The course aims to introduce students to the methods and content of the history of science. Methods: Students will be required to learn how to identify and access both material and immaterial primary sources in the history of science, and to navigate introductory and specialized literature on the main issues addressed. Specifically, students will read selected articles and texts from proposed ones, and will analyze and situate the authors and the principal conceptual and technical issues discussed in their historical context. Epistemic implications of the history of science (viewing the history of science as an expression, articulation, and resolution of speculative problems) will be particularly discussed.

Content: Students will study the history of astronomy in its historical, technical, formal, and philosophical context. Specific figures from the Scientific Revolution and theretical aspects will be closely examined as case studies, allowing students to engage with philological, textual, and contextual issues and to gain firsthand insight into the work of historians of science. This work is essential for encouraging philosophical reflection on science, as well as for appreciating the materiality of sources and recognizing the value of our scientific and technological heritage.

First Semester

Second Semester

The course does not require propaedeutics.

Participation in the Training Camp is very helpful: https://filosofia.uniurb.it/training-camp/

Knowledge and understanding.

By the end of the course, students should be able to understand and explain the relationship between the methods and content of the history of science and technology in relation to the history of astronomy. They should also be able to navigate the overall chronology of the period studied, identify key formal aspects of the history of science, discuss some of the classical issues in the history of astronomy in connection with key authors, and effectively use the main bibliographical and research tools introduced during the course.

Applying knowledge and understanding.

By the end of the course, students will be expected to exhibit discussion skills and independent thinking in analyzing specific scientific issues, situating them within their original context. They should be able to interpret sources accurately, distinguish between philological and speculative questions, and apply their historical knowledge to engage with broader philosophical debates.

Making judgements

At the conclusion of the course, students are expected to show independent judgment and the ability to critically engage with the key concepts explored. Classroom debates will be used to help students refine these skills and apply the knowledge they have gained.

Communication skills

By the end of the course, students should be capable of articulating and discussing ideas with clarity and precision, situating the learning contents within broader historical contexts and linking the history of science to scientific and epistemological questions. Group-based textual analysis, guided by the teacher, will be practiced to support this learning.

Learning abilities

Students should have achieved the ability to identify the sources of the history of science examined, to read and interpret the proposed texts, to recognize the unwritten sources of the history of science and technology, and to move with suitable bibliographical tools. To consolidate these skills, flipped class activities will be planned at the end of the semesters.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Completed exercises for self-assessment of preparation level are available within the Moodle platform for blended learning.

Graded partial examinations will be held at the end of the first and second semesters. Passing these will give access to the final oral exam.

Supporting activities will be some of the seminars within the following activities:

Training Camp: https://filosofia.uniurb.it/training-camp/

Seminars: Lectiones Commandinianae: https://sites.google.com/site/lectionescommandinianae/

Synergia Seminars: https://sites.google.com/a/uniurb.it/synergia

Teaching

Lectures with a frontal and workshop-based approach.

The course is delivered in a hybrid format, with in-person lectures held in the classroom simultaneously streamed online via the Moodle platform. Workshop-based activities (work teams, debates, flipped classroom) will be scheduled in a hybrid format using applications specified by the teacher.

Innovative teaching methods

Team work, debate, flipped class

Attendance

Attendance is not mandatory, although it is strongly recommended. Active participation in classroom discussion, as well as cooperation in the preparation of lecture material, will be especially important given the overall laboratory approach of the course. 

Grading for the entire course (semester 1 + semester 2) will be based on the arithmetic mean of the grades received in the partial examinations supplemented by the final oral discussion.

Course books

C. M. Linton, From Eudoxus to Einstein A History of Mathematical Astronomy, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2004. I semestre: cap. 1-6; II semestre: cap. 7-10.

J. L. E. Dreyer, Storia dell'astronomia da Talete a Keplero, Odoya, Bologna 2016 (2° ed. Feltrinelli, Milano 1977).

Supplementary materials in Italian and English will be provided during the lectures.

Other texts and videos given by the professor (made available in the Moodle platform ' blended.uniurb.it ).

Assessment

1. Written partial tests and final oral exam.

The partial tests will be conducted in written form at the end of the first and second semesters, in accordance with the topics covered during those periods. These tests will assess the following areas: source analysis, discussion of themes and concepts in the history of science, knowledge of key historical figures in the field, and familiarity with essential formal methods for accessing sources. If both partial tests reach the passing threshold of 18/30, the student will qualify for the oral exam.

