A Brief History of Time Travel
a Discovery Core Experience
May be taken as BCORE 115 (Social Sciences) or BCORE 116 (Social Sciences)
About This Course
What do the television series Doctor Who, H.G. Wells book, The Time Machine, the Hindu myth Mahabharata, and quantum physics have in common? Each depicts ways people have used to explore time travel. This course will allow students to explore time travel from a variety of perspectives: science, technology, history, philosophy, religion, and popular culture. Our interest in time travel continues to grow not only through books, movies, television and popular culture but through science and technology. What makes the idea of time travel so powerful that it resonates in each of us, and to what lengths are we going today to make it a reality?
In this interdisciplinary course, students will have the opportunity to look at the topic of time travel not only through popular culture (television, film, literature, and games) but through philosophy, psychology and through the sciences (quantum physics, human consciousness and computer science) Students will be able to research and explore one or more of these topics building on the skills and topics learned in Fall.
Course materials will come not only from science fiction but from television (Doctor Who, Black Mirror, Russian Doll, Star Trek), films such as The Time Machine, Back to the Future, Time Bandit, Doctor Strange, and Run Lola Run, along with video games and literature. The course will look at the time travel from a historical and philosophical perspective along with offering students the opportunity to explore how science and technology address this subject.
Students will not only be able to hone their research and communication skills but will address themes through group projects and hearing from with local experts and faculty working in these fields.
Dr. Wanda Gregory (She/Her/Hers)
About Professor Gregory
- Ph.D., Human Sciences, (focus areas game studies and connected health), University College Dublin
- M.F.A., Creative Writing, Goddard College
- M.A., Communications (focus area game studies), University of Washington
- M.B.A, Foster School of Business, (focus area strategic planning), University of Washington
- B.A., English, University of Washington
Contact
Email: wgregory@uw.edu
I view myself as a teacher and mentor and someone interested in working with the next generation of innovators and designers.
Dr. Gregory