10/20/23

This course, His 276: Science, Technology, and Knowledge in the Premodern World has deeply changed my understanding of the history of science. We have learned about science as it existed in the past, how it has changed and developed over time, and learned that it has taken on many different forms throughout time, some of which do not live up to our current definition of science. Before taking this course, I thought that history consisted of a series of separate events. After reading some of the chapters for this class, I understand that history is about continuity, instead of sharp breaks when one period of time ends and another begins. An example of this is the continuity between the Classical World, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Enlightenment. They were not separate eras with completely unconnected events, but instead consisted of a flow of information and knowledge that helped to shape each chunk of history. 

Something else that I will also take away from this course is the role that philosophy played in the development of science. Ancient philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, Islamic philosophers, and others in Greece, China, and India helped to lay the groundwork for scientific discovery. Philosophy involves asking questions about the nature of the universe, the heavens, and reality, which are concepts that are still debated today. For instance, we use many of Aristotle’s base ideas in the modern world, including his work involving the elements, the importance of empirical thinking, and his theory of eccentrics which helped to lay the groundwork for our current astronomical model. 

Each of the major countries and/or religions that we have studied during this course have respectively made major contributions to the development of science. I have come to learn during this course that science today would not be as extensive as it is without the contributions of each of the separate countries we have learned about. Some countries/people have unfortunately overlooked some of these contributions or taken the credit for themselves. When studying the past it is important to recognize this fact, and understand that some parts of history can sometimes get rewritten, miscommunicated, or forgotten. I have learned a lot about the history of science and technology, and I am very excited to learn more in the weeks to come.