Galileo’s “The Assayer” - The Fundamental Reality of (Much of) Modern Science; the Distinction between Primary and Secondary Qualities; the Mechanical Philosophy
Christia Mercer studied art history in New York and Rome, before going to graduate school in philosophy. She has received the Latin Certificate, Gregorian University, Rome, Italy (1980-81); a Fulbright Scholarship, Leibniz Archive, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany (1984-85); Ph.D., Philosophy, Princeton University (1989); Humboldt Fellowship, Leibniz Archive, Universität Münster, Münster, Germany (1993-94); and the Sovern Fellowship, American Academy, Rome, Italy (2009-10). She joined the Philosophy Department at Columbia in 1991, and became Gustave M. Berne Professor in 2003. She is active in feminist organizations on campus, and directed the Institute for Research on Women and Gender, 2000-01. She gave the Ernst Cassirer Lectures at the University of Hamburg in 2005, was visiting professor at Oslo, Norway, Spring (1998), Centre Alexandre Koyré, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (2003, 2005, 2007), and the Seminar für Geistesgeschichte und Philosophie der Renaissance, University of Munich, Germany (2003). She won the 2008 Columbia College Great Teacher Award.
