Re: student debates on pseudoscience

[Ludwik Kowalski <kowalskil@MAIL.MONTCLAIR.EDU>]

John S. Denker wrote:

> Ben Crowell wrote:
>
> > I'm teaching a conceptual physics course at a
> > community college, and would like to have my students
> > debate each other on issues related to pseudoscience.
>
> There's a time and place for everything...
> This exercise belongs in law school or maybe
> drama school, not in physics class. . . .

I agree. What about making a deliberate non-
scientific pronouncement and ask students to
produce data showing it to be wrong?

For example, "the speed of a falling stone
does not change in free fall" or "the amount
of heat generated in a light bulb is directly
proportional to the square of the current."
Ludwik Kowalski