The Baloney Detection Kit...

[Moontanman]

How to detect baloney....

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3qLv-l0Cwc

[dduckwessel]

This is a really good instructional video and should be introduced in middle schools. A video along the same lines should be made for very young children.

 

In Canada the Principal's of each school decide which extra-curricular teachings are introduced into the schools. If they have Creationism or Intelligent-Design beliefs, there's no way in hell this video (or others like it) is getting into his/her school! Working in the rural public school sector I know this is not a rare occurence and I found it very frustrating.

[Uplift_Humanity]

Truth.

[Qfwfq]

This is a really good instructional video and should be introduced in middle schools.

Actually, any good science teacher gives them the essential principles, without necessarily calling it BDK nor needing the principal's directives, they quite often just teach about the scientific method. Some of tham even make a less sloppy job of it and avoid those faint hues of preaching.

 

Not that 14 minutes 5 seconds is ample time for teaching scientific method properly, I couldn't blame Michael Shermer for that, but I think it is possible to do a bit better when the intent is for actual educational purposes. Otherwise the science teacher runs into what Shermer joked about himself, the pupils shouldn't believe him! :D

 

The important thing is for schools to teach the scientific method properly, with teachers that are reasonably competent. No rhetoric, no preaching, just common sense, reason and the basics of empirical methodics.