1、About the author:John Horgan Is an American science journalist best known for his 1996 book The End of Science（科学的终结）He has written for many publications,including National Geographic（国家地理）,Scientific American（科学美国人）,The New York Times（纽约时报）,Time（时代周刊）,Newsweek（新闻周刊）,and IEEE Spectrum（科技纵览）.His arti
2、cles have been included in the 2005,2006 and 2007 editions of The Best American Science and Nature Writing.Horgan has appeared on the Charlie Rose Show（查理罗斯访谈录）,the PBS NewsHour(美国公共电视网的新闻一小时)and many other media outlets in the U.S.and Europe.Horgan is known for his skepticism about science.His Octo
3、ber 1993 Scientific American article,The Death of Proof,claimed that the growing complexity of mathematics,combined with computer proofs and other developments,were undermining traditional concepts of mathematical proof.In his 1996 book The End of Science,he argues that pure science,defined as“the p
4、rimordial human quest to understand the universe and our place in it,”may be coming to an end.He claims that science will not achieve insights into nature as profound as evolution by natural selection（以自然选择/物竞天择为核心的进化论）,the double helix(双螺旋结构),the big bang(宇宙大爆炸),relativity theory(相对论)or quantum mec
5、hanics（量子力学）.In the future,he suggests,scientists will refine,extend and apply this pre-existing knowledge but will not achieve any more great revolutions or revelations.Horgan is known for his skepticism about science.In 1999 Horgan followed up The End of Science with The Undiscovered Mind:How the
6、Human Brain Defies Replication,Medication and Explanation,which critiques neuroscience（神经科学）,psychoanalysis（心理分析学）,psychopharmacology（精神药理学）,evolutionary psychology(进化心理学),behavioral genetics(行为遗传学）,artificial intelligence（人工智能）and other mind-related fields.For his 2003 book Rational Mysticism,he pr
7、esents his personal impressions of a number of scientists,mystics,and religious thinkers,with a sometimes controversial analysis of their contributions to rational mysticism and the relationship between religion and science.His 2012 book The End of War presents scientific arguments against the wides
8、pread belief that war is inevitable.What is Critical Thinking?Discuss in pairs:How much do you know about critical thinking?Check out the video on critical thinking.Discussion&Search ReadingDiscuss in Pairs:What does the word“backfire”mean?Skim the text to find out in what way teaching critical thin
9、king backfires.Pay attention to how the paragraphs are laid out.Come up with the text outline.I.What J.H.tells studentsII.III.Other skeptics and their critiquesStudents responses to J.H.s teachingTopicIV.J.H.s restatement/modification of his message Outlining the Text01030204What J.H.tells Ss1.What
10、is it concerned with?2.What is the reason behind it?3.What evidence is there?1.Who are mentioned?2.What critiques?What evidence?Ss responses1.What responses?J.H.s response1.What is it?Finding Related InfoOther skeptics critiques01030204What J.H.tells Ss1.(Attitude toward science)Dont always believe
11、Be skeptical.Think critically.2.Because science is fallible.3.J.H.s experience as a science writer.Particle physics,cosmology,neuroscience.G.T.new drug or diet J.I.flimsiness of most peer-reviewed research P.T.experts fallibility;a maze study Ss responsesHealthy pushbackOver-the-top skepticismAgnost
12、icism J.H.s response(Attitude toward science)You should acknowledge science is a powerful mode of knowledge,meanwhile treat new scientific discoveries skeptically.Finding Related InfoOther skeptics critiquesReading for Specific InformationGo over the key information again and finish textbook exercis
13、e II i.The notes laid out in this exercise is not quite complete.Find the part that does not match our notes and revise it.Exercise II.i Response of students to skeptical teaching:healthy pushback:e.g.big scientific discoveries e.g.methods used to collect data on _ as well as _ and predictions made
14、foundations of _advocating overturning current theoriesAnswer Key for Reference Response of students to skeptical teaching:healthy pushback:e.g.big scientific discoveries e.g.methods used to collect data on climate change as well as the analysis of this data and predictions made foundations of scien
15、tific reasoingadvocating overturning current theoriesReflectionCan we defend the superiority of scientific knowledge without resorting to a“mystic”view of science?Check out how the podcast host answers the question.(Podcast:“Cognitive Biases and the Authority of Science”)Podcast RecapHuman beings ar
16、e prone to biases that lead to error.sciences fallibility Error#1:Human beings are pattern recognition machines.E.g.maze study cited by Tetlock(Para.12)Error#2:Human beings are not good at weighing evidence.E.g.the flimsiness of most peer-reviewed research(Para.9);experts fallibility(para.11)Scienti
17、fic methodology aims to neutralize the effects of these biases,and thereby reduce error.Attitude toward ScienceCheck out the ending part of the podcast.Note its take-away message,i.e.，”what attitude should we have toward the authority of science？“Cautious Attitude toward SciencePeople should be very
18、 cautious about relying on their intuitions in judging a scientific issue.because sciences fallible/prone to biases that lead to errorPeople should be willing to accept the authority of science,especially when theres a consensus on the issue in the mainstream scientific community.because scientific
19、methods are designed to avoid those errorsTranslation Practice在现实生活中人们对批判性思维往往存在两种误解。一种是认为批判性思维旨在发现他人而非自己思想或行为的错误。其实，“批判”在这里应理解为“评论”而非“批评”。另一种是认为批判性思维是怀疑一切、否定一切的破坏性思维。实际上，批判性思维会客观地肯定某些合理的想法，是建设性的。Tips for Passage TranslationTake into consideration the coherence(内在连贯)and cohesion(外在衔接)of the whole passage.When translating sentences,we need to think about the sentence structure and its SVO.In the same way,when translating a passage,we need to think about the passage structure.Use pronouns whenever possible.Feedback
