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Course Materials
Publication Date
8-1-2024
Abstract
In Coastal Carolina University's Honors Program, students are offered numerous variations of the seminar Critical Methods of Inquiry (HONR 105). The course was originally designed as an introduction to the Paul-Elder Model of Critical Thinking that students could apply to other coursework and to their Honors thesis. But as the Honors Program developed, its faculty have augmented the course with themes that correspond to their own areas of expertise: e.g., rhetoric, contemporary social issues, critical theory, and pseudoscience.
In the fall of 2021, students in Pseudoscience courses started creating this open educational resource (OER), which has been built upon by subsequent classes. Our intention is to create a free textbook for this course that might also be used by students of critical thinking elsewhere and of all ages, whether in a classroom or not. Our growing, interactive textbook employs the Paul-Elder Model and other critical-thinking resources, and is freely available to all, learners and educators alike.
The topic of pseudoscience offers a rewarding way for students to learn the value of thinking critically, even as they get to argue things, like Flat Earth Theory and astrology, that may seem trivial at first. At a time when truth is understood as largely subjective, we have, not surprisingly, seen a resurgence in the popularity of pseudosciences and conspiracy theories, which many consider to hold significant truth value, just as valid as physical evidence. It is our aim here to demonstrate the reasoned analysis process — weighing truth, belief, opinion, and fact — so that others may be able to replicate this process and reason through their own questions about vaccines, extra-terrestrials, genetic modification, or the first people to arrive in the Americas.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Rich, Sara, "Science or Pseudoscience? Theory or Conspiracy Theory? Critical Thinking in Practice" (2024). Course Materials. 8.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/oer-course/8
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Student Authors: Ryan Albert, Abby Bedecker, Tyler Benson, Zaviyonna Benthall-Lewis, Olivia Berkut, Cecilia Beverly, Kristin Brickner, Danielle Bridger, Madelyn Brown, Cameron Butler, Kenzie Carolan, Jordan Chaney, Madison Chemerov, Lea Cifelli, Matthew Clemens, TaNyla Clinton, Marissa Colonna, Julia Contract, Madison Conway, Anna Cook, Makenzie Coore, Giovanna Costantiello, Jack Cowell, Gianna Curto, Paige Cyr, Mitchell Davies, Kelise Davis, Brandon Decker, James Deloach, Corabella Dieguez, Kaia Divisconti, Maria Dixon, Nora Dover, Savannah Downey, Allison Draper, Luke Dykema, Caitlyn Flemmer, Riley Forrester, Tessa Foster, Logan Friddle, Sydney Glass, Audrey Glore, Ashley Glusko, Jasmyn Greenwood, Julia Gustafson, Leah Hargis, Sydney Hayes, Hannah Higgins, Casey Higgins, Briley Hitt, Riley Houdeshell, Klea Hoxha, Emma Jaggers, Mackenzie Jurain, Kyle Kaminsky, Peyton Kinavey, William Kitsos, Nicole Kosco, Jordan Kress, Celia Lemieux, Cooper Levasseur, Ariana Levitan, Rachel Littke, Sela Lomascolo, Amelia Lovering, Samantha MacMillan, Josie Marts, Carter Matthews, Codie McDonald, Skye McNamee, Isabella Mezzenga, Elizabeth Middleton, Jaycie Miller, Colin Miller, Jenna Monroe, Allie Morgan, Alyssa Morgan, Karlee Morschauser, Madison Mortier, Ywomie Mota, Elissa Mueller, Kathryn Mullarkey, Taven Nichols, Samantha Noble, Shannon Nolan, Brielle Normandin, Matthew O’Hara, Rebecca Padgett, Amari Parlock, Celidgh Pikul, Jenna Pincus, Brogan Piziak, Annabel Poinsette, Morgan Polk, Megan Quinn, Kayla Raimondi, Angelina Rice, Kylie Sands, Morgan Scales, Benjamin Schutt, Gray Serviss, Lea Shuey, Natalie Smith, Spencer Smith, Rebekah Spiegel, Ella Stevens, Thomas Stewart, Lillian Stewart, Rilea Stow, Miles Tarullo, Jada Taylor, Kellen Thompson, David Truhe, Cody Tudor, Jameson Vinette, Ainsley Walter, Aysia Walton, Jada Watson, Kimora White, Jerry White, Zachary Williams, Austin Williams, Daviana Williams, Isabella Wilson, Carina Witt, Loralei Wolf, Payton Wolfe, Noah Wormald