Four articles are presented this week. Each deals with the common theme of scientific and critical thinking about events in the news. These can be used for a discussion (see at the end) of viewing events through a “social science lens.” You may decide to pick and choose which article is of most usefulness for your teaching purposes.
ARTICLE #1: “The Vaccine Lunacy: Disneyland, Measles and Madness”
Description: Frank Bruni, an op ed columnist at the New York Times, discusses how “personal opinions” trump scientific data. Regarding the recent measles outbreak in late 2014 and early 2015, he blasts how those in the “anti-vaccine movement reflect a chilling disregard for science.” Additionally he briefly mentions those who deny climate science and those who support faddish diet aides without reliable scientific evidence.
Source: New York Times by Frank Bruni
Date: January 31, 2015
LINKS TO RESOURCES
(shortened URL) http://tinyurl.com/jwhcnsj
ARTICLE #2: “British Journal Retracts Paper Linking Autism and Vaccines”
Description: This article addresses the serious ethical issues of Dr. Andrew Wakefield in his drawing conclusions that the MMR vaccination was a cause of autism. Dr. Wakefield’s work triggered the anti-vaccine movement, and though discredited, the work is still used as “proof” that vaccines are responsible for autism. “A British medical panel concluded … that Dr. Wakefield had been dishonest, violated basic research ethics rules and showed a “callous disregard” for the suffering of children involved in his research.”
Source: New York Times by Gardiner Harris
Date: February 2, 2010
LINKS TO RESOURCES
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/health/research/03lancet.html
ARTICLE #3: “Groundhog Day 2015: Punxsutawney Phil Sees Shadow, Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter”
Description: Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this year predicting another six weeks of weather. Since 1887, Americans have looked to Phil as the prognosticator of weather. Is Phil accurate? How many times has he been right? Wrong? Worshipping a giant rodent is a custom left over from medieval times celebrating the midpoint of the winter season hoping for an early spring. Science and superstition walk hand-in-hand in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania
Source: Washington Post by Angela Fritz
Date: February 2, 2015
LINKS TO RESOURCES (includes video)
(shortened URL) http://tinyurl.com/mc2yuul
ARTICLE #4: “Appeals Court Upholds Need for Scientific Evidence of Disease-Related Claims for Food”
Description: An appeals court ruling forbade a pomegranate juice company from making healthy medical claims about it’s product. The brief report points out that claims “cited those studies in advertisements to suggest that consuming pomegranates could help people fight heart disease, prostate cancer, or erectile dysfunction.” Problems in the type of research conducted are mentioned in the article.
Source: Chronicle of Higher Education: The Ticker by Ruth Hammond
Date: February 2, 2015
LINKS TO RESOURCES
http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/appeals-court-upholds-need-for-scientific-evidence-of-disease-related-claims-for-food/93201?cid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en
(shortened URL) http://tinyurl.com/mdj3qnc
CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
•What do the four articles have in common?
•How is the use of the scientific method (or lack thereof) discussed in each of the articles?
•Can the students detect the flaws in the science discussed in the articles?
•What knowledge is derived regarding drawing conclusions based on facts/data vs personal opinions?
•Epistemology: How do we derive real objective knowledge of the world?
•How is the scientific method subverted when conflicts of interest (such as politcs and montary issues) influence research?
•What conclusions should students draw about interpreting issues in the “news”?
•What lies behind the denial of real research? (the anti vaccine groups, deniers of climate change, birthers, conspiracy theorists, and so on)
•How does critical thinking help students separate the false from real facts? What role does Psychology play in this endeavor?
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