HST 401 Seminar in Science Writing
This course provides an in-depth exploration of scientific controversies that raise ethical, philosophical and political questions. Potential issues include physicists’ quest for a "theory of everything," conflicts between science and religion, global warming and other environmental concerns, the search for "clean" energy, the nature-nurture debate, the mind-body problem, genetic engineering of humans and research on nuclear arms and other weapons. The core of the course will be public presentations organized by the Stevens Center for Science Writings (see list of events below). Students are required to attend these CSW events; read books and/or articles by the CSW speakers; prepare questions for CSW speakers; write papers on the issues raised by CSW speakers in their writings and lectures; and discuss these issues in class on non-presentation weeks. There are no exams in this course.