Critical Thinking
in Canada
Steve Charlton
Douglas College
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
 Teaching
of Psychology in Canada
 Psychological
 Courses
Literacy in Canada
on Critical Thinking
SOME AREAS THAT MIGHT BE
CONSIDERED PSEUDOSCIENCE
• Witchcraft
• Homeopathy
• Touch Therapy
• Learning Styles
• Subliminal Tapes
• Scientology
Astrology
Magnetic Therapy
Colonic Therapy
Alien Abductions
Urine Therapy
Organization of the course
• Types of pseudoscience
• Sources of knowledge
• Cognitive/Perceptual limitations
• History of pseudoscience
• Characteristics of pseudoscience
•
Fourteen Characteristics of
Pseudoscience
1) Outward Appearance of Science
2) Absence of Skeptical Review
3) Reliance on Personal Experience
4) Evasion of Risky Tests
5) Retreats to the Supernatural
6) Holism
7) Tolerance of Inconsistencies
8) Appeals to Authority
9) Promising the Impossible
10) Stagnation
11) Credentials
12) References
13) Correlations, Causation and Third
Variables
Northwest Tree Octopus and the House Hippo
Internet Project
• Use the list of characteristics of pseudoscience to
evaluate the Tree Octopus website
• Find a website on the internet that you would
consider possible pseudoscience
• Discuss why your website qualifies as pseudoscience
using the list of characteristics of pseudoscience as a
guideline
• Additional Internet Project if you have time!
• Have the student design their own pseudoscience
website using the same principles