Every day we make decisions that can and should be informed by science. We make decisions as individuals, as voters, and as members of our various communities. The problem is, we don’t do it so well—a fact sadly apparent in political debates. This course aims to equip students with basic tools to be better thinkers. We will explore key aspects of scientific thinking that everyone should know, especially the many ways that we humans tend to fool ourselves, and how to avoid them—including how to differentiate signal from noise, evaluate causal claims, and avoid reasoning biases. We’ll then look at the best models for using science to guide decisions, combining both evidence and values, with the ultimate goal of bettering the world.

On Wednesdays, the two-hour 11 am - 1:00 pm block will be used primarily for lecture with some time for office hours. In addition, Friday 11:00 am - 12:00 pm is typically scheduled for optional office hours. Several Fridays are reserved for required course events from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. There are no lectures on Fridays.

It may be helpful to note the range of requirements that Sense and Sensibility and Science
fulfills:
L&S Breadth, Physical Science
L&S Breadth, Philosophy & Values
L&S Breadth, Social & Behavioral Sciences
CDSS Essential Skills Requirement, Human and Social Dynamics of Data and Technology
Requirement
CDSS Data Science Major Requirement, Philosophical Foundations: Evidence and Inference

Every day we make decisions that can and should be informed by science. The problem is, we don’t always do it so well. This course explores some of the most useful tools of scientific-style critical thinking with an emphasis on how they can be used to make better decisions as individuals, as voters, and as members of our various communities.

Sense and Sensibility and Science equips students with a diverse skill set in scientific-style critical thinking using the tools that various scientific disciplines have built and honed over centuries. The course–co-taught by a Nobel winning physicist, a philosopher, and a behavioral psychologist–explores the key aspects of scientific thinking that everyone should know, and how these tools can help us better cope with uncertainty, understand those we disagree with, evaluate causal claims, and avoid biases in our reasoning (among other things!). The course also covers novel models for individual and group decision-making that appropriately combine scientific thinking with human values, for the ultimate goal of building a better future. Come take
this course and save the world! We’re facing a world that seems to struggle with rational collective decision making. How can we take into account our values, fears, and aspirations while also grappling with and evaluating facts and evidence? We must make decisions as individuals, as groups, and as a society; we find this challenge everywhere we turn. This year, the challenge of making good decisions as a society seems both more difficult and more important than ever. Over the centuries, scientists, psychologists, and philosophers have developed rigorous yet open-minded ways of thinking about the world that can help us address these universal and pressing concerns. This course explores and directly engages with some of the most useful tools of scientific-style critical thinking, considering both psychological biases and philosophical underpinnings.

This course is co-taught by Saul Perlmutter (Physics, Nobel Prize 2011), Verónica Gómez Sánchez (Philosophy), and Ellen Evers (Social Psychology, Haas School of Business). It is built around interactive activities and stimulating discussions led by the faculty and a passionate teaching team from diverse disciplines. In addition to inviting multiple special guests, we also host a panel of experts for a deliberative polling event for students to engage with policy making, wrestling with topics such as fracking, gene drives, and online misinformation. In past years, this activity has been hosted in collaboration with sister courses at other universities and the Nobel Prize summit. The course culminates in a decision making final project.

This course is part of the Big Ideas Courses program.

Sense and Sensibility and Science is supported by the Discovery Initiative at UC Berkeley, which offers undergraduates opportunities to immerse themselves in inquiry-driven learning and original research across disciplines.

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills