Shimer College , my alma mater, is considered one of the Great Books colleges , of which there are only a few. At Shimer, there is a core curriculum that every student must follow. While this curriculum has been modified somewhat throughout the years, it remains substantially the same as when I attended some 40 years ago. The core curriculum includes a four course sequence in the natural sciences that examines natural science in the context of its historical development. There are labs, but the focus is more on the study of original sources, such as the writings of scientists and philosophers who made significant contributions to the history of science. Below are the reading lists from the four...      Read more...