Critical Thinking Discussion

Read: In the Hunt Library, open and read the Scientific American article, The Age-of-the-Earth Debate by Lawrence Badash.

Review this 19th-century controversy between physicists and geologists about how old the Earth is, and identify instances where scientists may or may not have been using critical thinking skills to base their determinations.

Post: Cite which arguments and declarations were based on negative Critical Thinking Habits-of-Mind, and which ones seemed more positive.

Discuss among your peers how the different scientists reacted at the advent of a new technology (radiometric dating), and how they approached their own conclusions based on this new tool. Who questioned their own previous convictions, and who refused to change their way of thinking? Was radiometric dating of the Earth accurate at first? Based on your previous work in understanding the scientific method in Module 1, consider the efforts that scientists must go through in order to keep modifying and perfecting a new methodology for it to gain acceptance. In your discussions, it may be helpful to use the 4-page U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2007-3004, entitled Precambrian Time-The Story of the Early Earth as a guide to our current-day knowledge of the age of the Earth.

Respond: Respond to the posts of at least 2 of your fellow classmates in a thoughtful and courteous manner, and stay objective and open-minded with your point-of-view. You are welcome to bring your own opinions into this discussion, but they must be viewed through the lens of science, will be graded on how you utilize Critical Thinking Habits-of-Mind in your dialog.