Think Again

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I mentioned that we got email, as Think Again began, saying the course would begin by defining what an argument is, and I embedded video of the Monty Python bit that came immediately to mind.

I was tickled when one of the first lectures sent us to that same skit.

This is the longer version:


The prof pointed out that the other offices in the skit offered things that are NOT arguments (though they are often mistaken for arguments).  "Hitting on the head" lessons.  Verbal abuse.  Complaints.

Gotta love a class that begins with Monty Python.............


In other Think Again notes -- it is apparently the most popular class ever offered at Coursera -- 160,000 students.  !!!!!

I am finding the material interesting, and much easier to absorb than Model Thinking.  No numbers, no calculations............  Think Again has about half as much content per week.  About one hour of lectures, in Think Again, as contrasted with two hours, in Model Thinking.  Think Again does have optional "go deeper into the concepts" lectures (which will not be included in any quizzes or exams).

Think Again has exercises after every lecture, so we can check that we have understood the content of that lecture.  I hadn't realized the exercises were there, so I did a bunch of exercises at once, after I understood they were there for us.

I accidentally began exercises for a lecture I hadn't heard, yet, and I was able to figure out the right answers to all the questions.  THAT was never happening in Model Thinking!

As you would guess, with 160,000 students, there is so much going on in the discussion fora that it is impossible to keep up.  (And the way Coursera organizes and presents it doesn't help.  There's no way to search within a thread, for example.....)  There's a lively thread on whether non-human animals can argue.  The formal definition for "argument" that the class is using requires use of language.  Given that definition, I believe that, at this point, we do not have evidence that non-humans can argue.  Not to say they can't but we can't demonstrate that they do.........

In another discussion thread, people talked a bit about other Coursera classes they've taken.  Modern Poetry was well-liked by everyone who spoke up, and I've heard good things about World Music, and a "design of everyday objects" class, too...............

This method of presentation-of-material is clearly a work in progress, but -- how cool to be in on the ground floor!

I urge you to check out the offerings and take a class.  It's free, and you can watch lectures without doing any of the quizzes or whatever..........  No risks.  Give it a try.  :-)


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