SF-H1176 Honors- What Is a Fact?
What makes a fact a fact? What makes a fact true? At one time, these questions were only asked by epistemologists and postmodernists, but with the rise of fake news and the discourses surrounding it, these questions are relevant to everyone. Understanding facts is also essential to college students, who must learn to use reliable sources in order to create credible work. In this class, we will examine works of literature, art, science, and history that interrogate how facts are created and how we determine their truth value. Texts will include podcasts, novels and book-length studies of memory and theory of mind (the study of how we understand what others are thinking). We will also utilize the resources of Boston and Suffolk University; we will visit the WBUR NPR newsroom, a local museum, and learn about the legal definition of truth from a representative of the law school. By analyzing these texts, participating in these experiences, and completing a series of assignments that ask students to think critically and creatively, this class seeks to understand how we create facts, and why we need them.
Prerequisite
Student has satisfied all of the following Student has not met all of the following Student has satisfied all of the following Student has satisfied all of the following Student has completed or is in process of completing any of the following course(s) WAIVER 15CR - At Least 15 Transfer Credits, WAIVER 30CR - At Least 30 Transfer Credits, WAIVER 45CR - At Least 45 Transfer Credits, WAIVER 60CR - At Least 60 Transfer Credits, WAIVER 90CR - At Least 90 Transfer Credits, courses with SF subject code with grade greater than or equal to D- (Undergraduate Grading Scheme). And Student has satisfied all of the following Academic Unit (Computed) in the selection list Advertising Public Relations and Social Media, Art and Design, Biology, Biology and Radiation Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, Communication Journalism and Media, Economics, English, Environmental Science and Studies, History Language and Global Culture, INTO College of Arts and Sciences, Math and Computer Science, Medical Dosimetry, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science and Legal Studies, Psychology, Radiation Sciences, Sociology and Criminal Justice ... And Student has satisfied all of the following Student is a member of the Honors Summary All Student Cohort