Course Description
The course consists of four distinct units. The first unit deals with human knowledge, introduction to epistemology, science and the scientific method and the nature of scientific explanation of observed phenomena. In the second unit, we study the societal influence on science, first by illustrating the theoretical basis of this influence, then by illustrating this influence via real societal examples extracted from ancient and recent history. The third unit is devoted to studying the salient features of modern science and technology, including particularly: science and natural resources and intellectual property and patents. In the last unit we discuss the scientific impact on human behavior and thought.