PHIL 4: Critical Thinking syllabus (Spring 2013)
Schedule, following the text closely,
Part I - Informal Logic
Ch. 1: Basic Concepts. (weeks 1 - 5)
- 1.1: Arguments, Premises, and Conclusions
- 1.2: Recognizing Arguments
- 1.3: Deduction and Induction
- 1.4: Validity, Truth, Soundness, Strength, Cogency
- 1.5: Argument Forms: Proving Invalidity
Ch. 2: Language: Meaning and Definition. (week 6)
Ch. 3: Informal Fallacies. (weeks 7 - 10)
- Must Read: Prof. Brad Dowden's entry on Fallacies in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- MIDTERM in-class only (week 8) - Scantron form required
- March 25 - 31, 2013 Spring Recess (week 9)
Part III- Inductive Logic
Ch. 9: Analogies and Generalizations. (week 10)
Ch. 10: Causality and Mill's Methods.
Ch. 12: Statistical Reasoning.
Ch. 13: Hypothetical/Scientific Reasoning.
Ch. 14: Science and Superstition.
- FINAL in-class only (finals week) - Scantron form required
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Course Description
PHIL 4. Critical Thinking. Study of the basic skills of
good reasoning needed for the intelligent and responsible conduct of life.
Topics include: argument structure
and
identification, validity and strength of arguments, common fallacies of
reasoning, use and abuse of language in reasoning, principles of fair play
in argumentation. 3 units.
This course satisfies General Education Area A3 requirements: Critical Thinking (3 units). It provides an occasion for students
to sharpen three critical abilities: Clear thinking, cogent writing,
and effective speaking. We will study
and apply the basic skills of good reasoning essential for the intelligent
and responsible conduct of life. Students will be able to: (1) DETECT
errors of reasoning and show how the reasoning is in error; (2) ANALYZE
evidence and make appropriate inferences from that evidence; (3) EVALUATE
inferences and explanations made by others.
Writing requirement: In-class oral and written responses to prompts assessing conceptual understanding and critical thinking skills based on exercises from the course text occur frequently, so students must bring their text with them to class each meeting. These are for practice - responses will be assessed but not graded. Questions asked are just like the graded questions on the graded quizzes in SacCT.
Required course text: A
Concise Introduction to Logic (2012) by Patrick Hurley, 11/e - only this edition will suffice. Just get the paperback book, no ebook, no add-ons, access cards, or CDs required. You must bring the text to class, because we work on exercises in each chapter. You need a hardcopy of the text, you may not use any digital version of the text in the classroom (these are flawed).
- The text costs appx. $145 if new from an online source but shop around, you may rent it, or buy it used, there are lots of inexpensive books available - do not purchase digital versions, these are inadequate and incomplete.
Section meet times and official in-class Midterm and Final dates
- section 04 (30115) meets MW in Mariposa 1014 from 1:30 pm – 2:45 pm,
the midterm is Mon. 18 March, the final is Mon., 20 May from 12:45 pm – 2:45 pm
- section 06 (31134) meets TR in Mendocino 2009 from 9:00 am – 10:15 am,
the midterm is Tues. 19 March, the final is Tues., 21 May from 10:15 am – 12:15 pm
- section 09 (31054) meets TR in Douglas Hall 110 from 1:30 pm – 2:45 pm,
the midterm is Tues. 19 March, the final is Thurs., 23 May from 12:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Assignments, Grades and Attendance
- 14 quizzes total: 12 online, 1 in-class scantron midterm, and 1 in-class scantron final. The midterm and final require that you bring to class a scantron form #882. All online quizzes require that you use SacCT at www.csus.edu/sacct. Each online quiz will appear under Assessments in SacCT only when it is available.
- When are the quizzes? Click here for the official schedule for all quizzes in Spring 2013.
- Attendance is mandatory. You are absent if you are not present when I take roll or collect an exercise, so if you come to class late and miss roll or the in-class writing exercise, then you are marked absent. You get two free absences, so there are no excused absences. For each absence after two, expect a 10 point penalty.
