Science confronts the paranormal. These readings are listed in the course schedule. This course is designed to provide students with some of the skills needed to critically evaluate fringe-science, paranormal, and otherwise unusual claims about human behavior that often appear in the popular media. In this course, we will place particular emphasis on how that remarkable, but fallible, information processor called the human brain sometimes leads us astray in our reasoning processes. In all cases, students will be encouraged to keep an open mind concerning any and all controversial claims, but to insist on a high standard of evidence before accepting them.
Skepticism implies openmindedness.
This paper will be due on the last day of class. You will be asked to obtain permission for the topic of the second presentation from the instructor at least two weeks prior to this presentation. The term paper should deal with any issue relevant to pseudoscientific, fringe-science, or otherwise controversial claims in psychology, but cannot simply be redundant with information discussed in class. As in the case of the second class presentation, the topic of this term paper must be approved in advance by the instructor. How thinking goes wrong.