Mad World: making sense of nonsense, or how to understand modern-day conspiracy theories
In this class we will draw on philosophy, cognitive science, linguistics, psychology, and the human sciences, to examine what epistemologies underlie contemporary conspiracy theories such as Flat-Eartherism, Chemtrails, faked moon landings, anti-vaccine positions and many others. Students are encouraged to draw on their training in the natural sciences and to reflect on scientific epistemology as well. Rather than taking the common position that such theories are simply the product of pure ignorance or naïvete, we will look more critically at how these ideas are produced (and by whom), how they are articulated and argued, how they are expanded in the public sphere, and their social, economic, and political impact. Students will be immersed in all aspects of the English language in the process, coming from a variety of sources and registers, and they will be expected to engage in vigorous and critical discussion and debate.
- Teaching coordinator: Chaudhuri-Brill Shukti
- Teaching coordinator: Langlois Laura Hilary
GAME CHANGER – Laura LANGLOIS – Thursdays 8.00am-10.00am
Games can change us. They can teach us valuable skills: communication, sociability, problem-solving, fast-thinking and strategy. They hone our reactions, our eloquence, our abilities to improvise, to imagine and to create. They can help us function effectively in a team or independently, train us to understand complex instructions, situations and possible outcomes. What’s more, games reflect culture and open doors to understanding others.
Are you looking for an engaging, dynamic English class where your interests and knowledge can help shape the content? There will be student-led activities, speaking games, discussions, debates, presentations and roleplays. We’ll learn about and play a wide variety of games, discuss cultural tastes and differences in game-playing, consider the role that games play in our cultural and family backgrounds, look at tech innovations and the future of the video game industry, and explore gamification in education, in marketing and in recruitment.
The requirements? Commitment to the class, regular attendance and a keen desire to participate actively.
Ready to play? Let’s go!
- Teaching coordinator: Langlois Laura Hilary
Jessica Perich Carleton
Mathematicians in History and Cinema:
English Class – Thursday mornings
This course focuses on answering the question: What is the probability of a math genius coming from nothing? In order to answer this question, the class will investigate four themes resonating from noteworthy mathematicians in history and their portrayals in popular cinema. Mathematicians examined will include: Srinivasa Ramanujan, Alan Turning, Paul DePodesta, and Katherine Globe Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson. The first film challenges the theme of intuition vs proof from an informally educated young Indian man who is credited with contributions to a wide range of mathematical developments (number theory, infinite series, continued fractions) as seen in The Man Who Knew Infinity; the second film looks at computers vs people in Hidden Figures which tells the story of three African American women whose mathematical genius helped win the Space Race; next, the beginnings of developing AI and its implications and consequences in contemporary culture as seen in The Imitation Game; and finally, tradition vs originality as applied to a major league baseball team searching for new strategies of becoming more successful with less fiscal resources as seen in Moneyball. There will be plenty of opportunities to practice your spoken English, to discuss and debate in small groups, to challenge your listening skills and to express yourself clearly in writing.
- Teaching coordinator: Langlois Laura Hilary