Critical thinking in the age of AI

This course comprises four modules. The first module covers the basics of argumentation. You learn how to identify, reconstruct and evaluate arguments, and to critically assess and provide evidence for claims.

The second module focuses on a specific form of argument, viz., scientific arguments. We will look at various types of such arguments—hypothetico-deductive, inductive and technological arguments—and at the various procedures to assess them. By the end of the module, you will be able to critically reflect on claims made in the (engineering) sciences and to distinguish between reliable and unreliable instances of scientific reasoning.

In the third module we will explore intellectual virtues and their significance for our decision-making processes, particularly in the context of AI. You will learn about various intellectual virtues and the way they help our reasoning. The aim is to foster virtues such as intellectual humility and intellectual justice together with critical thinking when assessing AI-generated information or designing AI-powered tools.

The fourth module focuses on bullshit: content that fulfills a rhetorical function but is produced with little regard for truth or rigorous argument. Bullshit has long been known to be produced by humans (and bulls), but is increasingly also identified in AI-generated content (i.e. “botshit”). Students will learn the distinctive features of bullshit and botshit and understand the reasons for its existence and proliferation in science, journalism, politics, and artificial intelligence. Subsequently, students will acquire the skills necessary to detect bullshit through close textual analysis, argument reconstruction, and fact-checking.

After this course, the student is able to:

• Distinguish between poor and good arguments, based on their characteristics (Module 1) (LO1)
• Identify and reconstruct arguments in speech and written text, and evaluate these arguments’ strength (Module 1) (LO2)
• Compare the characteristics of different forms of scientific reasoning (Module 2) (LO3)
• Evaluate scientific claims, by reconstructing and assessing the underlying scientific arguments (Module 2) (LO4)
• Explain the concept of intellectual virtues. (Module 3) (LO5)
• Develop intellectual humility and intellectual justice in the context of AI. (Module 3) (LO6)
• Implement virtuous thinking when faced with AI content. (Module 3) (LO7)
• Analyze human- and machine-generated content and evaluate it for the presence of bullshit. (Module 4) (LO8)

• Open access scientific articles and online open educational materials