Archaeology and Pseudo-Archaeology

Pre-requisites: For archaeology students; to have passes core subject Introduction to Studying Archaeology. It is also necessary to speak English.

Course objectives: The goal of this course is to develop a critical skepticism and a scientific point of view in students. This entails, reviewing facts and sources, forming and testing hypothesis as well as recognizing the difference between scientific and non-scientific explanations

Course description: The elective course Archaeology and Pseudo-Archaeology is intended for the 3rd year students of archaeology. Archaeology, as an attractive science, has always been a favorite ground for different kinds of “Mystery Buffs”, ranging from gifted amateurs, across skilful publicists to charlatans of varied profiles and motives. The course covers the basics of epistemology and the scientific method in general, as well as the specific relation between science and pseudo-science in archaeology and related disciplines. Basic topics in which archaeology comes into contact with pseudo science will be studied during this course. For example: the question of evolutionism verses creationism, the human evolution, great geographic discoveries, “lost” continents, “ancient astronauts”, dowsing and geomantics, deciphering writing, also the ever present and potentially dangerous myth of the “oldest people”. These topics will be covered using a variety of examples and critically analyzed using the basic scientific methodology.

Learning Outcomes: Essay and oral examination

Archaeology and Pseudo-Archaeology

Pre-requisites: For archaeology students; to have passes core subject Introduction to Studying Archaeology. It is also necessary to speak English.

Course objectives: The goal of this course is to develop a critical skepticism and a scientific point of view in students. This entails, reviewing facts and sources, forming and testing hypothesis as well as recognizing the difference between scientific and non-scientific explanations

Course description: The elective course Archaeology and Pseudo-Archaeology is intended for the 3rd year students of archaeology. Archaeology, as an attractive science, has always been a favorite ground for different kinds of “Mystery Buffs”, ranging from gifted amateurs, across skilful publicists to charlatans of varied profiles and motives. The course covers the basics of epistemology and the scientific method in general, as well as the specific relation between science and pseudo-science in archaeology and related disciplines. Basic topics in which archaeology comes into contact with pseudo science will be studied during this course. For example: the question of evolutionism verses creationism, the human evolution, great geographic discoveries, “lost” continents, “ancient astronauts”, dowsing and geomantics, deciphering writing, also the ever present and potentially dangerous myth of the “oldest people”. These topics will be covered using a variety of examples and critically analyzed using the basic scientific methodology.

Learning Outcomes: Essay and oral examination

Literature/Reading:

• Aleksandar Palavestra, Arheologija i pseudoarheologija (praktikum).
• Keneth Feder, Frauds, Myths and Mysteries, (Forurth edition), McGraw Hill, Mayfield, New York, 2002.
• Ben Goldejker, Loša nauka, Beograd 2012, uvod i poglavlja 1, 12, 13, 14.
• Moris Koen i Ernest Nejgel, Uvod u logiku i naučni metod, Beograd 2006, Poglavlje XIX Logičke greške, str. 384-399.
• Umberto Eko, Ur-fašizam (Večni fašizam), Umberto Eko, Spisi o moralu, Paidea, Beograd 1998.
• Aleksandar Palavestra, Izmišljanje tradicije: „vinčansko pismo«, Etnoantropološki problemi 5/2, 2010, 239-258.
• Ben Goldejker, Loša nauka, Beograd 2012, uvod i poglavlja 4, 5, 6, 11.
• Cole, J. 1980. Cult archaeology and unscientific method and theory. Advances in Archaeological Method and Theory 3: 1-33.
• Fagan, Garrett G, ed. 2006. Archaeological Fantasies: How Pseudoarchaeology Misrepresents the Past and Misleads the Public. London: Routledge.
• Sagan, Karl, Svijet progonjen demonima. Znanost kao svijeća u tami, Jesenski i Turk, Zagreb, 2000
• Milosavljević, M. i A. Palavestra 2017. Zloupotreba prirodnih nauka u (pseudo)arheologiji. Etnoantropološki problemi 12 (3), 825-851.