Welcome to the Front Porch of
mifami.org,
...the web-site of D. Newsome.
Academics Arts Sciences
Current and Recent Bard Classes
|
Spring 2022 - Currently Active Math and Metaphysics in
the Middle Ages Algebra,
Geometry, Trigonometry, and More From Limits to Riemann Sums to FTC |
|||
|
Fall 2021 Math 103A and 103B – Quadrivium : Math and Metaphysics in
the Middle Ages Math 141A – Calculus 1 From Limits to Riemann Sums to FTC Music 129 (Bard-OSUN) – Why Music Matters: A Philosophical
and Historical Inquiry in Europe and the Americas Co-Taught with
Prof. L. Botstein and S. Sonnenberg |
|||
|
Summer 2021 Writing
Knowledge: A combination of
L&T/CitSci for transfer students. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Extended Teaching History (by school year) |
|||
|
Summer
2020 Citizen
Science (BPI – Eastern and Fishkill - Remote): Water & Infectious Disease L&T (In-Person Annandale) |
Fall 2020 Math 103A Quadrivium: Math and Metaphysics in the Middle Ages Music 129
(OSUN) – Why Music
Matters: A Philosophical
and Historical Inquiry in Europe and the Americas. Co-Taught with Prof. L. Botstein and S.
Sonnenberg |
Winter 2021 Citizen Science Water>Communication |
Spring 2021 Math 103A Quadrivium
: Math and Metaphysics in the Middle Ages Math 141 Calculus
1 From Limits to Riemann Sums to
FTC Music 151
(OSUN) Beethoven,
Wagner, Mahler, Strauss: Case Studies in
Music as a Key to Understanding History. Co-Taught with Prof. L. Botstein and
I. Zedlacher. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summer
2019 BEOP Summer
Math Workshop Citizen
Science (BPI-Eastern): Water>Communication |
Fall
2019 BLC 150 Algebra Workshop BLC 190 Algebra, Trigonometry, and functions Math 103 (BPI-Woodbourne) Quadrivium: Math and Metaphysics in
the Middle Ages |
Winter
2020 Citizen Science Water>Communication |
Spring
2020 BLC 150 Algebra Workshop BLC 190 Algebra, Trigonometry, and functions Math 110A PreCalculus: Algebra,
Geometry, Trigonometry, and More Hist 320 (BPI-Eastern) Science in the Golden Age of Islam |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summer
2018 Citizen
Science (BPI – Fishkill and Taconic): Infectious Disease |
Fall 2018 BLC 150 Algebra Workshop BLC 190 Algebra, Trigonometry, and functions Math 110A PreCalculus: Algebra,
Geometry, Trigonometry, and More Hist 302 (BPI-Coxsackie) Science in the Golden Age of Islam |
Winter
2019 Citizen Science Water>Communication |
Spring
2019 BLC 150 Algebra Workshop BLC 190 Algebra, Trigonometry, and functions Math 103A and 103 (BPI-Fishkill) Quadrivium: Math and Metaphysics in
the Middle Ages |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summer
2017 Citizen
Science (BPI – Green Haven): Infectious Disease |
Fall
2017 Math 101 (BPI-Woodbourne) Advanced Algebra Hist 302 (BPI-Green Haven) Science in the Golden Age of Islam |
Winter
2018 Citizen Science Infectious Disease |
Spring
2018 Math 098 (BPI-Taconic) Basic Algebra
Hist 302 (BPI-Woodbourne) Science in the Golden Age of Islam |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summer 2016 Citizen Science
(BPI – Eastern): Infectious Disease |
Fall
2016 Math 101 (BPI-Woodbourne) Advanced Algebra Hist 316 (BPI-Eastern) Darwin in Context |
|
Spring
2017 Math 098 (BPI-Eastern and Taconic) Basic Algebra |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summer 2015 Citizen Science
(BPI – Green Haven): Infectious Disease |
Fall 2015 Hist 260
(BPI-Woodbourne) The
Scientific Revolution in Context |
|
Spring 2016 Hist 302 (BPI-Fishkill and Taconic) Science in the Golden Age of Islam
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summer 2014 Citizen Science
(BPI – Coxsackie and Eastern): Infectious Disease |
Fall 2014 Hist 316 (BPI-Woodbourne) Darwin in Context |
|
Spring 2015 Hist 316 (BPI-Eastern) Darwin in Context
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fall 2013 Hist 293 (BPI-Eastern and Woodbourne) Medieval Natural Philosophy
|
Winter
2014 Citizen Science Infectious Disease |
Spring 2014 Hist 260 (BPI-Eastern) Origins of Modern Science |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fall 2012 INSM 3940 (Columbia University) Science Across Cultures: Medieval Natural Philosophy Interdepartmental Seminar co-taught with George Saliba ISDEM-UG 1736
(NYU Gallatin School) Making a Scientific Revolution |
Winter
