LECTURE SCHEDULE

Subject to change! Reload this page to get the most recent schedule.
# Lecture Date
Bring Laptop?
Lecture Topic/Activity
Reading for
following week
Homework
due date
1Jan 30
NO
Course Overview; Crop Circles; Ley Lines.
NOTE we meet in CSS 2428 across the street from Cambridge Hall

Expect to debate semantics. And then we're done with that for now.

Required:
  • Shermer (Foreword, Introduction, Prologue)
  • Fine: Introduction and Ch. 1 The Vain Brain
Strongly suggested:
HW 1 due Feb 13
2Feb 6
NO
Cold Readings
Hits and misses; the gullible and the exploiters? 		Required:
  • Shermer Ch. 1 I Am Therefore...
  • Shermer Ch. 2: The Most Precious Thing...
  • Fine Ch. 2 The Emotional Brain
Also Peruse Pirie as needed for the HW!

3Feb 13
NO
Snow Day
But see announcements regarding formation of groups. You are also still responsible for the reading listed on the right → 		Required:
HW 1 due
(slide under office door)
HW 2 due Feb 27
4Feb 20
YES
Tarot and Astrology!
How a card game can change your life! Not. Not the stars' positions, either (except the Sun)...Action at a distance? (Due to the snow last week, these topics will be abbreviated to make room for:)

What is Science? and Group Assignations
You will peer review your essays in your new groups as you discuss how science actually functions. We will also go over the group project due at the end of the semester.

The Project Guidelines lecture slides will be here after this class are now here

Required:
  • Fine Ch. 3 The Immoral Brain
  • Fine Ch. 4 The Deluded Brain
Also visit:
Group topics due!
Group topics due on ELMS
by 5 pm 2/21
5Feb 27
NO
Psychic Surgery
Alternative medicine? 		Required:
HW 2 due
HW 3 due Mar 27
6Mar 6
NO
Career Center Visit
Everyone meet in CCC 1205 (Dr. Romani's classroom)

Bring your enthusiasm for earning money and impressing people and bring a draft résumé and cover letter for participation points. We have a guest lecture by representatives from the Career Center who will talk about cover letters and résumés.

Here is a pdf version of the Career Center overheads from last year. I'll update it after they visit this year...

Required:
  • Shermer Ch. 4 Deviations
Suggested: *available in SDU lounge
Group annotated bibliographies/outline due
and bring a draft résumé and cover letter
7Mar 13
YES
Parapsychology
Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics! 		Required:
  • Shermer Ch. 7: Epidemics of Accusations
  • Shermer Chs. 12-14 [Holocaust related]
--Mar 20
SPRING BREAK
8Mar 27
NO
Conspiracy Theories; Holocaust Denial
A lack of evidence is evidence! Not. 		The list of useful websites and links for reading about global warming is tremendous, so I've put them all here to save space on the lecture schedule. Read through two or three of them at the least!
HW 3 due
HW 4 due Apr 17
9Apr 3
NO
The "Global Warming" Debate
Be prepared to challenge over 90% of scientists. You may be required to defend the more outrageous climate change denier claims! (think about Pirie's excellent if immoral advice on how to win arguments!) 		Required:
  • Shermer Ch. 15
  • Fine Ch. 8 The Bigoted Brain
Group drafts due! (on ELMS)
10Apr 10
NO
'Isms': Sexism, Racism, Ageism, etc.
Required:Also strongly suggested:
11Apr 17
NO
Religion and Pseudoscience: Evolution, Creationism and Intelligent Design Debate!
Be prepared to coax, persuade, argue - perhaps for a side you disagree with! 		Required: Strongly suggested for HW4:
HW 4 due
12Apr 24
NO
Religion and (vs?) Science: Boundaries of Philosophy, Theology and Science
Class wrap-up; be ready to argue, debate, persuade in class!
No homework: finish your
presentation and project!
13May 1
GROUP PRESENTATIONS I
All project presentations and papers are due today on ELMS! Bring a hard copy of the paper to class.
14May 8
GROUP PRESENTATIONS II and End of Year Social!
After class, we'll head for ice cream in CCC 1205
Last Modified: Feb 2014 subject to change