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So, it has come to this! Universities are now offering courses on how to argue against climate change denialists! (Note, even mentioning such courses could be illegal in Florida, but fortunately this is in Australia.)
Starting 28 April, 2015, the University of Queensland is offering a free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) aimed at “Making Sense of Climate Science Denial”.
You know you've made it when they start teaching about you in college! Well done, climate change deniers!!!
And a MOOC? Hmmm, is there a "certificate" one might earn?
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University Offering Free Online Course to Demolish Climate Denial
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There will be big changes for you but you will be happy.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday April 26 2015, @04:22PM
You mean they have a course on how to be a specific kind of dick?
What a waste of money. "but it is free". No it is not. There are servers and peoples time involved. Time is money.
Taking a debating class is good. Taking one just so you know how to specifically argue 1 point, not good, and a waste of your time.
Most people on the internet who 'debate' are actually *really* bad at it. Remove 1 tool from their arsenal and they wither at any sort of real points. Remove google from their quiver and they have no idea what to argue much less how. Many people confuse being able to google something up as debating. No that is searching and reusing other peoples arguments to puff up your ego. "climate debate" usually falls into this realm. Everyone can talk about the weather. As it is easy to see and measure the 'right now'. But most people are not climate scientists and defer to them. When someone asks 'what if they are wrong' they get labeled with a broad brush of 'denier'.
(Score: 2) by fritsd on Sunday April 26 2015, @04:50PM
You mean they have a course on how to be a specific kind of dick?
No.
A chemist can follow a course on pharmacochemistry, that doesn't make it a course on "how to poison people".
A physicist can follow a course on ballistics, that doesn't make it a course on "how to shoot people".
And a psychologist can follow a course on climate change denialism as a social/psychological phenomenon, that doesn't make it a course on "how to be a specific kind of dick".
I bet there are also theology courses on the Bhagwan [wikipedia.org] or on Lou de Palingboer [wikipedia.org], that doesn't make it a course on "how to be a rich and sexually gratified religious leader". Hm.. maybe that topic needs further study...
I think this exemplifies the distinction between a university and a technical highschool: a university also teaches those subjects that are not of immediate or obvious use, like molecular quantum chemistry or cosmology or philology.