Part II: Essay on Course Material (80% of Examination Grade, 20 out of 25 points)
The following essay topics ask you to reflect on some of the themes that have figured prominently in our discussions this semester. Answer one (1) of them with a cogently argued essay, which should include detail drawn mostly from the material covered since the midterm exam, and demonstrate your knowledge of the variety of evidence (i.e. course lectures, readings, discussions, films, and visual presentations). The topics are broad, thereby offering you some flexibility in crafting your response; be sure, however, to bolster your general points with specific examples and references.
Topic #1
Over the course of the last 500 years, the development of modern science has transformed our vision of nature and advanced a distinct method of inquiry which is often held to be the benchmark of all rational knowledge. In an essay which shows attention to historical detail, choose key milestones in the development of modern science and show how they exemplify the way that scientific knowledge and practice emerged as part of a historical process. When drafting your essay reflect especially on the following points: Why, historically speaking, do you believe people came to accept the value of science both as a conception of nature and as a means of investigation? Also, it is often thought that the advent of modern science has given human beings unprecedented command over their destiny. To what extent do you think it makes sense to say that science and technology in the modern world are gradually liberating human beings from their natural condition?
Topic #2
In the modern world, doing science has become a vast organizational, institutional, and technical enterprise, which, by the second half of the twentieth century, some scientists started labeling Big Science, a term meant to describe a wasteful and counterproductive approach to scientific investigation. Nevertheless, one can make a strong argument that from the beginning science has been a communal endeavor, relying on organizations and institutions effectively to pursue and validate research. Using the material offered in this course, discuss this point and examine why and to what extent you believe scientific practice, as a communal and consensus-oriented activity, has come to rely on organizations and institutions.
Important Specifications for Completing This Do-At-Home Final Examination
Your essays must be typed and submitted as a single upload to the course MyClasses website by Tuesday, May 11. Please note that you are to consult no other sources to complete this do-at-home examination except those provided in the class. Exams submitted whose argument and text match that of other students and online sources and otherwise manifest plagiarism will be marked down and reported to SUs Office of Academic Affairs for academic integrity violations. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that his/her all exams have been uploaded properly. Those not submitted will receive no credit. SUs policy on academic misconduct can be found here:
$CANVAS_COURSE_REFERENCE$/external_tools/11494
Otherwise, I urge each of you to consult the lectures, texts, and films of the course and to cite and quote from them to support your arguments.
If you would like to quote or reference course material, use the following formats:
*For course lectures, no reference is needed.
*For information and quotes taken from the course readings simply place the author or title and page number(s) in parentheses after the citation: i.e. (Hughes, 200), (McClellan and Dorn, 276) or (Galileo Galilei The Starry Messenger, 30).
*For information from films and the optional podcasts simply refer to the film or podcast in your essay: i.e. as as seen in the film Darwins Dangerous Idea or as discussed in the BBC film, The Industrial Revolution, etc.
Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.
[order_calculator]