Key concepts related to the philosophical and historical development of modern science.

Paper details:

Describe the historical development of the humanities from the prehistoric era to the present. Describe the influence of philosophical reasoning on the development of modern science. Competency 2: Examine the forms of expression that instantiate the arts and humanities. Distinguish intrinsic from instrumental goods in human thought. Explain the use of scientific reason in an effort to control the natural world. Competency 3: Integrate the humanities with everyday life. Assess the role of philosophy and science in contemporary life. Consider the rise of modern science during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. How did Enlightenment philosophers both defend and contribute to this cultural development? How did elements of scientific reasoning alter conceptions of the origin and limits of human knowledge? Explain the difference between intrinsic and instrumental goods and how modern science embodies an instrumental approach to the relationship between human beings and the natural world. Is recognition of our proper place in the context of a vast and ancient universe an essential insight? How does it affect our understanding of ourselves? Consider how philosophical and scientific reasoning make a difference to our daily lives. (Of course we all benefit from technological advances that came from these ways of thinking, but that is not the point here.) In what situations or circumstances of ordinary life is it appropriate to apply philosophical or scientific thinking to seek a solution, resolve a conflict, or make a decision? Imagine you are invited to contribute a post on this topic to a blog about philosophy, like those that appear in The New York Times blog The Stone, the What Is It Like to Be a Woman in Philosophy? blog from WordPress, or Philosophy Now magazine. How would you argue for (or against) the use of philosophical reasoning in everyday life?