Antonio Damasio, Clifford Geertz, Gregory Bateson, Paul Rabinow, Joao Biehl, Emily Martin, Virginia Woolf, Robert Musil, Kazuo Ishiguro and Jeffrey Eugenides.		Donald Morisato Rita Pougiales		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Consciousness: Pathways to the Self Donald Middendorf and Terry Setter consciousness studies philosophy of science psychology		Program	FR ONLYFreshmen Only	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		What is the relationship between our understanding of consciousness and our self-understanding? This yearlong, interdisciplinary program will provide an opportunity for students who are interested in doing intensive work on the nature of consciousness to cultivate self-awareness through challenging readings, written and expressive responses to program materials and self-reflection. We will examine our beliefs about the nature of reality from a variety of disciplinary viewpoints, including physics, music, psychology and philosophy. Prospective students should have a strong interest in the experiential study of relationships between reality and consciousness as well as college-level skills in reading, writing and pursuing research topics. Sincere effort and self-motivation will be essential for succeeding in this yearlong community learning process.We will take an approach that welcomes and explores the complexity of many different views of consciousness as proposed by researchers, philosophers and spiritual leaders. We will read texts that cover many contemporary models of consciousness and we will examine topics from the basics of Jungian psychology through alternative areas of research, such as lucid dreaming and paranormal phenomena. Students will keep a structured journal of activities and practices that explores their developing understanding of the nature of consciousness. The fall quarter will include an overnight, off-campus retreat. During the winter and spring quarters we will integrate contemplative disciplines into our study as well as an in-depth study of dreams. This will include keeping a journal of experiences during contemplative practices and a dream journal. In spring, students will have the opportunity to pursue their interests in individually selected areas of activity for up to four credits.This is an experiential and rigorous full-time program in which students will be expected to participate in all program activities and to document at least 40 hours of work per week being invested in program related activities.		Donald Middendorf Terry Setter	Tue Wed Thu	Freshmen FR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Individual Study: Humanities and Social Sciences Bill Arney community studies consciousness studies cultural studies education government health literature philosophy philosophy of science political economy political science psychology sociology writing Signature Required: Winter		Contract	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	16	16	Day		W 15Winter			Individual Study offers opportunities for students to pursue their own courses of study and research through individual learning contracts or internships. Bill Arney sponsors individual learning contracts in the humanities and social sciences. All students ready to do good work are welcome to make a proposal to Bill Arney.		Bill Arney		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Winter	Winter
Models of Motion Krishna Chowdary, Neil Switz and Rachel Hastings mathematics philosophy of science physics		Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		In this introductory program, we will integrate material from first-year university physics and calculus with relevant areas of history and scientific literature as we explore how mathematicians and physicists make sense of, and intervene in, the natural and human-created worlds. Students will be supported in developing a firm background in college-level science, becoming prepared for further work in the mathematical and physical sciences. Our aim is to learn to think and communicate mathematically and scientifically.Scientists gather data, make observations, look for patterns, build models and use those models to predict behavior. Powerful models in physics help us explain interactions involving matter and energy. New models require new mathematical methods—for example, calculus was developed partly to understand models of motion. Even with powerful mathematics, a model may yield answers only in simplified circumstances. We can analyze more complicated physical systems by simulating them on a computer. Learning how to create and apply mathematical and computational methods to models in physics will be one of the major goals of this program.The program will have a significant laboratory component, using hands-on investigations and computational tools to explore and analyze the nature of mathematical and physical systems; this work will take place in a highly collaborative environment. Workshops and seminar discussions will also allow for collaborative work on math and physics problems as well as an opportunity to explore connections between history, theory and practice. The program is intended for students with solid high-school level backgrounds in science and mathematics—in particular, a good grasp of precalculus (including algebra and trigonometry) will be assumed. Equally important for success, however, will be a commitment to working hard and learning together.The work will be intensive—students should expect to spend over 50 hours per week engaged with material during and outside of class. We will learn process and content through readings, lectures, labs, workshops, seminars and projects. Students will have multiple opportunities to demonstrate their learning in individual and collaborative contexts, including in-class work, homework, papers, presentations and exams.		Krishna Chowdary Neil Switz Rachel Hastings		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Physical Systems and Applied Mathematics Neil Switz, Rachel Hastings and Krishna Chowdary astronomy mathematics philosophy of science physics Signature Required: Winter Spring		Program	SO–SRSophomore–Senior	16	16	Day	F 14 Fall	W 15Winter	S 15Spring		This is an intermediate to advanced-level program. Students will build on their prior knowledge of calculus and calculus-based physics to deepen their understanding of nature, how it can be represented via physical models, and the powerful connections between mathematics and physical theories. The program will involve a mix of advanced mathematics (some of it extraordinarily beautiful, as well as powerful), experiments in modern physics involving electromagnetic and quantum phenomena, and a deep immersion in modern physical theories.Topics will include nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, the theory which revolutionized our understanding of nature and underlies much of modern chemistry, physics, and engineering; classical electrodynamics, the quintessential model of a successful unified (and relativistic) field theory; and classical mechanics with special attention to the profound “least action” principle, which provides a bridge between the classical and quantum mechanical. The mathematics underlying these theories – vector calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, and especially Fourier analysis (a technique which provides an entirely new way of looking at the world) – will be developed in the context of their use in the physical sciences. Students will also develop facility with the scientific software MATLAB, using it to solve problems as well as to build physical intuition by visualizing the behavior of matter and fields. The theoretical focus of the program will be complemented with elements of hands-on laboratory work to observe and illustrate the phenomena under discussion. We will also devote time to examining the study of physics in a broader historical, philosophical, and cultural context.The program material will be challenging, and will demand both hard work and engaged collaboration with both the subject matter and one’s fellow students. A major goal of the program is to provide students the opportunity to develop the conceptual knowledge and mathematical background required to pursue advanced work in physics and related disciplines.		Neil Switz Rachel Hastings Krishna Chowdary		Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Fall	Fall Winter Spring
Science Seminar in Astronomy and Cosmologies EJ Zita astronomy cultural studies philosophy of science physics Signature Required: Spring		Program	FR–SRFreshmen–Senior	8	08	Day			S 15Spring		How have humans understood the universe and our place in it, from ancient to modern times? Our readings will explore questions like this, from the perspective of several cultures.In conjunction with the program Astronomy and Cosmologies, a limited number of students are invited to join our seminar to discuss the idea of cosmologies. We will study creation stories and worldviews, from those of ancient peoples to modern astrophysicists. We will all read the same seminar texts. Science Seminar students will read the same seminar texts as Astronomy and Cosmologies, but will do half the work—no math, half the class meetings, and a little more writing.Students will work in teams to prepare for each seminar. Teams will post pre-seminar assignments online, and individuals will post essays (and responses to peers' essays) online. We will have two seminars per week. Our class meetings will be in person, and the online work will contribute importantly to our community-based learning.	conceptual astronomy and cosmology, history and philosophy of science	EJ Zita		Freshmen FR Sophomore SO Junior JR Senior SR	Spring	Spring