The War on Cancer
Amit Hagar
History & Philosophy of Science & Medicine
Almost 50 years after a US president declared “a war on cancer”, it remains one of the top causes of death in the world, second only to coronary diseases. In this course we will acquaint ourselves with carcinogenesis. Focusing on the full spectrum of the disease (prevention, diagnosis, therapy), we will inquire about the scientific challenge it presents mankind. In doing so, we will learn about patterns of scientific reasoning related to the problem of cancer in a form useful to both non-scientists and prospective scientists for understanding and evaluating scientific information of all sorts. Illustrations for these patterns as they are applied to the problem of cancer will be drawn from a wide variety of historical and contemporary sources, including popular magazines and newspapers. There will be a final 2- or 3-body project, a mid term multiple choice exam, and 5 short papers, but no final exam. All materials will be made available on Canvas.
Catalog Information: HON-H 240 SCIENCE AND SOCIETY