INCO 796: Cosmology and Our View of the World

Syllabus
Seminar Schedule of the Year
Lecture Notes
Booklist
Links
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Seminar Topics:

#

Topic

Reading

Lead

Date

Reporters

1

Introduction:
How do we do science? Is there anything beyond science?

T. Davis, W. deVries, E. Möbius

1/20

 

2

Introduction;
Overview on Physical Cosmology –
Sense of Place, Paradigm Shifts, & Open Questions

Davies, The Goldilocks Enigma Ch 1, 2;
"Curtains of the Universe", Astronomy, March 95; Lecture Notes (www); (On Blackboard)
M. Gleiser “Tear at the Edge of Creation” Parts of Sections 11 - 25.

E. Möbius

2/3

 

3

Discussion of Topic selection;

Mind and its Place in Nature

Alter & Howell: “A Dialogue on Consciousness”, Chapter 1
D. Papineau “The causal closure of the physical and naturalism”
“Strange Behavior” (on Blackboard)

Willem DeVries

2/10

 

4

Assignment of Topics;

Life as we know it and its evolution - Open Questions

R. Dawkins "The selfish Gene", Ch. 2; E. Mayr "One long Argument", Ch. 4, 5;
Stannard, God for the 21st Century, Part 2; Foreword of "Origins of Life"; (On Blackboard)

Thomas Davis

2/17

 

 

{Suggested & Last year's Topics}

For the suggested Topics please download PDF File

 

 

 

After the initial session the sequence is open and will be adjusted according to the students' suggestions.

Not necessarily all will be covered; alternate suggestions from students are encouraged!