Belief in Weird Things

4 credits

Why do people think that the Earth is flat or that knocking on wood wards off bad luck? False beliefs emerge as byproducts of an otherwise efficient cognitive system. In this course, you will explore how people come to believe in myths, fake news, conspiracy theories, superstitions, astrology, alternative medicine, and alien life. You will learn to use skeptical and scientific thinking to evaluate “weird” (and not so weird) claims.