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PHIL 4. Critical Thinking. Study of the basic skills of good reasoning needed for an intelligent and responsible 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 environment for students to sharpen three critical abilities: Clear thinking, cogent writing, and effective speaking. We 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. How do we accomplish this? The course teaches appx. 6 weeks of basic logic, 3 weeks of fallacy analysis, and 6 weeks of inductive reasoning, esp. scientific reasoning. Discussions and quizzes are designed for students to exercise critical thinking skills, evaluate their understanding, and also earn points.
1. Digital text: We use 5 chapters from A Concise Introduction to Logic, by Patrick Hurley, 11/e (2012). Only chapters 1, 3, 9, 10, 13 from this edition will suffice. There is no need to buy a paper copy of the text, it is expensive and many cheap copies have missing chapters. Rent the digital version of it for 180-days from RedShelf.com.
2. Learning Modules, recorded Lectures and other required material beyond the assigned text are all within Canvas or online. These are arranged around the five chapters we use form the course text. Lectures etc. occur from within each of these. You may START WITH THE LINK BELOW to access online content in Canvas:
- LINK: csus.instructure.com - Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) entry page via My Sac State
3. Visit the Blog page where I post weekly commentary on course material and assignments. Find a link to the Blog within each Learning Module in Canvas. It is required reading.
This course is delivered fully online using Canvas, the campus learning management system. Online activities include: Discussions, pre-recorded YouTube Lectures, quizzes, short videos, handouts, a weblog, and email. To access course material students need a reliable internet connection and web browser, and their official campus SacLink account. There are no Zoom meetings, all lectures, discussions and quizzes occur via Canvas.
Each week there are THREE tasks students must complete within Canvas Learning Modules, as listed on the Schedule below. Here is how it goes:
BEGIN the course by watching Prof. Merlino's INTRO to the Course Syllabus video and his Lecture 1 video for Weeks 1 and 2 posted within the first module in Canvas. There will be a video lecture appx. every other week. Starting in the second week of the course, after reviewing student quiz results or any other questions, I will discuss specific examples from the homework and quizzes in discussions and lectures.
Tutorials for Canvas. Each short video introduces components of the course that we use.
USE the Schedule on the Syllabus (below) to see what is due for each week. I post reminders and other relevant information under ANNOUNCEMENTS in Canvas, so check these every week.
Important: This syllabus, along with course policies, assignments and due dates, is subject to change. Don't print it, instead use this online version as a reference. Any changes will be clearly noted in course announcements via Canvas or by email.
See the Schedule below. New Lectures will appear every other week or so within Canvas, excepting holiday breaks and Finals weeks. Each scheduled quiz or discussion is not available until it is visible and open in Canvas. Notice that the Final Exam is also an online quiz, however, it is worth more than all of the other quizzes and is only open during Finals week.
| wk | date | reading to complete before discussion | events | practice exercises & other things to do |
| 1 | Jan 24 | Ch. 1.1: Arguments, Premises, Conclusions |
Two videos:
Intro to the Course Syllabus, and Module 1, Discussion 1 opens |
Ch. 1.1 in the Hurley text: Part I: 1-30, Part II: 1-10, Part IV: T or F |
| 2 | Jan 31 | Ch. 1.2: Recognizing Arguments and Explanations |
Module 1, Discussion 2 opens, 1 closes Canvas Quiz 1 opens
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Ch. 1.2: Part I: 1-35, Part II: 1-10, Part III: 1-10, Part V: T or F
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| 3 | Feb 7 | Ch. 1.3: Deduction and Induction | Lecture 2 Module 1, Discussion 2 closes | Ch. 1.3: Part I: 1-30, Part III: T or F |
| 4 | Feb 14 | Ch. 1.4: Validity, Truth, Soundness, Strength, Cogency |
Module 1, Discussion 3 opens Canvas Quiz 2 opens
