Author Archives: admin

How Science Works

A lovely description of the process of science. David Goodstein, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., is Vice Provost, Professor of Physics and Applied Physics, and theFrank J. Gilloon Distinguished Teaching and Service Professor, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena,California. Philosophy of science. HowScienceworks

Posted in Booklets, Handouts and Worksheets, Philosophy of Science, Resource Collections | Leave a comment

The Socratic Method (M.M. McCABE)

Philosophy began in earnest with Socrates. He asked impertinent questions. In this interview with M.M. McCabe, Philosophy Bites explores the nature of Socratic Method and Socrates’ claim that the unexamined life is not worth living. Pocast from Philosophy Bites. M.M. … Continue reading

Posted in PowerPoints, Video and other Media | Leave a comment

Just think: it’s important

Sydney Morning Herald article on teaching philosophy in schools. Reason being … Peter Ellerton teaches philosophy at Brisbane’s Calamvale Community College and started the Australian Philosophy Teachers Network to get more resources to teachers. Photo: Paul Harris     August 25, … Continue reading

Posted in Critical Thinking, Deductive Logic, Ethics and Moral Philosophy, Media Articles, Cartoons, Philosophy of Mind - Consciousness | Leave a comment

Queensland Philosophy and Reason Syllabus

As delivered to Queensland secondary schools.

Posted in Syllabus and Course Outlines | Leave a comment

Curriculum Council Philosophy and Ethics (WA)

As delivered in Western Australian schools. New in 2008.

Posted in Syllabus and Course Outlines | Leave a comment

Intelligent Design – the Myth of Irreducible Complexity

How irreducible complexity, a stalwart of the Intelligent Design movement is NOT supported by the bacterial flagellum. Philosophy of science, philosophy of religion, hypothesis. Mark Perakh discusses how Intelligent Design proponents created the myth that bacterial flagella look like man-made … Continue reading

Posted in Critical Thinking, Media Articles, Cartoons, Philosophy of Mind - Consciousness, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of Science, Resource Collections | Leave a comment

Free Will vs the Programmed Brain

If our actions are determined by prior events, then do we have a choice about anything—or any responsibility for what we do? Scientific American. Free will, philosophy of mind, determinism. By Shaun Nichols Many scientists and philosophers are convinced that … Continue reading

Posted in Critical Thinking, Ethics and Moral Philosophy, Media Articles, Cartoons, Philosophy of Mind - Consciousness, Philosophy of Science, Resource Collections | Leave a comment

Yes Prime Minister – Survey Design

Brilliant clip of how to design a survey to get the result you want. Bias, social, critical thinking. Yes Minister Survey (wmv)

Posted in Critical Thinking, PowerPoints, Video and other Media, Social and Political Philosophy | Leave a comment

Alternative Medicine – Sincerity no substitute for evidence

HOW many readers have gone to dinner parties and listened to otherwise intelligent people assert that alternative medicine can be just as effective as mainstream, scientific medicine? Generally, the argument is that alternative medicine, in all its many forms, is … Continue reading

Posted in Critical Thinking, Media Articles, Cartoons, Philosophy of Science, Social and Political Philosophy | Leave a comment

Calvin & Hobbes – Ethics

The ends justifies the means… cartoon.

Posted in Media Articles, Cartoons | Leave a comment

Do Subatomic Particles have Free Will?

If we have free will, so do subatomic particles, mathematicians claim to prove. Article from New Scientisty magazine. Philosophy of mind, consciousness, free will.   Do subatomic particles have free will? http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/35391/title/Do_subatomic_particles_have_free_will%3F Do subatomic particles have free will? By Julie … Continue reading

Posted in Media Articles, Cartoons, Philosophy of Mind - Consciousness, Philosophy of Science, Resource Collections | Leave a comment

Tackling the Problem of Free Will

For years, the frustrating lack of progress on the problem of free will has been a scandal in philosophy. Now it looks as if neurobiology may help us out – and indeed it may, says John Searle, but don’t think … Continue reading

Posted in Critical Thinking, Media Articles, Cartoons, Philosophy of Mind - Consciousness, Philosophy of Science, Resource Collections | Leave a comment

Q-Matrix

A matrix of questions to encourage thinking about an issue. Apparently a product of Spencer Kagan and seen everywhere nowadays. Highly recommended. Critical thinking. qmatrix

Posted in Booklets, Handouts and Worksheets, Critical Thinking | Leave a comment

Social Philosophy booklet

Outlines some basic theories and gives an overview of philosophers. Starts with Plato. Nice resource for introduction to social philosophy. Social Philosophy booklet

Posted in Booklets, Handouts and Worksheets, Social and Political Philosophy | Leave a comment

Monkeys given Huntington’s for study

Monkeys given genes to develop Huntington’s disease – as well as genes from jelly fish to glow green. Animal rights / ethics. Monkey engineered to develop Huntington (doc)

Posted in Media Articles, Cartoons | Leave a comment

A Wolf in Sheep’s Lab Coat – Pseudoscience in the 21st Century

Slides from a presentation on science, pseudoscience and critical thinking. Includes 10 signs useful in sorting pseudoscience from the real deal. A Wolf in Sheep’s Labcoat (ppt) (Uploaded by Mike McRae.)

Posted in Critical Thinking, Philosophy of Science, PowerPoints, Video and other Media | Tagged | Leave a comment

Exercises using truth tables or trees for validity worksheet

Worksheet with about a dozen problems requiring testing for validity using truth tables & truth trees, as well as some translating. Deductive Logic. Truth tree validity worksheet

Posted in Booklets, Handouts and Worksheets, Deductive Logic | Leave a comment

Basic Truth Table Posters

These simple posters were printed off and placed above the whiteboard for the duration of our propositional logic unit as a means of quick visual reference. Deductive Logic. Basic truth table posters

Posted in Booklets, Handouts and Worksheets, Deductive Logic | Leave a comment

Valid Arguments, Tautologies and Formal Fallacies (deductive logic)

A one page summary sheet of some of the main bits of propositional logic. Deductive Logic. Valid Arguments

Posted in Booklets, Handouts and Worksheets, Deductive Logic | Leave a comment

Truth Trees booklet

Booklet on the propositional logic technique of truth trees. Deductive Logic. Truth Trees

Posted in Booklets, Handouts and Worksheets, Deductive Logic | Leave a comment