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The concept. The idea of the course is to explore
the borderlands between science and pseudoscience and to
understand how good science is done and bad science should be avoided. The
course will focus on two texts, The Limits and Lies of Human Genetic Research
by Jonathan Kaplan and Denying Evolution: Creationism, Scientism, and
the Nature of Science, by Massimo Pigliucci. The course is offered at a dual level, as Botany
531 (or EEB 504) and as Philosophy 419 for
graduate and undergraduate students
respectively (register for 3 credits
in either case).
Class format and meetings. The class
format is based on interactive discussions, mostly led by students. The purpose of
this is to make it an enjoyable and fruitful learning environment, as opposed to
more standard classes where the teacher talks for the whole time and the
students end up as passive recipients. Class will meet 3:40
to 6:20 on Tuesdays in HSS 112 (NOT in BU 476 as it says in the catalog!).
Pre-requisites. It is advisable to at least
have taken some introductory courses in science and/or philosophy, though
consent of the instructors may be sufficient.
Structure of this web site. This site
will guide you throughout the semester, providing help, necessary information, and
interesting links pertinent to the subject matter of the
course. In any page, you will see a
menu on the top which can instantly bring you to
any of the other main entries of the site. The labels on the buttons should be
self-explanatory; they include the textbook used, syllabus, assignments, works
by the students produced during the semester, useful links, a chat room to be used during the semester, and a web-based
threaded discussion page.
The web discussion page will be operative for the whole semester and it is designed to
provide the students and the instructors for a forum to ask questions or continue
discussions on topics covered in class. Students are encouraged to use this tool not only
to interact with the instructors, but among themselves. For more personal contacts with the
instructors, please use the email links below.
Notice: that student assignments, as well as some of the lectures, will make
heavy use of a tool called "concept mapping." Please,
click on the corresponding button on the main menu of
this page to familiarize yourself with what this is all about.
You may also wish to check out several resources on
critical thinking by using the corresponding button on the menu. Both of these will be well worth your time.
If you'd like to contact the instructors directly,
click here 
or here
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This course