CAS 2405 Knowing What We Know

How often has someone asked you “How do you know that?” How do you tell fact from opinion? Do numbers never lie? What’s the difference between knowing and believing? Between uncertainty and skepticism? Knowing What We Know is an interdisciplinary course taught by Ohio University faculty members from a variety of disciplines in the natural and social sciences and humanities. Different disciplines seek understanding of different aspects of our society and the cosmos. But they also ask how we know what we know. That common pursuit is the focus of this course. Students will be introduced to the way different forms of mathematical, statistical, and scientific reasoning enable us to grapple with problems ranging from the everyday (“Should I bring an umbrella?”) to the cosmic (“How did the universe begin?”). Exposure to different sorts of quantitative and qualitative techniques will help equip students to better evaluate arguments and assertions on their merits. In the process, the course aspires to show students how knowledge is pursued on the cutting edge of contemporary research.