Tagged: critical thinking

anti-vaxxers in a measles epidemic: so many ways to be untruthful - BioBlog

Alison Campbell • Dec 02, 2019 •

“Anti-vaxers are a pro-death movement,” those comments from Dr Helen Petousis-Harris speaking about six more Measles related deaths in Samoa over the past twenty-four hours. “Anti-vaxers are a pro-death movement,” those comments from Dr Helen Petousis-Harris speaking about six more Measles related deaths in Samoa over the past twenty-four hours. The fight to vaccinate continues with the Nation’s health … Read More

Featured image: “Raw” water – an update

“Raw” water – an update - BioBlog

Alison Campbell • Apr 26, 2019 •

In January last year, I wrote about the US fad for “raw” water: water supposedly as nature intended it, free of any of the treatments used in municipal water supplies. Those promoting the stuff claim it’s ever so much better for you; given the prices they charge, it’s certainly good for their bank balances I’ve just come across a … Read More

Featured image: Human evolution and attention-grabbing headlines

Human evolution and attention-grabbing headlines - BioBlog

Alison Campbell • Jan 16, 2019 •

Every so often there’s a new story claiming that a study has overturned our understanding of human evolution. (Or something along those lines.) I’ve just come across another one**, & thought I’d write this post as a warning to year 13 biology students. As Carl Sagan once said, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence – something that’s lacking in this particular … Read More

Featured image: Preparing for scholarship: critical thinking

Preparing for scholarship: critical thinking - BioBlog

Alison Campbell • Jun 27, 2018 •

I met with a local biology teacher today to talk about setting up a Schol Bio preparation day in the Waikato, and we also discussed things like the need for critical thinking skills (in addition to a solid base of knowledge from students’ year 12 & year 13 studies and time spent in reading more widely around the subject). So … Read More

Featured image: Appeal to antiquity? Appeal to nature? Bingo!

Appeal to antiquity? Appeal to nature? Bingo! - BioBlog

Alison Campbell • Jun 13, 2018 •

I was idly skimming the Herald’s website when I came across an article with the headline “Is plant medicine really that effective?” Since the article appears to be in the nature of an advertorial, the answer is, it depends on who you ask. Unlike man-made chemical drugs that have been developed as novel medicines from the 19th century onwards, plant medicines … Read More

Featured image: Is there science in reflexology?

Is there science in reflexology? - BioBlog

Alison Campbell • Jun 06, 2018 •

I subscribe to the Tertiary Insight newsletter (a great way to keep up with news of what’s happening in the tertiary sector). Yesterday’s edition included a statement (& a link) about the NZQA’s decision to cancel the registration of the Aromaflex Academy. It seems that this Private Training Establishment (PTE) was placed under strict conditions in January 2018, & … Read More

Featured image: Could – & should – the moa be a goer again?

Could – & should – the moa be a goer again? - BioBlog

Alison Campbell • Jun 03, 2018 •

I’m starting to gear up for some Schol Bio preparation days in the regions (hi, Hawkes Bay! See you in 4 weeks!) and realised that I haven’t written anything specifically focused on those exams for a while. So I thought that putting something together would be a good way to spend a rather wet Sunday. At these days we usually … Read More

Featured image: Madonna teaches us a lesson in critical thinking

Madonna teaches us a lesson in critical thinking - Open Parachute

Ken Perrott • Jan 25, 2017 •

  Maybe just a small lesson – but an important one. We should always look at context and not cherry-pick that which confirms our bias. In particular, we shouldn’t simply repeat social media claims without doing a bit of fact-checking for ourselves. It’s an important lesson at the moment because there is a lot of this going on in the social … Read More