2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses Liberal arts and basic science courses Humanities and social science courses
Science and Technology for Society C
- Academic unit or major
- Humanities and social science courses
- Instructor(s)
- Masashi Shirabe
- Class Format
- Lecture (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 3-4 Mon / 3-4 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LAH.T304
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 2Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course trains students to apply critical thinking to issues of science, technology and society (STS). To that end, complex topics requiring comprehension from many angles will be selected. One class will be a lecture outlining the topic, and the next class will consist of a discussion among the students.
The aims of this course are for students to:
(1) be able to express views critical of science in a logical manner and
(2) experience and learn from using the technique of critical thinking.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
(1) Consider problems involving science and technology, and society from multiple points of view, including those different from their own.
(2) Learn and utilize the basic methods necessary for critical thinking.
Keywords
critical thinking; meta thinking
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
A set of two classes are set aside for each topic: a lecture and a discussion among students.
Should the number of applicants for this course exceed the limit, a lottery system will be used to determine which students are admitted. Be sure to attend the first class.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | GMO １ | To understand how to identify points of argument |
| Class 2 | GMO 2 | To understand how to identify points of argument |
| Class 3 | Implementation of outcomes of neuroscience 1 | To understand sensible discussion |
| Class 4 | Implementation of outcomes of neuroscience 2 | To understand sensible discussion |
| Class 5 | Smoking should be prohibited or not? 1 | To point out tacit assumptions |
| Class 6 | Smoking should be prohibited or not? 2 | To point out tacit assumptions |
| Class 7 | To promote breast cancer screening or not? 1 | To interpret statistical data |
| Class 8 | To promote breast cancer screening or not? 2 | To interpret statistical data |
| Class 9 | How can we tackle global warming? １ | To think critically on meta-science |
| Class 10 | How can we tackle global warming? 2 | To think critically on meta-science |
| Class 11 | Can we justify public investments to space science and exploration ? 1 | To understand "framing" |
| Class 12 | Can we justify public investments to space science and exploration ? 2 | To understand "framing" |
| Class 13 | Animal experiments 1 | To understand reasoning based on the assumption |
| Class 14 | Animal experiments 2 | To understand reasoning based on the assumption |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
Tetsuji Iseda et al. (eds.), Thinking critically on science, technology and society, Nagoya University Press (in Japanese)
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Lecture materials will be distributed as needed.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Submission of assignments on each topic and participation in class discussion (40%) and a final report (60%)
Related courses
- LAH.T104 ： Science and Technology for Society A
- LAH.T205 ： Science and Technology for Society B
Prerequisites
None.
Other
Should the number of applicants for this course exceed the limit, a lottery system will be used to determine which students are admitted. Be sure to attend the first class.