Explore how modern science and technology evolved through contributions from civilizations across the world. This course examines the interrelationship between scientific development and the emergence of modern societies.

Science, Technology & Modernity

Recommended experience
Recommended experience
Beginner level
No prerequisites required. Interest in history, science, or philosophy helpful. Open to all learners curious about scientific evolution.
Recommended experience
Recommended experience
Beginner level
No prerequisites required. Interest in history, science, or philosophy helpful. Open to all learners curious about scientific evolution.
What you'll learn
Trace the evolution of science from ancient Greek philosophy through Islamic, Indian, and Chinese contributions to modern scientific thought.
Analyze the Scientific Revolution and Industrial Revolution's transformative impact on Western societies and the emergence of modern science.
Evaluate the concept of modernity, enlightenment ideals, and their relationship with scientific and technological development globally.
Apply critical thinking to examine received views on science, technology, and globalisation in contemporary society.
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November 2025
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There are 10 modules in this course
This module aims to provide you with a clearer conception of terms such as ‘Science’, ‘Technology’ and ‘Modernity’. It will help you identify the ethos of science and the challenges such ethos faces in the contemporary period. In this module, you will learn about a brief history of the idea of technology and the nature of its relationship with science.
What's included
7 videos9 readings9 assignments
7 videos•Total 70 minutes
- What is Science?•10 minutes
- Distinguishing Pseudo-Science•7 minutes
- Ethos of Science: CUDOS•10 minutes
- Counter Norms and New Norms•10 minutes
- What is Technology?•8 minutes
- Technology, Technique and Engineering•12 minutes
- Modernity: An Introduction•12 minutes
9 readings•Total 101 minutes
- Course Overview•10 minutes
- Course Structure & Critical Information•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: What is Science?•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Distinguishing Pseudo-Science•12 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Ethos of Science: CUDOS•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Counter Norms and New Norms•9 minutes
- Recommended Reading: What is Technology?•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Technology, Technique, and Engineering•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Modernity: An Introduction•10 minutes
9 assignments•Total 96 minutes
- What is Science?•6 minutes
- Distinguishing Pseudo-Science•6 minutes
- Ethos of Science: CUDOS•6 minutes
- Counter Norms and New Norms•3 minutes
- What is Technology?•6 minutes
- Technology, Technique, and Engineering•3 minutes
- Modernity: An Introduction•6 minutes
- Let's Practice: How to Understand Science, Technology and Modernity•30 minutes
- Test Yourself: How to Understand Science, Technology and Modernity•30 minutes
This module will take you through the Natural Philosophy of the ancient Greek era, which is widely held to be furnishing the roots for Modern Science. It will introduce you to some of the key ideas of natural philosophers such as Thales, Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Archimedes etc. In this section, you will find out how the Greek period natural philosophy was truly path-breaking, and one that eventually shaped knowledge of nature, for the next two millennia.
What's included
8 videos8 readings10 assignments
8 videos•Total 96 minutes
- Origin of Greek Natural Philosophy•10 minutes
- The Milesian School•13 minutes
- The Pythagorean, Atomists and Philosophers of Change•13 minutes
- Plato•13 minutes
- Aristotle•14 minutes
- Museum at Alexandria•12 minutes
- Aristarchus and Ptolemy•13 minutes
- Decline of Greco-Roman Natural Philosophy•8 minutes
8 readings•Total 96 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Origin of Greek Natural Philosophy•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: The Milesian School•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: The Pythagorean, Atomists, and Philosophers of Change•12 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Plato•12 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Aristotle•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Museum at Alexandria •12 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Aristarchus and Ptolemy•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Decline of Greco-Roman Natural Philosophy•10 minutes
10 assignments•Total 96 minutes
- Origin of Greek Natural Philosophy•3 minutes
- The Milesian School•6 minutes
- The Pythagorean, Atomists and Philosophers of Change•6 minutes
- Plato•6 minutes
- Aristotle•6 minutes
- Museum at Alexandria•3 minutes
- Aristarchus and Ptolemy•3 minutes
- Decline of Greco-Roman Natural Philosophy•3 minutes
- Let's Practice: Natural Philosophy from Ancient Greek•30 minutes
- Test Yourself: Natural Philosophy from Ancient Greek•30 minutes
This module will introduce you to some of the major scientific and technological advances that ancient Indians did as part of their contribution to modern science. In this module, there will be discussion on topics such as Vedic ideas, nature of astronomy and mathematics that was pursued and technological advancement in the field of metallurgy, medicine and agriculture.
