Current Events

Read 1-2 per week, comment on the story or on someone else's response.

*new* 11Sept15 fossils -- lots of news stories

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p031j7pr
• http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/11/science/south-africa-fossils-new-species-human-ancestor-homo-naledi.html?_r=0
• http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/09/long-lost-relative-researchers-find-human-species-150910090000956.html
• http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/09/10/437249183/south-african-cave-yields-strange-bones-of-early-human-like-species
• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/09/150910-human-evolution-change

How does this story relate to / illustrate our fundamental & powerful concepts? (see syllabus).


30Aug15 Dr. Oliver Sacks, brain scientist and writer, died last week. Here are several tributes

• Dr. Oliver Sacks, Explorer of the Brain - Video - NYTimes.com http://www.nytimes.com/video/obituaries/100000003864214/dr-oliver-sacks-explorer-of-the-brain.html?emc=edit_th_20150831&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=25414714 
• Oliver Sacks, Casting Light on the Interconnectedness of Life - NYTimes.com http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/08/31/arts/oliver-sacks-wrote-awakenings-and-cast-light-on-the-interconnectedness-of-life.html?emc=edit_th_20150831&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=25414714&_r=0&referrer=

1 Sept. This is how science works (re: the psychology meta-review)
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/01/opinion/psychology-is-not-in-crisis.html?referrer=

27Aug15 Psychologists Welcome Analysis Casting Doubt on Their Work - NYTimes.com
We've talked about the public nature of science, how experiments are knowledge until they've been published or presented.  It is also possible for that published or presented work to be wrong.  Here's a meta-study which reviewed 100 studies and could not replicate all of them.  What does that mean?  http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/08/29/science/psychologists-welcome-analysis-casting-doubt-on-their-work.html?referrer=

Joseph Traub, Who Helped Bring Computer Science to Universities, Dies at 83 - NYTimes.com http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/08/27/science/joseph-traub-who-helped-bring-computer-science-to-universities-dies-at-83.html?referrer=

Laws, Theories, Universes, etc. follow-up from Tues 25Aug

Such great questions today!  I hope you aren't too confused.  Hang in there -- I promise it will get more intelligible.

Re: multiple universes
I might have overstated the case today -- here's more information in a Ted Talk
https://www.ted.com/talks/brian_greene_why_is_our_universe_fine_tuned_for_life?language=en

Re: laws & theories -- quick definitions
Laws: descriptions of observed phenomena
Theories: explanations of phenomena (whys)

Falsification

This is a good start of an answer, but it is incomplete:  "Falsification is when you test a theory and it proves to be false."  Falsification describes a kind of theory, one that could be tested and disproven, even if it never actually has been tested that way.  Astrology could never be disproven -- it is not falsifiable.  Belief in God is not falsifiable.  The theory of evolution is.  The law of gravity is falsifiable.

post your questions and comments here!

What is Science? (Chpt 1, OH Academy of Science)

What is science?  What is pseudo-science?  What is falsification? Use your Ohio Academy of Science reading and Chapter 1 of Okasha.

What is philosophy of science?

What characterizes a scientific revolution?  What are some examples?

Philosophical Breakfast Club

http://www.ted.com/talks/laura_snyder_the_philosophical_breakfast_club?language=en
Answer 1 or 2 of the following.  Don't repeat what your classmates have already posted.

What do we mean by empirical science, as opposed to armchair natural philosophy? 

The Philosophical Breakfast Club claimed that science should be performed for the public good rather than private gain.  Do you agree?  Why?

Do you think that Americans are scientifically illiterate?  Are you?  Is it bad to be scientifically illiterate? Why or why not?

Cosmos -- The Clean Room

Season 1, Episode 7
Answer these questions collectively (don't just repeat what someone ahead of you has already said).

How do scientists know what they know?  How can they be certain?  (These questions relate to Scientific Reasoning and Scientific Explanation)

How is science different from non-science?  What examples of each can you cite from the video?

example of thinking like a scientist -- TED talk "Where are the baby dinosaurs?"

https://www.ted.com/talks/jack_horner_shape_shifting_dinosaurs

What assumptions were scientists making about dinosaurs?  What evidence did they have?  Why did Dr. Horner think otherwise?  What's his new explanation?  (answer collectively -- don't repeat what someone ahead of you has already said)

Starting with a death

While this course isn't focused on human nature or death & dying, it is a philosophy course, and I don't want to overlook Mitch's death.  How has the experience of having you friend, classmate, and/or teammate die challenged you to reflect on your own life?  He was a biology major -- does that inspire you to think more about science or academics generally in a positive way?  He was an athlete - does that inspire you in some way?  He was also a cheerful friend and classmate -- what do you take from that disposition.

It is okay for you to be angry, sad, despondent even.  Everyone grieves differently and it is normal to have a range of emotional responses.  Try to be gentle with yourselves, but do try to maintain some routines to help you move through the next few weeks and months.  I'm not a counselor, but I am open to and experienced in talk about death, so feel free to bring your questions and concerns to me.  Perhaps we could even look at some of the social science research around grief.