Glen Cooper

Field:Graeco-Islamic/Science/astronomy/medicine/Byzantine Contact Info: glen_cooper@byu.edu 2103 JFSB (801) 422-3875 Consultation Hours (Winter 2007): MW 3:00 – 4:00
Current Classes:
Hist 239. Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Near East, 323 BC to 640 AD Hist 490. Historical Research and Writing	Professor Cooper is an historian of science and philosophy, especially the western intellectual tradition, its origins, its interactions with other cultures (e.g. Islam), and its development to the modern period. He originally intended to become a theoretical physicist, but after discovering the joys of philosophy and languages, his concern shifted toward seeking to discover why we think as we now do. His specialization is primarily in the history of astronomy, but in the course of his research he acquired a second specialization in history of medicine. He enjoys showing students how these two fields used to overlap. Professor Cooper's education has included reading philosophy at Oxford as a visiting scholar and studying at Dushambe University, Tajikistan. He was awarded a B.A. in mathematical physics from BYU, and an M.A., M.Phil. and a Ph.D. from Columbia University. He was a National Science Foundation graduate fellow, 1992-1995. At BYU he was a consultant to the Empire of the Sultans exhibit, 2002. He was Directing Editor of the Graeco-Arabic Sciences and Philosophy series, 1999-2003.
Classes Taught:
Hist 201. World Civ to 1500 Hist 238. Ancient Near East to 323 BC Hist 239. Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine Near East, 323 BC to 640 AD Hist 240. Islam, Byzantium, and the Ottoman Empire: History of the Middle East, 600 to 1800 AD Hist 291. History of Science Hist 390. History of Science in Islam Hist 490. Historical Research and Writing Hellenistic and Roman Near East From Muhammad to the Mongols Al-Andalus: Islam in Spain From Constantine to Constantine: Byzantium