2013 Citizen Science Infectious Disease |
Spring 2013 INSM 3940 (Columbia University) Science Across Cultures: Medieval Natural Philosophy Interdepartmental Seminar co-taught with George Saliba |
|
|
|||
|
From 2006 to 2011 Multiple
classes taught at Stevens Institute of Technology HHS 369 (Stevens Institute of Technology) A History of a Scientific
Revolution HHS 130 (Stevens Institute of Technology) A History of Science and Technology History 123
(Stevens Institute of Technology) History of European Society and Culture |
|||
|
From 2006 to 2007 Multiple
sections of Early, Middle, and Modern World History taught at John Jay
College. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Selection of
Class Descriptions |
|||
|
History 302 and 320: Science in the Golden Age of Islam (SiGA) Bard College, BPI This course focuses on medieval natural philosophy and history durring
the Middle Ages from a largely Islamic Perspective. Primary Source Authors inlcude: Abu Ma’shar, al-Kindi, al-Farabi, al-Khwarizmi, Ibn al-Haytham,
al-Biruni, Ibn Sina, al-Ghazali, Ibn Bajja, Ibn Tufayl, Ibn Rushd, al-Tusi, Ibn Nafis, Battuta, al-Bukhari, and
Ibn Khaldun. Weekly writing assignments. This course is largely Aristotelian and Stoic in nature and is sort of
the flip side of Quadrivium, which is largely Platonic |
|||
|
|
|||
|
Math 103: Quadrivium: Math and Metaphysics in
the Middle Ages Bard Annandale and BPI The mathematical curriculum of the medieval
university. This course is largely a
Pythagorean/Platonic model of the structure of the One-Verse. Primary authors include Plato, Iamblichus,
Ptolemy, Boethius, Sacrobosco, al Khwarismi, Fibonacci, Chuquet, and Kepler
(optionally Ogawa). Weekly
mathematical and historical assignments. This course largely Platonic and is sort of
the flip side to Science in the Golden Age of Islam, which is more
Aristotelian and Stoic. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
History 316: Darwin in Context Bard College, BPI This class focuses primarily on the theories and opinions immediately
preceding and following Darwin and Wallace as well as the theories of Darwin
and Wallace themselves. Readings
include al-Biruni,
Burnet, Godwin, Malthus, Hutton, Chambers, Lyell, Lamarck, Darwin, Wallace,
Mendel, Spencer, Tylor, Galton, Wells, Fisher, Marx, Huxley, Ehrlich, and
Dawkins. Weekly writing assignments. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
Math 103: Quadrivium: Math and Metaphysics in
the Middle Ages Bard Annandale and BPI The mathematical curriculum of the medieval
university. This course is largely a
Pythagorean/Platonic model of the structure of the One-Verse. Primary authors include Plato, Iamblichus,
Ptolemy, Boethius, Sacrobosco, al Khwarismi, Fibonacci, Chuquet, and Kepler
(optionally Ogawa). Weekly
mathematical and historical assignments. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
ISDEM-UG
1736: Making a Scientific
Revolution NYU Gallatin School This course focuses mainly on the continuum
of ideas flowing from Classical to Middle Ages and then into the Early Modern
period. Scientific themes include mathematics, music theory,
astronomy/astrology, perspective/optics, alchemy/chemistry, atomism, medicine/physiology,
and physics. Readings include Plato, Aristotle,
Lucretius, Ptolemy, Galen, Plotinus, Boethius, Al-kindi, Alhazen, Avicenna, Ibn
Tufayl, Averroes, Thomas Aquinas, Buridan, Oresme, Vesalius, Kepler,
GaliSummer, Newton, and Leibniz. |
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
Distant Past Class Syllabi [From an old domain –
many of deeper links are dead, but the general schedules have been updated and
reposted.]
Microtonal
Online Synth: https://websynths.com/#
Brief
Class Descriptions
Science in the Golden Age of Islam (SiGA): History 302 and 320
This course focuses on medieval natural philosophy and history
durring the Middle Ages from a largely Islamic Perspective.
Primary Source Authors inlcude:
Abu Ma’shar, al-Kindi, al-Farabi,
al-Khwarizmi, Ibn al-Haytham, al-Biruni, Ibn Sina, al-Ghazali, Ibn Bajja,
Ibn Tufayl, Ibn Rushd, al-Tusi, Ibn Nafis, Battuta, al-Bukhari, and
Ibn Khaldun.
2015-2020
Bard
College, B.P.I.
Science in the Golden Age of Islam (SiGA): History 302
This course focuses on medieval natural philosophy and history
durring the Middle Ages from a largely Islamic Perspective.
