Talking Skepticism to Generation Y

Talking Skepticism to Generation Y JUSTIN TROTTIER f anyone ever wonders just what impression a skeptic’s words, stories, such a methodology, when applied to different scopes of inquiry, leads to explanations, and arguments have, there’s no better test than a live both the secular humanist worldview and skepticism of the paranormal. Iperformance in front of wide-eyed sixteen-year-olds—natural critics, skeptics, and oftentimes cynics. I was put through a grueling ordeal recently As it turned out, the students were proficient critical thinkers, although when I gave two back-to-back presentations explaining my worldview to the private Greenwood College School in Toronto. critics might be a more apt label. Here are some dos and don’ts they taught me I started with the premise that critical thinking as a methodology is the that might be of use to anyone attempting to introduce skeptical thinking to main divide between skeptical inquirers and scientific naturalists and those whose worldview is based on other ways of knowing. I then explained how Generation Y, or, as some call them, the Entitlement Generation. DO explain the major tools for critical thinking and argu- DO incorporate interactive games. To investigate the verac- mentation. No high school I know of has a course in critical ity of the newspaper horoscopes many of the students read, thinking, and few do a good job of introducing the real students were divided along the wall of the room based on spirit of how science approaches questions beyond the stale zodiac sign. The day’s horoscope was then read from a local list of steps given almost as the doctrine of the Scientific newspaper and each student was asked to identify whether Method. These independent presentations are therefore the descriptions did or did not apply to their day. Unbe- ideal opportunities to rectify that lacking. However . known to the students, a deception was taking place, for students in fact read from the horoscope that corresponded DO NOT engage in long blackboard lessons. My attempt not to their own sign but to the one following theirs. Upon to introduce the concept of skepticism and critical think- completion, we tallied the number of “hits” and “misses,” ing through a history of the various schools of philosophy compared them to what might be ex pected by chance, and going back to the ancient Greek Pyrrhonians did not go then announced the deception. over well. The presentation was too detailed and abstract DO NOT read FAQs directly. and probably too similar to an everyday classroom lesson. I prepared well-articulated answers to a self-created list of Frequently Asked Ques tions, Clearly the students were anticipating a break from that such as “Why are you concerned with people’s personal and wanted engagement in more interactive discussions. beliefs” and “Would any evidence convince you of paranormal activities beyond science?” Although these made me feel DO incorporate multimedia where appropriate. My presen- I had gone through all my material comprehensively, it left tations included excerpts from Richard Dawkins’s Enemies little time for answering the student’s own questions and of Reason, featuring a simple double-blind test debunking probably made me appear overly distant. So . water dowsing and a short interview on the dangers of spir- itualism addiction with famous magician Darren Brown, DO interact directly with the students. It would be much with whom many of the students were familiar. We lis- better to first entertain questions from students in order tened to a clip from a Point of Inquiry episode featuring to respond to the exact nuance and examples given by a Andrew Fraknoi on our body’s cosmic history. Finally, questioner and then read from any remaining FAQs that we watched an excerpt from Here Be Dragons, a video that have not been covered. Other more creative interactive serves as a critical thinking primer from Skeptoid podcast activities might have the students reflect on the possible host Brian Dunning. This led into a discussion of the red bias or misrepresentation of particular science articles in flags and keywords of pseudoscience, such as “ancient wis- the newspaper or ask them to apply critical thinking to dom,” “energy fields,” “all natural,” or simply ads featuring a contemporary political issue or the recent speech of a a man in a lab coat. local politician. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER November / December 2009 45 DO personalize the presentation. I provided a short back- DO define new terms like skepticism, atheism, secularism, ground to the events that lead me to adopt a skeptical naturalism, and methodology, but . and secular humanist worldview. I included a slide with names and photos of famous skeptics and freethinkers DO NOT over-define. Differentiating between weak and from lots of different fields—scientists, phi los ophers, strong atheism, for example, will probably confuse the authors, lawyers, politicians, activists, and celebrities. bigger issues. DO take the opportunity to promote the wonders of science. DO NOT leave students with homework, but . This is a good opportunity to excite students by explaining how science affects our lives and our society. I covered the DO leave students with handouts. I ended by passing scientific outlook, focusing on science that speaks to our out copies of the SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and Free Inquiry biggest questions—evolution, cosmology, and neurosci- magazines, skepticism-themed stickers, excerpts from ence—as well as the scientific revolution’s historical ties to Carl Sagan’s Demon-Haunted World, and a list of books, notions of democracy, freedom, and progress. Much of this podcasts, and films of interest. science is covered in technical detail in classes but would never have been tied to these larger societal issues. While the experience was exciting and the presentation well received, tion materials—including Power Point presentations, accompanying notes, I will be making some fairly substantial changes before I speak again later and copies of multimedia—can be found at the Center for Inquiry/Ontario this year. Rules of thumb when dealing with young students: simple is better, Web page: www.centerforinquiry.net/ontario/local_resources/high_school leave extra time, focus on quick multimedia excerpts, and favor discussions _presentation/. I would be happy to provide consultation upon request. ! and questions over a prepared history lesson. Justin Trottier is executive director of the Center for I better learn my lessons quickly; al though my first experience was in Inquiry/Ontario. front of a small private school and uniformed students, my next will put me in front of inner-city youth in a much tougher neighborhood! For those interested in contacting schools in their area, all my presenta- 46 Volume 33, Issue 6 Skeptical Inquirer.

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