January 18, 2017

Professors offer course on bullshit

improbable Research - Professors Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin West from University of Washington have developed a new interdisciplinary course with the compelling title of Calling Bullshit.

As they write: “We’re sick of it. It’s time to do something, and as educators, one constructive thing we know how to do is to teach people. So, the aim of this course is to help students navigate the bullshit-rich modern environment by identifying bullshit, seeing through it, and combatting it with effective analysis and argument.”

Naturally, if people learn how to detect subtle bullshit that might otherwise go under their radar, that also can make them better at producing bullshit. Bergstrom and West recognize this possibility: “As with biological weapons, there is no such thing as purely defensive bullshit research.”

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

How would the Review of late hold up to such scrutiny?

Matt said...

No Review complaints here.
I could definitely teach that course. In fact, I have. Although it masquereded under many other course titles.
Anonymous comments can sometimes seem so smarmy.

Unknown said...

It used to be called "critical thinking."