This course examines these two common notions--innovation and discovery--as driving influences underlying change. Despite their essential role in changes that effect us on a personal, societal, and global level, they are often misunderstood. A core objective of this course is to consider critically together some cases of innovation and discovery in order to uncover their workings in a variety of domains and different historical periods. The content of the course is built around specific cases of innovation and discovery. Thus, the course takes a case-based approach, where actual instances of innovation and discovery are examined in depth and probed for clues to deeper principles that can guide students’ own efforts to gain novel insights and apply them to new problems.

This course examines these two common notions--innovation and discovery--as driving influences underlying change. Although their essential role in changes that effect us on a personal, social, and global level, they are often misunderstood. A core objective of this course is to consider critically together some cases of innovation and discovery in order to uncover their workings in a variety of domains and different historical periods. The content of the course is built around specific cases of innovation and discovery. Thus, the course takes a case-based approach, where actual instances of innovation and discovery are examined in depth and probed for clues to deeper principles that can guide students’ own efforts to gain novel insights and apply them to new problems.

Watson, James (2001) The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA. Touchstone Publishers

Watson, James (2001) The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA. Touchstone Publishers