What weapons do we have for fighting for the truth? It’s easy to agree with one notable British thinker about the urgency of taking on this task (listen). But in a time of post-truth and untruthtelling, it has turned out to be a surprisingly difficult, uphill battle. At times, one wonders if the battle can even be won, especially in democratic politics.
In considering this issue, we will encounter an age-old paradox. To defend the Truth, someone must play the role of the defender. Yet, who is to say that a particular individual, corporate entity, or political leader is equipped to act as the arbiter of Truth? Indeed, what is to prevent them from putting their own interests above the Truthseeking principles they claim to defend.
17. Tuesday, March 18
Tools and techniques for distinguishing fact from fiction, lies, disinformation, and bizarro conspiracy theories.
Today, I would like to address the possibility of designing effective tools for fact-checking in an era of Post-Truth, conspiracy theories, and artificial intelligence.
Assignment: In preparation for this class, I will divide our class into smaller groups and ask each group to identify two specific and workable tools for combatting lies and disinformation on social media. Each group must test these tools beforehand.
For background on the subject of Tools for Combating Disinformation:
Darrell M. West, “How to Combat Fake News and Disinformation.” Brookings, 18 Dec. 2017 READ A good general article about the need for combatting disinformation and the prospects and perils of doing so.
Checkpoint: A tool for identifying malicious Covid-related websites HERE
The new Twitter comes up with a new approach, Community Notes: HERE
See Musk’s new approach to fact-checking HERE
As you identify these and other tools, ask whether or how each could paradoxically end up promoting Untruth.
Another tool is persuasion. What does one need to do to persuade someone to change their mind? A good example here is the refusal of many people to get vaccines to combat Covid.
Adam Grant, “The Science of Dealing with Unreasonable People” PRINT AND READ
And then for a healthy, but unsettling dose of reality, read this scholarly study and ask yourself whether we have a realistic chance of successfully combatting real the appeal of “fake news”:
Oscar Barrera, Sergei Guriev, Henry Emeric, and Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, “Facts, alternative facts, and fact checking in times of post-truth politics”: READ the abstract and parts I and V AND TAKE NOTES
18. Thursday, March 20
Class visit by Kaitlin Sullivan (’10), Content Manager, Facebook/Meta
Kaitlin majored in Political Science (just like you) and she got a good job: WATCH HERE
Meta’s new policy: “More Speech and Fewer Mistakes”
Mark Zuckerberg announces the change: WATCH THE VIDEO AND TAKE NOTES and PRINT THE TEXT: HERE
As of 2018, “Here’s What Facebook Won’t Allow you to Publish” READ AND TAKE NOTES
Have these standards changed? I don’t know, but Kaitlin will.
GrEat Journalists as Protectors of Democracy
19. Tuesday, March 25
Journalists vs. Community Standards
Two questions:
How should we maximize our opportunities and determination to pursue the truth (or, as Kant would say–and Ressa would agree–“Dare to Know!”) in a time of supposedly increasing freedom?
Assignments
Will news journalists, like Tim Russert and Bob Costa, continue to be go-to sources of truth-telling? Or will they be replaced by truth-telling alternatives like “X’s” and Facebook’s seemingly Deweyesque “Community Notes”?
Meta: “Community Notes.” Sections on Writing, Rating, and Publishing Notes” PRINT AND READ
“Meta Implements First Elements of Community Notes” PRINT AND READ
RE-READ/RE-VIEW and TAKE LOTS OF NOTES ABOUT ZUCKERBERG’S announcement and Meta’s new policy: “More Speech and Fewer Mistakes”
Mark Zuckerberg announces the change: WATCH THE VIDEO AND TAKE NOTES and PRINT THE TEXT: HERE
As of 2018, “Here’s What Facebook Won’t Allow you to Publish” READ AND TAKE NOTES
Will journalists go the way of dinosaurs?
“On Reporting and Politics — Bob Costa” READ, PRINT, LISTEN
For background on Bob’s visit, please read the following interview with Tim Russert was one of America’s greatest reporters and political interviewers. This interview will give you a good idea of his approach to truth-seeking: READ AND TAKE NOTES
Russert’s last public address was at Notre Dame. See his Notre Dame 2002 commencement speech HERE
BEGIN NOW: THE GREAT WIKIPEDIA PROJECT
GUIDELINES
20. Thursday, March 27
The Second Great Debate!
Meta’s use of Community Notes is not only an effective way to minimize the bias that runs rampant through American journalism. This people-first approach tro truth-telling will also do more to promote free democratic citizenship than we could ever expect from people like Tim Russert and Bob Costa.
21. Tuesday, April I
We will have a class visit (by Zoom) with one of my former students, Robert (Bob) Costa (’08), who is then chief Washington analyst for CBS News, author of Peril (with Bob Woodward), and former host of PBS Washington Week
A recent interview with Bob, on Trump, Biden, the Eagles, and bagels HERE
22. Thursday, April 3
This session will focus on what it means to be a good journalist and to live up to the obligation to pursue the truth.
Re-read these assignments:
“On Reporting and Politics — Bob Costa” READ, PRINT, LISTEN
Interview with Tim Russert: READ AND TAKE NOTES
Russert’s last public address was at Notre Dame. See his Notre Dame 2002 commencement speech HERE
Interview with Bob Costa3, on Trump, Biden, the Eagles, and bagels HERE
New Readings from the Irish Rover and The Observer:
Abby Strelow, “Institute for Irish Studies Hosts Pro-Abortion Author,” Irish Rover: PRINT AND READ
Abby Strelow, “Gender Studies Screens My So-called Selfish Life,” Irish Rover: READ AND PRINT
Maureen Schweninger, “Letter to the Editor: On Catholic Bridgebuilding and Living in Solidarity,” The Observer PRINT AND READ
Your second essay question IS HERE
23. Tuesday, April 8
NO CLASS
24. Thursday, April 10
Let’s Chat–GPT! Or, maybe not.
OpenAI Read its Charter PRINT AND READ
Noam Chomsky,” The False Promise of Chat GPT” PRINT AND READ
Jacob Shapiro and Chris Mattmann, “AI is coming for the past, too” PRINT AND READ
“Researchers Show how AI Tools can be Tuned to Reflect Specific Political Ideologies” READ AND PRINT
How is Notre Dame doing with its policy on Generative AI and Academic Integrity? PRINT AND READ
Short Assignment: Make ChatGPT or a similar AI device give you the wrong answer to a question and, after accomplishing this goal, see if you can make it give you a correct answer.
24. Tuesday, April 15.
TWO EVENTS: CLASS AND FILM
First Event: Discussion
John Dewey Revisited. Public Engagement as a solution
THE GREAT WIKIPEDIA PROJECT
In this session, we will have four group presentations about the Wikipedia sites you have been following and editing.
Second Event:
Film and Pizza Dinner
“The Lives of Others”
We will have dinner at 6:00 and then begin the film at 6:30. I will announce the location later.
25. Thursday, April 17
TBA