Scientific Reasoning and Discovery
Students will explore modern scientific topics in depth using a hands-on, inquiry-based learning approach, with the goal of enhancing general scientific and mathematical literacy. Each semester, students will use the basic tools and methodologies of a specific scientific discipline; reflect on both the strengths and limitations of modern science; apply the scientific method; develop hypotheses and conduct experiments; recognize the importance of collecting accurate and precise data; use scientific reasoning and statistics to draw logical conclusions from data; consider sources of scientific error and uncertainty; and accurately communicate scientific information and results. By engaging in a Scientific Reasoning & Discovery seminar each semester, students will connect basic science to its varied applications in society and develop the important habit of critically evaluating scientific claims. A variety of course topics will be offered each semester in disciplines such as biology, physics, astronomy, chemistry, etc., reflecting each instructor’s particular area of expertise.
First year students take one Scientific Reasoning & Discovery course each semester (HONR 1033 in Fall, HONR 1034 in Spring).
First year students may also take a pre-approved Scientific Reasoning & Discovery alternatives in the place of HONR 1033 and/or HONR 1034.
Fall 2025 Courses
Life: A Journey Through Life's Biodiversity
Professor Thiago Moreira
HONR 1033:MV - 4 Credits
CRN: 36435
MW 9:00AM - 10:50AM
--
HONR 1033:MV1 - 4 Credits
CRN: 36436
MW 1:00PM - 2:50PM
Fulfills:
- CCAS: GPAC Natural/Physical Science with Lab
- CCAS: GPAC Local/Civic Engagement
- ESIA: Science
- GWSB: Science
Course Description: “A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.” — John James Audubon
Are you alive? What is it to be alive? What are the limits of life? How diverse is life? Our planet is brimming with life. From the deeps of the oceans to the tallest mountains, we find different life forms. Some beautiful, some scary, some intriguing, and some… weird. But all amazing. To understand better the lifeforms around us and how they connect to the planet is to understand ourselves better. In this course, we will explore life on our planet in a broad aspect. We will explore the major groups of living things and how they come to be. How different lifeforms are interconnected, and how they relate and interact with other. How life started and (almost) ended (several times!). We will use modern biological theory to get foundational knowledge about the sciences that explore biodiversity and its relations with the planet. We will study how we use science and its methodologies to recognize, describe and catalog the several different lifeforms on the planet and how to use this knowledge to ask meaningful, scientific questions about life. Once we have a solid basis, we can permit ourselves to ponder a bit about the most theoretical and philosophical aspects of life: when does life starts? When does it end? Are we alone in the universe? How can we recognize alien life when (or if) we ever find some? By the end of our encounters, you will have a deeper understanding of life on Earth, its varieties, and the importance of preserving it for future generations.
Your Place in Nature
Professor Bernard Wood
HONR 1033:12- 4 Credits
CRN: 37691
TR 11:10AM - 1:00PM
This course is taught on the Foggy Bottom campus.
Fulfills:
- CCAS: GPAC Natural/Physical Science with Lab
- CCAS: GPAC Local/Civic Engagement
- ESIA: Science
- GWSB: Science
Course Description: The course will compare and contrast what was known about ‘Man’s Place in Nature’ in 1863 with what we think we know now. It will cover the history of ideas about our relationship with the rest of the natural world, how we work out how animals are related, the fossil record for human evolution and the growth of the sciences involved in the interpretation of that fossil record. It will explore the social and intellectual context of relevant discoveries as well as the biographies of the people who made major contributions to working out the relationships among the great apes and to the recovery and interpretation of the fossil evidence for human evolution.
Scientific Reasoning and Discovery Pre-Approved Alternatives
Any first year student may select to take one of the pre-approved courses below. If you are an engineering student or a student majoring/minoring in a physical or biological science, we strongly recommend you complete whichever of the following introductory courses is required for your program (especially those introductory courses that are prerequisites for later courses in your program). Note that these courses are all taught on the Foggy Bottom campus.
Biology
BISC 1111: Introductory Biology: Cells and Molecules
BISC 1112: Introductory Biology: The Biology of Organisms
Chemistry
CHEM 1111: General Chemistry I
CHEM 1112: General Chemistry II
Physics
PHYS 1011: General Physics I
PHYS 1012: General Physics II
PHYS 1021: University Physics I
PHYS 1022: University Physics II
PHYS 1025: University Physics I with Biological Applications (recommended for pre-med students with strong calculus skills)
PHYS 1026: University Physics II with Biological Applications (recommended for pre-med students with strong calculus skills)
Engineering students or students majoring in a physical or biological science who have already completed the introductory science sequences for their major (via AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment) should speak with a Program Manager about applying an upper-level BISC/CHEM/PHYS/SEAS lab course to the UHP science requirement (which might necessitate a delay in completing the UHP science requirement).