SF-1176 What Is a Fact?
What makes a fact a fact? What makes a fact true? At one time, these questions were only asked by epistemologists and postmodernists, but with the rise of fake news and the discourses surrounding it, these questions are relevant to everyone. Understanding facts is also essential to college students, who must learn to use reliable sources in order to create credible work. In this class, we will examine works of literature, art, science, history and philosophy that interrogate how facts are created and how we determine their truth value. Texts will include podcasts, novels and articles. We will also utilize the resources of Boston and Suffolk University; we will visit a news agency and a local museum, and have a guest lecture from a Suffolk faculty member. By analyzing these texts, participating in these experiences, and completing a series of assignments that ask students to think critically and creatively, this class seeks to understand how we create facts, and why we need them.