Be a Skeptic

The three men and various experts brought in for the television show "Deadliest Warrior," promote critical thinking through the comparisons of warriors from two different eras.


On the show, biomedical scientist Geoff Desmoulin, medical consultant Dr. Armand Dorian, and programmer Mag Geiger, use an evidence based approach to pit fighters against each other.  The Spike website explains their mission.

"Each week on Deadliest Warrior, a new episode will pit two of the most feared warriors civilization has ever known against each other. Along with the use of 21st century science and the latest in CGI technology, each episode enlists warrior-specific world-class fighters and experts to provide insight into what makes these combatants tick, analyzing every facet of their unique skills of destruction, culminating in a head-to-head final fight between two legends of the battlefield that will produce the deadliest warrior."

The purpose is to conclusively decide who would win in a fight between groups such as Ninjas vs Spartans, the Mafia vs Japanese Yakuza, or even Vampires vs Zombies.  They investigate the "who can beat up who" type questions that people sometimes ask.

During each episode, experts on each group are brought in.  These experts are usually made up of former members of each group or scholars who have spent time studying the group itself.  This can mean ex-Navy Seals, former Yakuza members, or highly trained martial artists with knowledge of Samurai tactics and weapons.  Each time, the experts demonstrate the use of the weapons on human-like dummies or pig carcasses (for their similarities to the human body).  The damage is then assessed by looking at depth of cuts, blunt trauma, and other various measurements (by Dr. Armand Dorian and Geoff Desmoulin) and placed in a custom made computer program (made by Max Geiger).  This program simulates what a fight might look like based on the data taken and determines a victor.

At the end of each show the simulated fight is acted out and shown to the viewer.  This allows the viewer to evaluate the teams use of statistics and tactical information.  Sometimes the viewer will find that they disagree with the outcome of the fight, causing deeper thought into what could have been different.  The show generates and promotes critical thinking throughout the show.

Vikings vs Samurai

Because "Deadliest Warrior" is presented on television, the process of gathering data about the warriors is shortened.  Instead of gathering data through strenuous and time-consuming research, the group gets their data by hiring outside help and condensing the fact-finding into a length more suitable for the show.  While this does make the show more interesting, it also cuts down on the time available for the viewer to scrutinize the teams data.  However, the show still promotes critical thinking, whether it be about the shows outcome, the use of the weapons, or the tactics represented.