What's included
7 videos7 readings9 assignments
7 videos•Total 68 minutes
- Introduction to the Vedas•14 minutes
- Indian Astronomy•12 minutes
- Indian Mathematicians•8 minutes
- Agricultural Innovation •11 minutes
- Metallurgy •6 minutes
- Other Technologies •6 minutes
- Ayurveda and Yoga •10 minutes
7 readings•Total 80 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Introduction to the Vedas•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Indian Astronomy•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Indian Mathematicians•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Agricultural Innovation •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Metallurgy •10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Other Technologies •10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Ayurveda and Yoga •10 minutes
9 assignments•Total 90 minutes
- Introduction to the Vedas•3 minutes
- Indian Astronomy•3 minutes
- Indian Mathematicians•3 minutes
- Agricultural Innovation •6 minutes
- Metallurgy •3 minutes
- Other Technologies •6 minutes
- Ayurveda and Yoga•6 minutes
- Let's Practice: Indian Contribution•30 minutes
- Test Yourself: Indian Contribution•30 minutes
This module will take you through Arabic science during the middle ages, when significant accomplishments were made. It will help you understand how Islamic religion contributed to a scientific renaissance in the Arab and Middle east region that eventually laid the foundation for the emergence of modern science in the west.
What's included
9 videos9 readings11 assignments
9 videos•Total 84 minutes
- Islam and Rise of Science•11 minutes
- Translation Movement•13 minutes
- Islamic Alchemy •10 minutes
- Astronomy and Mathematics •11 minutes
- Geography and Mathematics •4 minutes
- Islamic Medicine •8 minutes
- Libraries•7 minutes
- Military, Mining and Textile•9 minutes
- Factors of Decline•11 minutes
9 readings•Total 105 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Islam and Rise of Science•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Translation Movement•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Islamic Alchemy •10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Astronomy and Mathematics •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Geography and Mathematics •10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Islamic Medicine •10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Libraries•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Military, Mining and Textile•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Factors of Decline •10 minutes
11 assignments•Total 96 minutes
- Islam and Rise of Science•3 minutes
- Translation Movement•3 minutes
- Islamic Alchemy •3 minutes
- Astronomy and Mathematics •6 minutes
- Geography and Mathematics •3 minutes
- Islamic Medicine •6 minutes
- Libraries•6 minutes
- Military, Mining and Textile•3 minutes
- Factors of Decline•3 minutes
- Let's Practice: Arabic Contribution to Science•30 minutes
- Test Yourself: Arabic Contribution to Science•30 minutes
This module will help you understand how technology and applied science developed in Chinese from an ancient period. In this section, you will learn how technologies such as printing, hydraulic, maritime, gunpowder etc. developed in China and its kind of sciences that carried a different character as compared to the western tradition.