During the final oral exam, a comprehensive discussion of the course content will be required. Methodological and subject-related issues will be explored, and the student's communication skills will also be evaluated.

2. Final written and oral exam.

If the partial tests do not achieve a sufficient average grade (18/30) to qualify for the oral exam, the student must take a written exam. If the written exam is passed with a grade of 18/30 or higher, the student will be admitted to the oral exam. The written exam will assess: source analysis, discussion of themes and concepts in the history of science, knowledge of key historical figures in the field, and familiarity with essential formal methods for accessing sources.

The final oral exam will involve a general discussion of the course content, with attention to both methodological and subject-related issues. The student's communication skills will also be assessed.

3. Objectives and assessment methods.

The combination of various forms of assessment allows for a thorough evaluation of the student’s achievement of the educational objectives and their acquisition of skills related to the history of science.

The final grade will be based on the results of the written and oral exams, the ability to accurately frame a scientific problem within its historical context, the use of philological methods to evaluate a topic in the history of science, and the application of historical analysis to scientific and philosophical content.

4. Assessment criteria.

The criteria used to determine the final grade will include:

Mastery of course content, expressed clearly and effectively.

Ability to identify and address formal problems in the history of science sources.

Knowledge of historical periods, background context, techniques, procedures, conceptual frameworks, and schools of thought.

Precision in structuring responses and the ability to develop complex ideas.

Critical thinking, problem-solving skills, independence of judgment, and planning ability.

Proficiency in the relevant disciplinary language.

Ability to participate and contribute effectively in group discussions.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Teaching is delivered in a blended mode, i.e., lectures occur in the classroom and are transmitted remotely within the Moodle platform.

For students who cannot connect, it is recommended that they carefully follow the teaching calendar provided by the lecturer and the weekly content update uploaded to the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it.

Self-study should be done by following the guidelines in the Vademecum and taking advantage of the tutoring the lecturer offers during in-person and online office hours.

Attendance

A substantial degree of learning autonomy and a solid foundation in interpreting scientific texts and sources in the history of science are required. Collaborative study with other students, whether attending the course or not, is recommended whenever possible.

Course books

C. M. Linton, From Eudoxus to Einstein A History of Mathematical Astronomy, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2004. I semester cap. 1-6; II semestre: cap. 7-10.

J. L. E. Dreyer, Storia dell'astronomia da Talete a Keplero, Odoya, Bologna 2016 (2° ed. Feltrinelli, Milano 1977).

Supplementary materials in Italian and English will be provided during the lectures.

Other texts and videos are given by the professor (made available in the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it.).

Assessment

1.  Partial written tests and final oral exam.

The partial tests will be conducted in the form of written exams at the end of the first and second semesters, covering the sections of the program completed. These tests will aim to assess the following themes and methodological skills: analysis of sources, discussion of topics and concepts from the history of science, knowledge of key figures in the history of science, and understanding of the essential formal methods for accessing sources. If both partial tests meet the passing threshold (18/30), the student can take the oral exam.

During the final oral examination, students will be asked to discuss the entire course content, focusing on methodological and substantive issues. Communication skills will also be evaluated.

Final written and oral exam.

If the partial tests do not achieve a sufficient average grade (18/30) to allow access to the oral exam, the exam will be conducted in written form. Upon passing the written test (18/30), the student will be admitted to the oral interview. The written exam will be structured to assess the following: analysis of sources, discussion of topics and concepts from the history of science, knowledge of key figures in the history of science, and understanding of the essential formal methods for accessing sources.

During the final oral examination, students will be asked to engage in a general discussion of the entire course content, focusing on both methodological and substantive issues. Communication skills will also be evaluated.

Purpose and methods of evaluation.

The variety and integration of different assessment methods enable the most effective verification of the achievement of the course’s educational objectives and the acquisition of competencies related to the history of science.

The final grade will be determined based on the results of both written and oral assessments, the ability to correctly frame a scientific problem in its historical context, the ability to use philological tools to assess a topic in the history of science, and the capacity to use historical analysis to address scientific and philosophical content.

Evaluation criteria.

The criteria for determining the final grade will include:

· Mastery of the course content, presented in a relevant and effective manner; · Ability to identify and frame formal problems in the sources of the history of science; · Knowledge of historical periods, background knowledge, techniques, procedures, conceptual constructs, and intellectual movements; · Accuracy in articulating responses and capacity for in-depth analysis; · Critical thinking, ability to problematize, autonomy of judgment, and initiative; · Appropriateness and mastery of disciplinary language; · Ability to contribute to group discussions effectively.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.