Course Overview

This page provides the materials for week 1 of the course, whether or not you have access to Moodle.  Don’t panic if you can’t reach me 8-10 September. I expect to have intermittent internet access on those days. We’ll catch up by Sunday 13 September. 

Introduction 

This is the introduction to the course, and includes an outline of the six lectures and three seminars in each of the four modules. If scheduling or breakdowns prevent us from getting to materials, they will still be accessible here.  However for assignment and exam purposes, you will only be held responsible for material you agree (collectively) that you have learned.

Learning objectives

The two scheduled lectures for week 1 should provide you with an overview of the course and an introduction to the definitions and concepts we will use for the remainder of the course. 

Your will be able to offer definitions for science and technology, politics, economics, and society, environment, markets, and innovations, and various forms of security. 

The concept of two cultures is a useful starting point for a course that combines science and engineering students with students of the social sciences and humanities. 

Required reading (372)

Required readings will typically take not more than two hours at a normal university reading speed (about 450 words per minute).

• • Only the Slides and attached lecture notes are required reading for week 1. 
• • I also recommend that you take the opportunity to preview the materials for other weeks. Note that these will change as the course evolves - it’s a work in progress and I am open to feedback on the things that interest you
• • Definitions of politics

Other links and references (374)

Additional links and references will be provided mainly for POE374 students. These are not mandatory for students in the half-credit course, 372, but you may find them interesting and sometimes useful for the quizzes, although you’ll be able to pass the quizzes without them. Some are expected as background for the seminars, and others are provided for general knowledge or as potentially useful sources and background material for the written assignments in 374. 

• • Annotated bibliography of sources. This 40-page list of about 130 sources was my starting point for preparing your lectures and seminars.  It is far from exhaustive, but gives you additional information about many (but not all) of the books and articles you will find referenced in the lectures.
• • Casimir, H. (1965) “When does jam become marmalade?”  A speech delivered by the author at the Institute of Electrical Engineers. Published in  A Random Walk in Science, an anthology compiled by the late R.L. Weber (1913-1997). Edited by E. Mendoza.  This is a brief and humorous entry into the discussion of two cultures stimulated by C.P. Snow, who accused the British establishment of being ignorant of sciences.  
• • Snow, C. P. (1959). The rede lecture. The two cultures, 1-51. Cambridge University Press.  
• • Leavis, F. R. (1962). Two cultures? The significance of CP Snow. Critical Review,5, 90. Leavis mounts a ferocious attack on the philosophy of science-based education (or at least, balanced education) that Snow advocated in his 1959 Rede Lecture, Two Cultures. See also Tallis et al, 2011. But is Leavis confusing jam and marmalade?
• • See notes on the debate about two cultures, which has echoed down to present-day scientific communities.  See this video by Keith Davies, University of Hertfordshire, “Art vs Science: CP Snow’s Two Cultures Debate 50 Years on” (25 minutes). 

Presentations

Lecture 1: Course Overview

The first presentation provides an overview of the four modules of the course. It is 17 slides and should take about 20 minutes to go through.  If you have questions you can post them on Moodle or email me if Moodle is not working.

Link to the slides Week 1 Lecture 1 Course Overview

Lecture 2: Definitions and Key Concepts

Words are the currency with which we exchange ideas. Here you will find some of the key words and concepts we will discuss during the course. You are not constrained to these definitions, but you should explain what you mean when you use words from different contexts. Political “left” and “right” are good examples of contentious concepts, for which you should always be prepared to provide a definition.

Link to the slides Week 1 Lecture 2 Definitions and Concepts 

Seminar (for POE374, optional for POE372)

The seminar in the first week is reserved for a discussion of the written assignment.  If you are in an engineering program and wish to take 374 for a full credit, then you will complete the written assignments. You may wish to participate in this seminar in order to help you decide between the two options.