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402-0181-01L 1 Credits DR D-ARCH , D-MAVT , D-INFK , D-MTEC , D-PHYS , D-BIOL , D-GESS , D-MATL , D-CHAB , D-BSSE , D-HEST , D-USYS

Critical Thinking and AI

Lecturers & Examiners: Prof. Dr. Titus Mangham-Neupert, Dr. Vira Bondar

Block course 6. November 2026 from 09:30 - 12:30 and 13.November 2026 from 09:30 - 12:30

VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-06-03 00:07:37

Abstract

The course covers the scientific method with an emphasis on critical thinking, linking it to the AI-driven paradigm shift. It introduces key AI terms and explores how AI can aid scientific discovery and speed workflows in quantitative fields, examining practical use cases, biases, and potential pitfalls.

Objective

Participants will be able to: - Explain the fundamentals of critical thinking and assess the role of AI tools within the sciences and their broader societal context. - Critically evaluate the integration of AI into the scientific method. - Demonstrate AI literacy in the responsible and effective use of AI tools.

Content

- Process and goals of critical thinking, and the idealized scientific method and workflows, including critiques of them - AI terminology - Functioning of key AI tools and their limitations - Possibilities for implementing AI tools in scientific research, including writing, editing, and coding - Ethical, legal, privacy, and safety aspects of AI - Environmental impacts of AI

Resources

Lecture Notes

Slides will be provided

Literature

Peter V. Coveney et al. Big data need big theory too, Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci (2016). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2016.0153 M. Fernández Pinto, Methodological and Cognitive Biases in Science: Issues for Current Research and Ways to Counteract Them, https://doi.org/10.1162/posc_a_00589 A. Vaswani et al. Attention Is All You Need, https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1706.03762 Further comprehensive literature will be provided at the start of the course.

General Information

Language: English
Levels: DR

Examination

Type: ungraded semester performance

Project-based

Registration & Places

Max Places: 25

Course Components

Type	Title	Time & Place	Hours
lecture with exercise	Critical Thinking and AI	No time listed	1 h weekly

Offered In

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