Burkay Ozturk

What does it mean to think well? In this course we will explore classical logic from a modern formal point of view as a prerequisite for investigating this question. Topics covered will include propositional logic, truth tables, validity and soundness of arguments, inductive vs. deductive logical systems. There will be significant emphasis on natural deduction as a type of game that features its own particular set of permissible moves?much like chess or checkers. This is not a course focused on rhetoric or debate, but rather on the experimental creative process of constructing logically sound arguments and the way in which abstract information can be organized visually. In our exploration of these subjects, collaborative learning techniques will be utilized extensively. This will include in-class group work, regular homework assignments, a two-stage collaborative midterm. The final will be a self-directed project. A familiarity with any kind of mathematics, such as a high-school-level understanding of algebra, would be helpful, but it is not required.

Today western societies put science on a pedestal. As a result, science informs anything and everything from city planning to whether you should put soy or oat milk in your latte. Does science deserve this reputation? If it does, what is the thing that makes science so special and authoritative? Or should we be worried about the domination of culture by science? In this course, we will study those questions with an eye on high-profile cases of scientific fraud and types of statistical manipulation known as 'p-hacking.' The reading list includes articles and book chapters by Paul Feyerabend, Alan Chalmers, Karl Popper, Imre Lakatos, Thomas Kuhn, Larry Laudan, David Goodstein, Jerry Fodor, Aubrey Clayton, Jacob Cohen, David Lykken, John Ioannidis and Richard Smith. Assignments vary, but they might include some or many of the following: weekly reading responses, quizzes, papers, and exams.

Today western societies put science on a pedestal. As a result, science informs anything and everything from city planning to whether you should put soy or oat milk in your latte. Does science deserve this reputation? If it does, what is the thing that makes science so special and authoritative? Or should we be worried about the domination of culture by science? In this course, we will study those questions with an eye on high-profile cases of scientific fraud and types of statistical manipulation known as 'p-hacking.' The reading list includes articles and book chapters by Paul Feyerabend, Alan Chalmers, Karl Popper, Imre Lakatos, Thomas Kuhn, Larry Laudan, David Goodstein, Jerry Fodor, Aubrey Clayton, Jacob Cohen, David Lykken, John Ioannidis and Richard Smith. Assignments vary, but they might include some or many of the following: weekly reading responses, quizzes, papers, and exams.