Syllabus Science 110

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Syllabus

SCIENCE 110Introduction to Scientific Thought

Section:8478, F 9:00am to 11:50 am, Rm

38E102Section:8481, TTh 9:30am to 10:45 am, Rm 38F101

Spring 2010Instructor: Dr.Richard Albert e-mail: [email protected]

Office: Bldg.30 Rm.3226. Office hours, by appointment.THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD:

Science employs the scientific method. No, there's no such method: Doing science is not like baking a cake.Science can be proved on the basis of observable data. No, general theories about the natural world can't be

proved at all. Our theories make claims that go beyond the finite amount of data that we've collected.

There's no way such extrapolations from the evidence can be proved to be correct. Science can be

disproved, or falsified, on the basis of observable data. No, for it's always possible to protect a theory from

an apparently confuting observation. Theories are never tested in isolation but only in conjunction with

many other extra-theoretical assumptions (about the equipment being used, about ambient conditions, about

experimenter error, etc.). It's always possible to lay the blame for the confutation at the door of one of these

assumptions, thereby leaving one's theory in the clear. And so forth.COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Science 110 is a three credit, non-laboratory course fulfilling general education science requirement. Thecourse presents the history, philosophy and methodology of science as well as the ethics of scientific

research.

Science 110 presents specific examples science such as physics, genetics cosmology to illustrate how

science works today and changes over time. The course covers also such areas of pseudo-science as

astrology and magnetic therapy to help the students apply critical thinking in order to tell the difference

between knowledge confirmed by scientific investigation from that which uses a thin veneer of science to

promote unconfirmed claims.

To understand the nature of science the course presents information in five ways: classroom lectures, takehome experiments, classroom discussions, reading assignments from the class text, and essays.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLO):1. Acquiring critical thinking skills.

2. Comprehending how scientists discover basic laws of nature.

3. Obtaining knowledge of the history and philosophy of science.

4. Gaining ability to distinguish real science from pseudo-sciences.

5. Adding skepticism to your intellectual kit.

SLO performance Determined by means of Tests, Presentations, Projects,Hands-On-Experiments, Classroom Discussions, & Contests.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

The Scientists (S), John Gribbin, Random House, New York, 2003

The Borderlands OF Science, Michael Shermer. Oxford University Press, 2001STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES:

For accommodations required due to a disability, I would be happy to help. Please let meknow about this during the first week of the semester.GRADING CRITERIA:

Your final grade will be based on the total points earned on quizzes, exams, final project, experiments and

essays. If at any point in the semester you have any question about how you are doing, please see me to

inform you of your current grade.The final grade will be based on maximum of 1000 points earned from following assignments:1. Four exams based on lecture notes and text are worth 400 points.

2. A project, project report and project presentation illustrating the scientific method worth 200 points.

3. All homework assignments which include essay and done-at-home experiments are worth 200 points.

4. Eight Quizzes based on text reading assignments worth 200 points .
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Academic Integrity:Cheating and plagiarism (using as one's own ideas writings, materials, orimages of someone else without acknowledgement or permission) can resultin any one of a variety of sanctions. Such penalties may range from anadjusted grade on the particular exam, paper, project, or assignment, all ofwhich may lead to a failing grade in the course, and under certain conditions,

suspension or expulsion from a class, program or the college. For furtherclarification and information on these issues, please consult with yourinstructor or contact the office of the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.POLICIES:

1. No dropping the lowest exam grade. No make-up exams.

2. Class attendance is mandatory. Students who miss 3 consecutive classesor who are excessively tardy students risk being dropped from the class roster.

3. Take-home exams are due five days after assignment. Take-home quizzes are due the second day afterassignment. Late exams and quizzes are not accepted.

4. Homework is due the second day or at the subsequent class session if assignment is on a Thursday.5. Late homework is not accepted.

6. The syllabus schedule is fungible, flexible, and subject to change.

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS:Experiments: Paper plane, Match Jet, Bathroom, cabbage, number series, Mobius, garbage bag,

sunset color, clouds, color additivityEin and Stein. slime, interference, Sky in a Bottle, spoon chimes, flip page movies. Weekly science report

Essays: Shroud, Discoveries, Logical fallacies, Flat Earth, Hollow Earth, Leonard Horowitz,Bipedalism, Newton, pseudoscience, Jabberwocky, own legend, steel ships, ethics, Whats-In-It?,

Nuns story, hidden assumptions, connections, Doubt

Shermer and Hovind. debate, challenge advertisements, cell phone safety,Contests: match jet, paper planes, brainteasers, and empty the bottle.COURSE TOPICS:

The nature of Evidence

History of Science

What is science?