- Penalties: 10 point deduction from your total points for each absence after two missed roll calls, and a 5 point deduction for each disruption of class, e.g. phone use or rude behavior
the grading scale
| |
how many |
point value of each |
max points |
| online quizzes |
12 |
13 |
156 |
| in-class midterm quiz |
1 |
100 |
100 |
| in-class final quiz |
1 |
100 |
100 |
| total points possible |
|
|
356 |
| total points needed |
< 180 |
180 |
190 |
200 |
210 |
220 |
230 |
240 |
250 |
260 |
270 |
280 |
| to earn this course grade |
F |
D - |
D |
D + |
C - |
C |
C + |
B - |
B |
B + |
A - |
A |
- There will be no special treatment. No one can take any quiz after it has closed. There is no extra work or credit offered and students cannot re-take or make-up any quiz, absolutely, no exceptions. There isn't time for this and it is unfair to treat people differently. There are plenty of points
available so that one can miss an online quiz and still do well in the course. See the FAQ section 1 for a fuller rationale.
- Students may NOT use phones, laptops, electronic tablets, or recording devices during
class meetings. They are unnecessary distractions and disrupt
the class. Why? Here is
my argument. Each use or disruption costs you a 10 point penalty.
- Please keep track of your own grades via SacCT - I don't
do grade checks, since you can do it for yourself. I never discuss quizzes or grades via email, you must visit me in my office. If you want to review any quiz withme, you may do so only after it is closed and only in my office, where we can review it together.
- How do I evaluate individual scores? For each graded effort you will receive a numerical
score which
corresponds to a letter-grade. Scores correspond
to letter-grades NOT percentages. See the FAQ section 3 for the number to letter-grade conversion scale I use when grading individual efforts
- How do I determine your overall course grade? There are 356 total points available. I add the scores you
earn on all of the quizzes, deduct any penalties, then assign the letter-grade based on my grading scale
(above). For instance, if you earn a total of 235 points on the quizzes but are absent from four meetings and thus lose 20 points (10 point penalty for each absence after two), the result is 215 which corresponds to a C- on my grading scale. Therefore, one receives a C- for the course. Since my grading scale is generous and rounding introduces
error, I will not round scores up or down.
- overall course grade
= total points earned minus penalties
General Learning Objectives for Critical Thinking
Knowledge and skills studied in this course include:
- Logical analysis and the identification and construction of arguments
- Understanding logical relations, in particular the relations between premises and conclusions
- Recognizing the more common forms of formal and informal fallacies
- Evaluating the relevance, validity, and strength of arguments
- Understanding the logical structure of deductive and inductive arguments
- Awareness of the abuses of language, including connotation, ambiguity, and definition.
- Recognizing arguments in a variety of contexts, including other disciplines as well as in public affairs
- Improve information competence: the ability to find out what
one needs to know in order to have a responsible position on an issue
- Acquiring an immunity to propaganda
- Developing not only the capacity but the disposition to use good reasoning in a variety of contexts
- Developing a sense of fairness and respect for opposing positions
At the end of the course the student should have the ability to:
- Locate the argument in a passage
- Detect errors of reasoning and describe how the reasoning is in error
- Engage in cogent and respectful discussion
- Analyze specific arguments for consistency and credibility
- Apply good reasoning to issues in professional and personal contexts
- Evaluate evidence and and make appropriate inferences from that evidence
- Determine what evidence is necessary and know how to find that evidence, if possible
- Evaluate evidence for relevance and determine the degree of support it provides
- Construct and defend arguments in support of or in opposition to particular propositions
If you have a disability and require accommodations, you need to provide
me with your offical documentation from SSWD, which is in Lassen Hall 1008, (916) 278-6955. Please discuss accommodation needs with
me ASAP during my office hours or by appt. early in the semester so that we may make a plan to help you out.
Review all academic responsibilities, definitions, sanctions and rights
described herein.