It is tempting to see the past through the categories of the present. In this class I try to reorient my students' view of the Scientific Revolution by examining it through one of its distinctive categories: the witch. We will investigate the metaphysics, epistemology, and social impact of science between 1500 and 1700 through the lens of one of the period’s best-selling books: the witch hunting manual Malleus Maleficarum. Using the Malleus Maleficarum and other primary sources as our window, we will explore the history of the divide between natural and supernatural; health and disease; evidence and belief. We will also develop strategies for working with difficult primary source materials and for presenting information in new formats. This is a reading-intensive class.

(Syllabus available upon request)

This course is intended to teach students two important aspects of scientific methods: the discovery and testing of universal principles such as the conservation of energy, and the discovery and testing of statistical patterns such as the bell curve. The course is designed to teach these topics without too much math. By investigating how scientists reach the answers they purport to have, we can better understand both the strengths and the limits of scientific methodology. Students in this class will be expected to use their new skills to assess and judge scientific claims, and to reflect critically on the role of science in their lives and worlds. This class is not intended for science majors or students with a background in statistics or mathematics.

(Syllabus available upon request)