What's included
9 videos9 readings11 assignments
9 videos•Total 89 minutes
- Introduction to China•15 minutes
- The Great Wall and the Grand Canal•9 minutes
- Iron, Compass and Gunpowder •11 minutes
- Pottery, Paper and Printing•8 minutes
- Maritime and Shipbuilding•11 minutes
- Worldview and Sciences•11 minutes
- Astronomy and Other Sciences•10 minutes
- Foreign Influence•7 minutes
- Inhibiting Further Growth •9 minutes
9 readings•Total 142 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Introduction to China•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: The Great Wall and the Grand Canal•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Iron, Compass and Gunpowder •12 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Pottery, Paper and Printing•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Maritime and Ship-Building•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Worldview and Sciences •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Astronomy and Other Sciences•30 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Foreign Influence•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Inhibiting Further Growth •25 minutes
11 assignments•Total 102 minutes
- Introduction to China•6 minutes
- The Great Wall and the Grand Canal•6 minutes
- Iron, Compass and Gunpowder •6 minutes
- Pottery, Paper and Printing•6 minutes
- Maritime and Ship-Building•3 minutes
- Worldview and Sciences•3 minutes
- Astronomy and Other Sciences•3 minutes
- Foreign Influence•3 minutes
- Inhibiting Further Growth •6 minutes
- Let's Practice: Technological Tradition and Applied Science in China•30 minutes
- Test Yourself: Technological Tradition and Applied Science in China•30 minutes
This module will take you through how Europe revived itself in the middle ages, establishing not just universities for higher learning, but also providing a fertile ground for a scientific revolution to take place in subsequent periods. In this module, you will find discussion on the European Renaissance and the astronomical revolution that challenged the classical geocentric worldview.
What's included
6 videos6 readings8 assignments
6 videos•Total 61 minutes
- European Revival •14 minutes
- European Universities •11 minutes
- European Renaissance •12 minutes
- Copernicus •10 minutes
- Tycho Brahe •7 minutes
- Kepler •6 minutes
6 readings•Total 90 minutes
- Recommended Reading: European Revival•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: European Universities•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: European Renaissance •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Copernicus •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Tycho Brahe •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Kepler•15 minutes
8 assignments•Total 87 minutes
- European Revival •6 minutes
- European Universities •3 minutes
- European Renaissance •6 minutes
- Copernicus •6 minutes
- Tycho Brahe •3 minutes
- Kepler •3 minutes
- Let's Practice: Scientific Revolution I •30 minutes
- Test Yourself: Scientific Revolution I •30 minutes
This module will take you through the important contributions made by Galileo and Newton in shaping the scientific revolution in the seventeenth century. In this module, you will learn about Galileo’s famous trial and a brief overview of his path-breaking work such as, ‘Two New Sciences’. In addition to Galileo, you will also learn about Newton, his worldview and a brief introduction to his work - Principia. Further in this module, you will be introduced to the contributions of Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes, both of whom are well known for their notable role in the making of modern science.
What's included
7 videos7 readings9 assignments
7 videos•Total 60 minutes
- Galileo and Telescope•8 minutes
- Two Chief World Systems•11 minutes
- Two New Sciences•9 minutes
- Descartes and Bacon•8 minutes
- Newton’s Principia•9 minutes
- Crucial Experiment •7 minutes
- Newton and Controversies•9 minutes
7 readings•Total 87 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Galileo and Telescope•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Two Chief World Systems•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Two New Sciences•12 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Descartes and Bacon•10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Newton’s Principia•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Crucial Experiment •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Newton and Controversies•15 minutes
9 assignments•Total 93 minutes
- Galileo and Telescope•6 minutes
- Two Chief World Systems•3 minutes
- Two New Sciences•6 minutes
- Descartes and Bacon•3 minutes
- Newton’s Principia•3 minutes
- Crucial Experiment •6 minutes
- Newton and Controversies•6 minutes
- Let's Practice: Scientific Revolution II•30 minutes
- Test Yourself: Scientific Revolution II•30 minutes
This module will help you learn how societies in the West began to transform from an agriculture-based economy to industries in the eighteenth century. In this module, you will have the scope to find out how innovation in textile industries, iron making, and the invention of the steam engine were interrelated in quite unanticipated ways, leading to a social transformation that was not seen since the Neolithic period.
