2016-2017 Catalog

FYS 029 Mind Benders, Ways of Knowing, or a Course in Paradigms

Have you ever experienced a flash of insight when all of a sudden something that was confusing becomes blindingly clear? Some call this the Eureka Phenomenon; some conversion. These flashes liberate people from previous assumptions and lead to revolutionary discoveries. This seminar discusses how shifting paradigms-assumptions about how the world works-create new concepts, views, and ideas (often viewed initially as dangerous or heretical). Readings focus on patterns of inquiry in science, history, literature, psychology, and gender.

Instructor

Donahue, Westfall