Jeffrey D. Macklis (Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology (FAS), Center for Brain Science, and Harvard Medical School)
First-Year Seminar 26K | Fall Term | Thursday, 3:00–5:45 PM
Enrollment limited to 12 | CANVAS SITE
Prerequisites: No background with this material will be assumed.
This seminar will offer an integrated historical-neurobiological-neurological introduction to foundational and transformative ideas in the ~3,700-year history of brain science, neuroscience, and “lay” neurology—all accessible to first-year students with interests from neuroscience and (molecular, developmental, organismic, evolutionary, or regenerative) biology to history and philosophy of science to neuroeconomics and medicine. No background will be assumed. Rather, a series of historical vignettes and sources will be tied to modern understanding of elements of the nervous system, its organization, function, and modes of investigation and manipulation. Selected historical contexts, often involving war, disease, serendipity, and technology advancement, will be highlighted as advancing knowledge in surprising ways. An inter-disciplinary approach will benefit from each student bringing insights from their own reading of primary source and history of science texts, to be added to in-session discussion, with moderation and direction from me (JDM). We will visit a number of the Harvard Collections and museums, including Comparative Zoology, Herbaria, History of Science, the HMS Warren Anatomical Museum collection (Phineas Gage’s skull and railroad tamping rod), the Harvard collection of historical scientific instruments (advances in microscopy, electrical measurement, e.g.), and the state-of-the-art Center for Brain Science imaging facility, providing context.