The Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization (AHI) is pleased to announce a new course, “Science and Government,” as part of its continuing education program. The course will focus on the complex web of relations between science and American government. It will meet 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Monday evenings, February 4 through May 6, at AHI headquarters, 21 W. Park Row, Clinton. AHI courses are open to the public; high school teachers and students are most welcome.  All course materials are provided free of charge. Professional credit is available for teachers.

“Science and Government” will begin by considering the nature of scientific research and knowledge and the federal government’s long-standing role in fostering its development. The rest of the semester will examine several major policy areas that are strongly influenced by science such as health care and medicine; energy; environmental protection issues, including climate change; natural resources and agriculture; defense technology; biotechnology, including related ethical issues; and the frontiers of high technology and its impact on jobs. The course will also investigate the social sciences’ role in government and the competition between scientific knowledge, political beliefs, and moral values in the shaping of public policy.

“The natural sciences and their enormous progress have been a fundamental element of Western civilization for centuries and in human life worldwide for a century or more,” notes Dr. David Frisk, AHI resident fellow who will serve as the course’s instructor. “Science’s findings have major effects on public policy in a wide variety of crucial areas. We will have an exciting opportunity to look closely at something that doesn’t get a great deal of attention in the study of American government.” Dr. Frank Price, a biologist and retired college professor, is providing assistance in the development of the course.

The class will follow our usual lecture-plus-discussion format. The readings will total about 25 pages per week. Each class includes a break for refreshments, also provided free of charge by AHI.

Due to the popularity of the AHI courses, advance signup is required for planning purposes. To register or for more information, please contact Dr. Frisk (dfrisk@theahi.org, 315-381-3335) or AHI president Dr. Robert Paquette (315-292-2267).