Science and Society: History of Science, Ethics, Critical Thinking

In today’s societies, science lies at the heart of numerous ethical, economic, and societal issues. The goal of this course unit is to encourage students to reflect on their knowledge and practices through a historical approach to the development of scientific knowledge and through discussions on the bioethical aspects of science, the role of researchers in society, and the relationship between science and society. The goal is to raise students’ awareness of how scientific arguments are used in society, to engage in debates that bring together conflicting, well-supported viewpoints, and to develop their critical thinking skills. This course is therefore designed to broaden students’ perspectives, allowing them to take a step back and maintain a scientific approach—in other words, to “look up from the handlebars.”

- 7CM = 10.5 hours for the History of Science: A Panhistorical and Pangewographic Approach

- 4 class periods = 6 hours to introduce the concepts of bioethics and the critical approach that will be necessary for the discussions (methodology of controversy, complexity, issues at stake, appeals to authority)

- 2CM = 3 hours on the role of scientists in society (historical perspective and discussion of potential pitfalls)

- 2 TDs = 3 hours on cognitive biases, concepts in epistemology, linguistic pitfalls, the concept of evidence, and major types of fallacious reasoning

- 4 sessions of 2 tutorials each = 4 × 3 hours = 12 hours of discussion on topics at the heart of scientific and societal controversies: GMOs, vaccination, pharmacogenetics and genetic testing, endocrine disruptors, feeding the planet, demographic challenges, climate change, transhumanism, cloning and assisted reproduction, animal testing, neuroscience and marketing, biological control, nanotechnologies, ... Starting with a news article, students work in groups to produce a presentation (which counts toward their grade) aimed at providing historical context, presenting well-reasoned opposing viewpoints (based on ethical and scientific arguments), and then facilitating a debate. Each debate session (3 hours) will have a specific theme; researchers or faculty members will be invited to serve on the panel and provide a summary at the end.

Working in groups throughout the course, students will produce a literature review on a topic of their choice, presenting a well-structured argument illustrated with carefully selected examples, while situating the subject within the context of the history of science and incorporating bioethical considerations. The goal is not simply to trace the history of a subject, but rather to emphasize its connections to the advancement of scientific knowledge and the ethical questions it raises.

- Understand the process by which knowledge is developed in various disciplines (hypotheses, experimental results, controversial findings, mathematical theorems, scientific facts, theories, paradigms)

- Understand the basics of the history of science

- Be able to search for and extract information critically, prioritize information sources, assess their reliability, and synthesize the information

- Be able to draw connections between knowledge of organismal biology, evolutionary biology, and ecology, and bioethical, economic, and social issues

- The ability to successfully carry out a project as part of a team

- Be able to develop a logical argument using critical thinking (identifying limitations, cross-referencing with the literature, defending a point of view)