What is the mind? And how does it relate to the brain? These are old, even ancient questions, but it is only in the last two centuries that specific scientific fields have arisen to answer them. This course explores the history of those fields (psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science) and their impact on American politics, popular culture, and private life. The science and medicine of mind and brain have deeply shaped who we are, what we do, and how we treat others (including people, animals, and machines). This course examines key moments in this history: from the rise of the asylum and phrenology around 1800, through the growth of eugenics and psychoanalysis a century later, to the advent of MRI and artificial intelligence in recent years. By tracing the tools used to study, police, and alter the minds and brains of ordinary Americans, we will work toward a new history of scientific authority in the United States.

Course Requirements:

Three short essays, clicker questions, and participation

Intended Audience:

Open to students of all levels, this course provides crucial context for science students (including pre-health), while introducing humanities students to key scientific and medical concepts.

Class Format:

Two lectures and one discussion section each week (all synchronous)