The Art of Observation Optical Illusions, Modern Art and Gestalt FormationPhilosophical foundations of science

Good Science, Bad Science and Pseudo-Science

Great Ideas in Science

Alternative medicine, medical quackery, and hoaxes

Scientific literacy

The Precautionary Principle

Religion and ScienceEthics and science- Tolerance and intolerance

Observation art and illusions

Science and art

Technology - applied science Limitation of Science

Serendipity in ScienceSUPERVISED TUTORING TECH MALL:

Grossmont College students must enroll in a supervised tutoring noncredit section to use this general lab.The Tech Mall provides open computer access to students enrolled at Grossmont College. Students have

access to computer software, Internet, MS Office applications, tutorials and technical assistance.Additionally, computer-assisted and classroom-assisted instruction products are available as required by

instructors for specific courses. These courses require an add code obtained at the Information/Registration

desk in the Tech mall. Students refer to the following for non-credit non-fee tutorial services:

IDS 198, supervised tutoring in general computer applications in the Tech Mall

English 198W, supervised tutoring in the English Writing Center (room 70-119).


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IDS 198T, for one-on-one supervised tutoring in academic subjects (room 70-229, Tel. 644 7387.CLASS SCHEDULE:

Lecture Reading Assignment Week of

Discuss Syllabus and Science Project.

Introductory Lecture

Shroud of Turin

Copernicus pp 1to 32Kepler 33 to 67 1/25

First day of class

The universe and the Standard Model Galileo/Descartes pp 68 to 148 2/01

Quiz 1

History of scienceIndependent, dependent, and control

variables. Pendulum.

Newton pp 149 to 241 2/08

Quiz 2

History of Science Periodic Table pp 241 to 318Rent Movie Doubt

2/15

Exam 1

Rocket Contest

Philosophical foundations of science 2/22Quiz 3

What is science? Induction/deduction

connection between observation andTheory

The origin life -What is man?What is Death?

Geology/Darwin pp 319 to 358 3/01Quiz 4

Philosophers of Science-

Scientific Method

3/08

Quiz 5

Empty Bottle Contest

Observation art and illusions

Gestalt Formation

Atoms/ molecules pp 359 to 399 3/15

Exam 2

Science and art 3/22

Quiz 6

Bad science:1.Polywater

2.Cold Fusion

BOS 1 - 36 4//5Quiz 7

Scientific Literacy

Applied science

Limitation of Science

4/12

Exam 3

Paper Airplane

Contest

Pseudoscience

& alternative medicine,

& medical quackery, hoaxes, ESP

Plate tectonics pp 442 to 486

BOS 37 - 97

4/19

Quiz 7

Pseudoscience

&Logical deceptions

Urban Legends

BOS 53- 56

BOS 64 65

BOS 229 - 232

4/26

Exam 4

Competition 1

Skepticism

Ethics and science

Planck, Bohr, Einstein pp 487 to 528 5/3

Quiz 8

Competition 2

.

The Precautionary Principle

Limitation of ScienceSerendipity

5/10

Science Projectreview

Religion and Science

Anthropic PrincipleTolerance and intolerance

Life pp 529 to 572 5/17

5/24

Science Project

Presented


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Assignments*

My Heart Leaps UpShroud,

Bathroom

Cell Phone & Cancer

Report one Science article/wk

Match Jet

Discoveries

Number series

Fallacies

Newton

Mbius

Slime

Sunrise/Sunset

CloudsHorowitzSpoons

Pseudo-science

Flat earth

Sky-in-a bottle

Bipedalism

Steel Ships

Pseudoscience

Paper planes

Cabbage

Garbage bagWhats In It?

Ethics

The Nuns Story

ConnectionsHidden Assumptions / Brain Teasers

Jabberwocky

Ein & Stein

Final Project

* Assignments explained in class.

Documents

Syllabus Science 110