George Scala
Instructor of Philosophy
PHL 155-OA: Skepticism & Rationality
Course Details
- Online, asynchronous
- 7 weeks | May 26 to July 10, 2026
- 3 credits | $2,022
- Last day to register: May 28, 2026
Course Overview
James "The Amazing" Randi--magician, skeptic, and investigator--reminds us that "No matter how smart or how well educated you are, you can be deceived." In an age fraught with deception and misinformation, students need tactics and strategies in order to separate truth from falsity. This course encourages its participants to act as skeptics--not cynics, necessarily--by requiring evidence and proof before believing or accepting claims. Students are urged to identify the most-likely-to-occur opportunities for deception in their major fields and draw from the tenets of classical rhetoric, logic, and the scientific method to develop safeguards. Frequent collaboration with classmates will allow for dynamic solutions to small and large-scale contemporary problems ranging from the personal (e.g., used car prices and avoiding fraud) to the universal (e.g., "fake news" and God).
Additional Information
Faculty will contact all students after the Thursday, May 28, registration deadline.
About the Instructor
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