STS 314

Cosmological Thought

Cosmology is the attempt to understand what the whole universe is, how the universe came into being, and what forms or structures organize it. Cosmology had its origins in myth, but soon incorporated elements of astronomy, physics, and philosophy. This course is a study of cosmological thought in its historical and cultural context, from the cosmologies of the ancient and medieval worlds to twentieth-century cosmology. Throughout, the course stresses not only the scientific content of the various cosmologies that have contended for primacy, but also their historical origins and their philosophical implications.