The aim of this course is to examine the historical development of scientific thought, especially physics, from the first civilizations to the present day; and to evaluate the contributions of scientific discoveries, scientists, and social events in different periods to the progress of science. The course covers important periods such as Ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Newtonian era, the Industrial Revolution, and modern physics.

Starting with the emergence of early human thought and its relation to tool-making, the course examines the development of scientific thought in the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Ancient Greek civilizations. The scientific thought of the West and the East during the Middle Ages is compared, and the contributions of the Islamic world to science are discussed. The role of the Renaissance and Reformation periods in the development of science is covered, along with the contributions of Copernicus, Bruno, Kepler, and Galileo. The course continues with the Newtonian scientific revolution, the Industrial Revolution and the birth of thermodynamics, the maturation of classical physics (electromagnetism, statistical physics), and concludes with the emergence of modern physics (quantum physics, relativity).