What's included
7 videos7 readings9 assignments
7 videos•Total 65 minutes
- Social Transformation •11 minutes
- Mechanisation in Textile Industries •6 minutes
- New Iron Age•7 minutes
- Steam Engine•11 minutes
- Factors Driving Industrialisation•12 minutes
- Lack of Applied Science•8 minutes
- Role of Scientific Societies •9 minutes
7 readings•Total 100 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Social Transformation •10 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Mechanisation in Textile Industries •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: New Iron Age•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Steam Engine•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Factors Driving Industrialisation•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Lack of Applied Science•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Role of Scientific Societies •15 minutes
9 assignments•Total 90 minutes
- Social Transformation •3 minutes
- Mechanisation in Textile Industries •9 minutes
- New Iron Age•3 minutes
- Steam Engine•3 minutes
- Factors Driving Industrialisation•6 minutes
- Lack of Applied Science•3 minutes
- Role of Scientific Societies •3 minutes
- Let's Practice: Industrial Revolution I•30 minutes
- Test Yourself: Industrial Revolution I•30 minutes
This module will take you through yet another phase of the scientific revolution in which new empirical sciences were mathematised and merged with classical sciences, giving rise to science-based industries. In this module, you will learn how a classical worldview emerged, providing a philosophical anchor to broader changes in science and technology and the way in which the industrialisation process spread rapidly to all parts of the world. Further in this module, you will have the scope to reflect on how industrialisation was tied to ‘colonialism’ and the type of impact it had on countries such as India.
What's included
7 videos7 readings9 assignments
7 videos•Total 72 minutes
- Science After Bacon and Newton •11 minutes
- Chemical Revolution •9 minutes
- A New Scientific Revolution•10 minutes
- Classical Worldview •9 minutes
- Organisation and Spread •12 minutes
- India as a British Colony •8 minutes
- Applied Science and Science Based Industries•13 minutes
7 readings•Total 105 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Science After Bacon and Newton•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Chemical Revolution•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: A New Scientific Revolution•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Classical Worldview•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Organisation and Spread •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: India as a British colony•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Applied Science and Science Based Industries•15 minutes
9 assignments•Total 90 minutes
- Science After Bacon and Newton •3 minutes
- Chemical Revolution •3 minutes
- A New Scientific Revolution•3 minutes
- Classical Worldview •3 minutes
- Organisation and Spread •6 minutes
- India as a British Colony •3 minutes
- Applied Science and Science Based Industries•9 minutes
- Let's Practice: Industrial Revolution II •30 minutes
- Test Yourself: Industrial Revolution II •30 minutes
This module will take you through the idea of enlightenment and its relationship with modernity. In this course, you will learn different ways through which scholars and thinkers have engaged with modernity, including the approach of post-modernity and critical negotiations.
What's included
8 videos9 readings10 assignments
8 videos•Total 75 minutes
- Enlightenment •10 minutes
- Kant and Locke•8 minutes
- Features of Modernity•13 minutes
- Rejecting Modernity•10 minutes
- Globalisation •9 minutes
- Critical Negotiation I •9 minutes
- Critical Negotiation II•9 minutes
- Concluding Remarks •6 minutes
9 readings•Total 130 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Enlightenment •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Kant and Locke•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Features of Modernity•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Rejecting Modernity•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Globalisation •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Critical Negotiation I •15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Critical Negotiation II•15 minutes
- Recommended Reading: Concluding Remarks •15 minutes
- Course Summary•10 minutes
10 assignments•Total 90 minutes
- Enlightenment •6 minutes
- Kant and Locke•3 minutes
- Features of Modernity•3 minutes
- Rejecting Modernity•6 minutes
- Globalisation •3 minutes
- Critical Negotiation I •3 minutes
- Critical Negotiation II•3 minutes
- Concluding Remarks •3 minutes
- Let's Practice: Modernity •30 minutes
- Test Yourself: Modernity •30 minutes
Instructor

Offered by

Offered by

Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani) is one of only ten private universities in India to be recognised as an Institute of Eminence by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. It has been consistently ranked high by both governmental and private ranking agencies for its innovative processes and capabilities that have enabled it to impart quality education and emerge as the best private science and engineering institute in India. BITS Pilani has four international campuses in Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad, and Dubai, and has been offering bachelor's, master’s, and certificate programmes for over 58 years, helping to launch the careers for over 1,00,000 professionals.
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