Can you introduce yourself?
Sure. I’m Kevin deLaplante. I’m currently Chair of the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Iowa State University, where I’ve been since 1999.
Over the years I’ve taught courses in logic and scientific reasoning, philosophy of science, philosophy of physics, philosophy of ecology, and ethics.
Where did you go to school?
My undergraduate degree was in physics, from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario. By the third year of that program I knew I was interested in studying the philosophy of science at the graduate level, and I completed a PhD in philosophy from the University of Western Ontario in 1998.
I did a lot of work in the philosophy of physics as a graduate student, but my doctoral research was on the philosophy of ecology and environmental philosophy, and that’s been my main area of published research. I also work on conceptual issues in the sciences of complexity.
Where did the idea for the Critical Thinker Academy come from?
Almost every year for the past 14 years I’ve taught an introductory course in critical thinking and scientific reasoning.
I’ve always thought it a shame that so few students are ever exposed to this material, given how basic and important critical thinking is not just for philosophers and students, but for everyone, in all aspects of life. The basics of logic, argument analysis and essay writing should be taught in high school, but they’re not. And there are lots of college and university programs that allow students to graduate without doing much writing or analytical problem-solving. These are skills that employers say are in short supply, and if you work in higher education you know first-hand how poorly prepared many of our students are for success in college and the work force.
My students were actually the first to encourage me to develop this material for the web and make it available to a wider audience. The current site grew out of earlier efforts to develop an online resource for my students.
Who uses this site?
A lot of different kinds of people. In some ways it’s a niche audience, in other ways it’s the opposite of a niche audience, since an interest in critical thinking can come from so many directions.
Members of the site have included, among others:
- students of various kinds (high school, pre-law and law students, philosophy and science majors, grad students from various disciplines, mature students, homeschooling students, etc.)
- academics and educators (philosophy and critical thinking instructors, rhetoric and communication instructors, debate coaches, etc.)
- people with interests in argumentation around specific topics (Christian apologetics, science and pseudoscience, cognitive biases and persuasion, etc.)
- people working in business and management
- people with an interest in critical thinking in relation to politics and the media
How does The Critical Thinker Podcast relate to the The Critical Thinker Academy?
The podcast is a way of reaching a larger audience, and it gives me an opportunity to talk about broader issues related to critical thinking, like what it means to take ownership and responsibility for one’s beliefs and values, and what sorts of skills and background knowledge we need to cultivate to be more effective critical thinkers. It also provides an incentive for me sort through my own thoughts on these issues.
People can enjoy the podcast by itself, but I’ve always considered it as an extension and commentary on the material I cover (and plan to cover) in the Academy.
What’s your ultimate motivation for all this?
This is the most satisfying thing I’ve ever done by a long shot. I love teaching and learning new things. Producing tutorials for the Academy has given me an excuse to learn and master concepts that I would never have had the opportunity to otherwise. The list of tutorial courses that I want to cover is much longer than what I’ve accomplished to date. It’s exciting for me to imagine what the site might look like in a couple of years.
I also love interacting with people who share the same commitments and concerns. The podcast and YouTube have brought me into contact with people from all over the world, and that’s been very satisfying.
It also helps that I think this material is genuinely important. I’d be very happy if I thought that the podcast or the Academy had helped some people to claim a greater degree of ownership over their beliefs and values, to empower them to be more effective spokespersons for the causes that they really care about, and maybe to raise the level of public discourse on important issues just a little. That’s very presumptuous, I know, but it’s something to aim for.
Would you do this full time if you could?
I would. I’d like to make the Academy much bigger than it is, and I’d like to devote more time to public engagement on critical thinking issues. My goal is to build the Academy to the point that revenue from the site can replace my current income. This is good news for members because it gives me lots of incentive to add new content on a regular basis, and create products that address real needs.
