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Counterfactuals (July 5 - 11)

What if the South had won the Civil War? Noel Hendrickson (James Madison University) helps students consider questions about what might have been if the past had happened differently. Instead of taking possibilities to bizarre realms of science fiction, they use philosophy, social science and history knowledge to answer big hypothetical questions in realistic ways. Also featured: Lt. Col. Atin Basu (Virginia Military Institute) studies the relationship between ethnic tensions and terrorism. His statistical analysis reveals that ethnic tensions do not cause terrorism, but may be symptoms of economic desperation.

WGR News Feature: "What if" questions have long intrigued political scientists and historians.  Nancy King, with the radio program "With Good Reason," reports that some Virginia college students are getting a dose of "counter-factual reasoning" in their classroom. Listen to the two and a half minute feature.