Science in Our World: Certainty and Controversy

Catalog description

A science appreciation course, aimed at making non-scientists more informed consumers of science. Science is frequently in the news. That's because it affects our everyday lives, shapes our view of the world and our place in it, and will have a profound impact on our future. This course teaches an appreciation of science and scientific thinking. It is aimed at making non-scientists more informed consumers of science by improving their ability to distinguish good science from bad science, and science from non-science. Students will be evaluated in part on their analysis of news stories that appear during the course of the semester. The course assumes no background knowledge. It is not for future scientists. Content is delivered by case studies of controversies within science and/or the public domain, some of which are resolved, some of which are not. These case studies will vary by semester and instructor. The course illustrates general principles of science by studying arguments now largely resolved, but which still resonate, such as child health and IQ, smoking, and why the peacock has such a ridiculous tail. The course will also examine unresolved scientific controversies which might include personalized genetic medicine, passive smoking, nanotechnology, the effects of gun laws on violence and suicide, or deer management in Pennsylvania. The course will also evaluate unresolved scientific issues in the contemporary media: why it is in the news, what are the scientists involved actually doing and arguing about, and how is the media is handling the science? The course will include an analysis of media reaction to a scientific paper published by PSU faculty. The course will discuss paradigm shifts which have occurred during the students' lifetimes, particularly those involving our view of ourselves and our universe, and include speculation on the paradigm shifts that could occur in the next twenty years. The course will draw on experts from within and outside of PSU. Throughout, the focus is on the nature of the debates, looking at how scientists evaluate problems, and why that can generate controversy within science and beyond science-but at the same time, generate trustworthy knowledge which profoundly affects our well being and our understanding of ourselves.