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SCIMA-2000-3: Making Space: Alternative Perspectives

Fall 2020

Subject: Science and Math
Type: Lecture
Delivery Mode: Online
Level: Undergraduate

Course Dates: September 02, 2020 — December 15, 2020
Meetings: Sat 12:00-03:00PM
Instructor: Elizabeth Travelslight

Units: 3.0
Enrolled: 16/18 Closed

Description:

Science and Math (SCIMA) courses develop students' capacity for evidence-based reasoning through the study of life, earth, and physical sciences and of computational and theoretical mathematics. In these courses, students learn to recognize and interpret meaningful patterns of information; to assess the validity of empirical claims, distinguishing between opinion and fact; and to understand the sociocultural relevance of scientific and mathematical thinking.Geometry is usually considered the "science of space." But what is space anyway? Students in this course will undertake a broad historical survey of geometry and spatial representation among cultures including Chinese, Navajo, Inuit, Australian Aborigine, and Western/European practices. We will also explore the stunning variety of methods artists across disciplines use to shape and represent space. Along the way we will consider abstract versus material notions of space, classical and analytic geometry, boundaries, fractals, higher dimensions, perspective, poetics, landscape, architecture, the technological and the virtual, as well as the way in which the "shape" of space may be contingent upon the particularities of embodied subjects. Instruction and discussion of theoretical concepts and scientific/mathematical practices will be paired with collaborative analysis of relevant works of art and examples from popular culture.

Pre-Requisites and Co-Requisites:

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