HON 120 Natural Sciences and Society: Science and Pseudoscience
Spring 2008 Dr. Feder and Dr. Larsen
Dr. Kenneth Feder (feder@ccsu.edu) 832-2615
Office FD 110, hours T/Th 11:00-12:15, W 10-12
Dr. Kristine Larsen (Larsen@ccsu.edu) 832-2938 AIM: DrKrisLarsen
Office NC 606, hours M noon-3, TW 11-12, others by appointment
Required texts: "The Demon Haunted World," Carl Sagan
Other handouts and assigned readings on-line or on reserve in the library
Wikipedia is the spawn of Satan - thou shalt not utter the word nor cite it on any assignment in this course!
Grading:
Take home midterm and final: 20% each
Paper 1: Creation myth (due Feb 7): 15%
Paper 2: Fact or Fiction paper (due April 1): 15%
Paper 3: Debunk a Pseudoscience (paper and presentation) (due April 24): 20%
Group projects (due Feb 28 and April 10): 5 each%
Instructions for papers and lists of assigned readings can be found on the course website:
http://www.physics.ccsu.edu/larsen/hon_120_resources.htm
| Week of | Tuesday | Thursday |
| 1/21 | How do you know what you know? | Science, myth and religion (the scientific methods) |
| 1/28 | Creation myth presentations | Creation myth presentations |
| 2/4 | Moon hoax – critical thinking 101 | Archaeoastronomy |
| 2/11 | Stonehenge | Egyptian pyramids |
| 2/18 | Astrology | Stellar evolution |
| 2/25 | SETI | UFOS |
| 3/3 | Roswell | Face on Mars |
| 3/10 | Human evolution | Human evolution |
| 3/24 | Cardiff Giant | Piltdown man |
| 3/31 | Cloning - fact and fiction | Atlantis |
| 4/7 | Von Daniken and Ancient Astronauts | "Intelligent Design" |
| 4/14 | "Intelligent Design" | Cosmology |
| 4/21 | Anthropic principle and "design" | Pseudoscience presentations |
| 4/28 | Pseudoscience presentations | Pseudoscience presentations |
| 5/5 | Pseudoscience presentations | No class |