ASTR 230 - Astronomy in Culture

This course deals with the development of astronomy and, in a more general sense, with the relationship between the natural world and people in different societies and walks of life. The course examines the role of the sky in shaping religions and political ideologies in various kinds of cultures, among them hunter-gatherers, agrarian societies, and dynasties. Specific goals of the course include 1) gaining familiarization with the sky as seen with the naked eye, 2) understanding how various ways of comprehending the sky shapes a society’s world view, and 3) examining where cross-cultural parallels exist by seeking out the similarities and differences between the development of techno-assisted Western science and the so-called “ethno-sciences” in other cultures, both ancient and contemporary. Lectures are accompanied by sessions in the planetarium of the Ho Tung Visualization Lab, as well as out of doors, weather permitting.

Credits: 1.00
Crosslisted: ANTH 230
Corequisite: None
Prerequisites: None
Major/Minor Restrictions: None
Class Restriction: None
Area of Inquiry: Natural Sciences & Mathematics
Liberal Arts CORE: None
Formerly: SOAN 230

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