Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will have acquired:

  • A general overview of the history of science
  • An understanding of the dynamics of scientific revolutions, with some insights into a given archetypal example
  • The ability to do some historical research and to express its results into a written report, to be discussed oraly

Goals

To invite the student to be aware about the complex and multifactorial dynamics of the historical evolution of the sciences.

Content

The class will be organized in four different phases:

- A general introduction about the history of science;

- Lectures about a paradigmatic historical case of a scientific revolution, namely the Copernician revolution;

- Lectures devoted to draw general conclusions from this case about the dynamics of theory sucession in science, in particular during revolutionary phases;

- The writing of a personnal paper (in group) on the occasion of which the student will transfer the content of these lectures to a scientific revolution of his/her choice.

Teaching methods

The lectures will be ex cathedra. Assistance will be provided to write the personal group report. Benchmarks will be provided in introduction and available on WebCampus.

Assessment method

Oral exam during which the student will be tested on the content of the lectures as well as on the content of his/her written report (to be sent to the teacher before the exam session).


The final grade will be calculated as follows:

  • Question on the course content /5
  • Written report /10
  • Oral defense of the report /5


In case of a second session, partial grades about the course content and the written report could be conserved (it will then be allowed, following the student's choice, not to re-write the report).

Sources, references and any support material

Besides the books mentioned below, the slides used during the magistral lectures will be provided via WebCampus.

Kuhn, T. (2016 [1957]). La révolution copernicienne. Paris: Les Belles Lettres.

Kuhn, T. (1983 [1962]). La structure des révolutions scientifiques. Paris: Flammarion.

Gingras, Y. (2021). Histoire des sciences. Paris: Presses universitaires de France.

 

Language of instruction

French
Training Study programme Block Credits Mandatory
Bachelor in Law Standard 0 2
Bachelor in Mathematics Standard 0 2
Bachelor in Physics Standard 0 2
Bachelor in Geography : General Standard 0 2
Bachelor in Chemistry Standard 0 2
Bachelor in Biology Standard 0 2
Bachelor in Geology Standard 0 2
Bachelor in Law Standard 2 2
Bachelor in Mathematics Standard 2 2
Bachelor in Physics Standard 2 2
Bachelor in Biology Standard 2 2
Bachelor in Geology Standard 2 2
Bachelor in Geography : General Standard 2 2
Bachelor in Chemistry Standard 2 2
Bachelor in Law Standard 3 2