Primary Source Authors inlcude:
Abu Ma’shar, al-Kindi, al-Farabi,
al-Khwarizmi, Ibn al-Haytham, al-Biruni, Ibn Sina, al-Ghazali, Ibn Bajja,
Ibn Tufayl, Ibn Rushd, al-Tusi, Ibn Nafis, Battuta, al-Bukhari, and
Ibn Khaldun.
Darwin in Context - NEW for 2014
Bard College, B.P.I.
This class focuses primarily on the theories and opinions
immediately preceding and following Darwin and Wallace
as well as the theories of Darwin and Wallace themselves. Readings include al-Biruni, Burnet, Godwin, Malthus, Hutton,
Chambers, Lyell, Lamarck, Darwin, Wallace, Mendel, Spencer, Tylor, Galton,
Wells, Fisher, Marx, Huxley, Ehrlich, and Dawkins.
Origins of Modern Science - 2014
Bard College, B.P.I.
This class covers the history of science (mostly European) from ca. 1450–1750 and includes some limited mathematical discussions.
[Students should be familiar with trigonometry.]
Citizen Science - 2013 and 2014
Bard College, B.P.I.
This course is designed to find common ground between the sciences and
the humanities. The main focus is
infectious diseases.
Basic cell biology, evolutionary theory, laboratory methods, public
health, scientific ethics, scientific communication,
antibiotic resistance, and HIV are among the many topics discussed.
Medieval Natural Philosophy-2013
Bard College, B.P.I.
This course mainly focuses on natural philosophies written in Latin and
Arabic (in English translation) spanning ca. 750-1460. Specific topics include astronomy, optics,
medicine, anatomy, physiology, geology, and physics.
This class introduces much of the natural philosophical background
necessary
to read and understand the ideas presented in Ibn Tufayl's Hayy ibn Yaqzan, which we read at the
end of the course.
Science Across Cultures – 2012 and 2013
Interdepartmental Seminar INSM 3940
Columbia University – Co-taught with George Saliba
This course focuses on the natural philosophy of the Middle
Ages–both European and Islamic.
Themes include astronomy, medicine, physiology, optics, physics
and more broadly causation and the flow of ideas between and amongst cultures.
Citizen Science – 2013 and 2014
Bard College, Annandale
This course bridges the gap between the sciences and the humanities
focusing on the specific topic of infectious diseases.
There is a wet-lab component, a methods unit, a unit on HIV, and another
on bioethics, however, this only scratches the surface of what we cover.
Making a Scientific Revolution – 2012
NYU – Gallatin School
This course focuses mainly on the continuum
of ideas flowing from Classical to Middle Ages and then into the Early Modern
period. Scientific themes include mathematics, music theory,
astronomy/astrology, perspective/optics, alchemy/chemistry, atomism,
medicine/physiology, and physics. Readings include Plato,
Aristotle, Lucretius, Ptolemy, Galen, Plotinus, Boethius, Al-kindi, Alhazen,
Avicenna, Ibn Tufayl, Averroes, Thomas Aquinas, Buridan, Oresme, Vesalius,
Kepler, GaliSummer, Newton, and Leibniz.
HHS 130B (Fall
2011) - A History of Science and Technology: HoST
Stevens Institute
HHS 130E (Fall
2010) - A History of Science and Technology: HoST
Stevens Institute
Also taught at Stevens Instituteɼo:p>
HHS123 (Fall 09)
- History of European Society and Culture to 1500 or 1800
HHS130ev (Fall 08)
– A History of Science
and Technology: HoST
HHS369ev (Fall
08) – A History of a
Scientific Revolution: SciRev
I have also taught Word Civilizations classes covering all periods
[early, middle, and modern] at John Jay College
A Selection
of Interesting Student Projects
Writing across the Curriculum at
City Tech (CUNY)
Writing Chemistry Lab
Reports at City Tech
Leeds
Conference (2019): Leeds
PDF
Publications
Newsome, Daniel. "The Math, Music, Metaphysics, and Mysticism of the Quadrivium: The Four Paths to a Theory of Structure." In Science, Technology, and the Humanities: A New Synthesis, edited by Lisa M. Dolling. Greenfield, MA: Jensen/Daniels Publishers, 2011.
Deiner, L. Jay; Newsome, Daniel; Samaroo, Diana. Journal of Chemical Education, v89 n12
p1511-1514 Dec 2012
Directed
Self-Inquiry: A Scaffold for Teaching Laboratory Report Writing- 2012
Quadrivial Pursuit Media Outlet (2011)
Quadrivial Trivia of the moment.
Click Here for a Sound Demo [328 KB]
or
Here [2.5 MB]
if that one didn't work.
Past Class Syllabi [From an old domain – many of
deeper links are dead, but the general schedules have been updated and
reposted.]
Reinventing the Wheel and Other Tall Tales
Under Construction
Animation of
Galileo's Sunspot Drawings