Trace philosophy and science through the ages.

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Question Reality! Science, philosophy, a search for meaning SpecializationDartmouth College

About this Specialization

How much can we know of the physical world? Can we know everything? Or are there fundamental limits to how much we can explain? If there are limits, to what extent can we explain the nature of physical reality? RealityX investigates the limits of knowledge and what we can and cannot know of the world and ourselves. We will trace the evolution of ideas about the nature of reality in philosophy and the natural sciences through the ages. Starting with the philosophers of Ancient Greece and ending with cutting edge theories about the universe, quantum physics, and the nature of consciousness. Join world-renowned physicist and author Marcelo Gleiser and leading experts as we explore how philosophers and physicists from Plato to Einstein and many others have attempted to explain the nature of the world and of reality.

Applied Learning Project

Learners are invited to reflect on the ideas and evidence presented in lectures and readings through course discussions and individual writing prompts. Additionally, learners are prompted to discuss their learning journey with friends or family members as a means of reflection and synthesis.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online courses

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible Schedule

Set and maintain flexible deadlines.

Beginner Level

Approximately 3 months to complete

Suggested pace of 3 hours/week

English

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online courses

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible Schedule

Set and maintain flexible deadlines.

Beginner Level

Approximately 3 months to complete

Suggested pace of 3 hours/week

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

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How the Specialization Works

Take Courses

A Coursera Specialization is a series of courses that helps you master a skill. To begin, enroll in the Specialization directly, or review its courses and choose the one you'd like to start with. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. It’s okay to complete just one course — you can pause your learning or end your subscription at any time. Visit your learner dashboard to track your course enrollments and your progress.

Hands-on Project

Every Specialization includes a hands-on project. You'll need to successfully finish the project(s) to complete the Specialization and earn your certificate. If the Specialization includes a separate course for the hands-on project, you'll need to finish each of the other courses before you can start it.

Earn a Certificate

When you finish every course and complete the hands-on project, you'll earn a Certificate that you can share with prospective employers and your professional network.

There are 3 Courses in this Specialization

Course1

Course 1

Question Reality: Cosmos

This course explores the concept of reality and the physics of the sky. You will travel through the philosophies and worldviews of early civilizations to the time of early scientists such as Plato, Aristotle, and Copernicus.

You will learn how Galileo's findings with the telescope challenged the Aristotelian interpretation of the cosmos, about Galileo’s revolutionary conclusions on gravity, and Newton's universal law of gravitation. This course will also introduce you to the scientific methods and their limitations. You will also explore the properties and behaviors of homemade pendulums. Next, you will explore modern ideas of cosmology, of the Big Bang, and even recent speculations that our universe is not all there is. Mysteries and properties of light and how they were discovered, questioned, and confirmed through experiments over the past few hundred years through the present will also be discussed.

Course2

Course 2

Question Reality: Matter

In this course, you will walk through a timeline of “the atom” from the Greeks through discoveries in the 1900s and learn how our understanding of matter and the atom affected our views on reality.

You will be introduced to some of the current understandings of matter and subatomic particles and also take a trip to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN! Finally, you will explore quantum mechanics' interpretation of reality and compare quantum versus classical boundaries. This course also addresses questions such as: Where do you draw the line between the quantum and the classical worlds? What do we mean by “knowable” and “unknowable”?

Course3

Course 3

Question Reality: Mind

This course explores questions about mathematics, nature, and perfection.

Instructor

Marcelo Gleiser

Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Physics and Astronomy

777 Learners

3 Courses

Offered by

Dartmouth College

Founded in 1769, Dartmouth is a member of the Ivy League and consistently ranks among the world’s greatest academic institutions. Dartmouth has forged a singular identity for combining its deep commitment to outstanding undergraduate liberal arts and graduate education with distinguished research and scholarship in the Arts and Sciences and its four leading graduate schools—the Geisel School of Medicine, the Guarini School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the refund policy?
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Can I take the course for free?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
How long does it take to complete the Specialization?
This Specialization is self-paced so that depends on how quickly you complete the three courses. We recommend allowing a minimum of 4-6 weeks to complete the three courses.
What background knowledge is necessary?
Basic knowledge of the scientific method is helpful, but not necessary. This Specialization is designed to provide foundational knowledge for the concepts discussed.
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
The Specialization is designed for the three courses to build upon each other, starting with Cosmos, then Matter, and finally Mind.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
No. Learners may earn a Specialization certificate from Coursera.
What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?
You will be able to discuss and analyze the nature of reality drawing on physics and astronomy, philosophy, and psychological brain science.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

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Question Reality! Science, philosophy, a search for meaning Specialization

About this Specialization

Applied Learning Project