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Science Technology & Society

A course in history / philosophy / sociology of science & technology

School of Communications

Dr. Helena Sheehan

STS lecture at DCU in progress

LECTURE TIMETABLE for Spring 1997

STS semester 2

11  February        LIFE STORY

DNA  LIFE STORY:  a BBC Horizon special on the discovery of the structure of DNA will be screened.  It dramatises in a most effective way a number of issues relevant to this course:  the nature of scientific method  (particulary the tension between induction & deduction, experiment & hypothesis),  gender & science,  nationality & science,  co-operative v competitive approaches to science,  problems of narratisation / dramatisation of science.

18 February  issues in contemporary biology (1):  nature v nurture, hereditarianism v environmentalism, biological deteminism v social constructivism

                                                   

25 February  issues in contemporary biology (2):  medicalisation & the life cycle: how far to go ?      

4 March  issues in contemporary biology (3):  genetic engineering: how far to go ?

11 March  issues in contemporary physics: misinterpretation, mysticism, mayhem

18 March   science & documentary:  problems & possibilities

25 March   science & drama:  problems & possibilities

1 April   science & journalism        Brian Trench

8 April   science & irish history      Brian Trench

15 April  science & gender: feminist critique of science: rejection or reconstruction ?

22 April  science & religion: compatible or contradictory ?

29 April  science, pseudo-science & anti-science: epistemological battles of our times