Department of English

Topic: The Rhetoric and Power of Numbers

This course will examine the way mathematics and statistics are talked about in shaping public policy and opinion. Specifically, we will look at the use of polling in national elections, statistics as justification for public policy related to environmental, social, and scientific policy, and public perceptions of STEM vs the humanities. Students will critically examine how numbers are used to justify certain actions and influence public culture by looking at the philosophy of mathematics and nature of knowledge, the philosophy of algorithms and artificial intelligence, and the communication of probability and risk. The course is recommended for students who wish to improve their communication skills that rely on data, as well as those who plan to pursue a career in science, public policy or advocacy that relies on mathematics and data aggregation to shape its findings.

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