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Ch. 1.4: Part I: 1-15, Part II: 1-15, Part III: 1-20, Part V: T or F |
| 5 | Feb 21 | Ch. 1.5: Argument Forms: Proving Invalidity | Lecture 3 Module 1, Discussion 3 closes |
Ch. 1.5: Part I: 1-10, Part II: 1-10 |
| 6 | Feb 28 | The Counterexample Method and Chs. 3.1: Fallacies in General |
Module 2, Discussion 4 opens Canvas Quiz 3 opens
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Ch. 3.1: 1-10
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| 7 | Mar 7 | Chs. 3.2 to 3.5: Fallacies of Relevance, Presumption, and Ambiguity | Lecture 4 Module 2, Discussion 4 closes | Ch. 3.2: 1-25 |
| 8 | Mar 14 | Ch. 3: Fallacies (continued) |
Module 2, Discussion 5 opens Canvas Quiz 4 opens
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| 9 | Mar 21 | SPRING BREAK |
Discussion 5 closes |
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| 10 | Mar 28 | Ch. 9.1: Analogical Reasoning | Lecture 5 Module 3, Discussion 6 opens |
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| 11 | Apr 4 | Ch. 9.2 and 9.3: Legal and Moral Reasoning |
Module 3, Discussion 6 closes Canvas Quiz 5 opens
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Ch. 9: All exercises at the end of the chapter |
| 12 | Apr 11 | Ch. 10: Causality and Mill's Methods |
Lecture 6 Module 4, Discussion 7 opens | Ch. 10: Part I: 1-10, Part II: 1-15, Part III: 1-5
Videos |
| 13 | Apr 18 | Ch. 10: Causality and Mill's Methods (cont.) |
Module 4, Discussion 7 closes Canvas quiz 6 opens
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Ch. 10: Part I: 1-10, Part II: 1-15, Part III: 1-5 (cont.) Videos |
| 14 | Apr 25 |
Chs. 10 and 13: Causality and Scientific Reasoning |
Lecture 7 Module 4, Discussion 8 opens | Video |
| 15 | May 2 | Ch. 13: Scientific Reasoning |
Module 4, Discussion 8 closes Canvas quiz 7 opens
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Ch. 13: Part I: 1-10 Video |
| 16 | May 9 | Ch. 13: Scientific Reasoning (cont.) |
| Ch. 13: Part IV: All T or F questions |
| FINALS | Finals Week | - no instruction, no discussions, no office hours | Final Exam in Canvas |
official final exam availability:
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When is assigned work due? Readings and practice exercises should be completed by the time we have our online discussion each week, so I can answer any questions people might have. I do NOT collect or grade assigned practice exercises from the chapter, instead I want you to complete the specific exercises in your own notes, and then be prepared to discuss some of these during the discussions, either as prompted by me or in response to a student question. The point of the doing the exercises in the text is that they test your understanding and abilities, and you can check your work against the answer keys I post within the modules as well. Quizzes occur as listed on the Schedule above.
There are EIGHT QUIZZES and EIGHT DISCUSSIONS. Seven quizzes worth 25 points each plus the Final quiz worth 75 points. So there are a total of 250 possible points available by the end of the semester. You need to participate in at least 5 Discussions or you start to lose points. I deduct points from your total at the end of the semester for too many missed discussions (see details below).
About the online Canvas Quizzes. Each consists of multiple-choice questions, 1 point for each question except for the Final Quiz where each question is worth 3 points. With the exception of the Final, open only during Finals Week, all other quizzes open on Mondays and close TWO WEEKS later. Each tests your understanding of material presented from the first week of class up until the week that test opens, e.g., the first quiz in Week 2 covers Chapters 1.1 and 1.2 and all homework assigned within those chapters, including the True or False questions in the text exercises. For each quiz, you will have 5 attempts, and only the HIGHEST score earned counts toward your grade for that quiz. Quizzes enable us to evaluate your understanding, practice critical thinking skills, and earn points for successful efforts.
About our online Canvas Discussions. FIND these in Canvas under Discussions. These are not graded, however, participation is mandatory, missing 4 or more reduces your total score at the end of the course. Each discussion features a logic exercise or target video or article, wherein students apply skills and concepts from course material. I solicit your thoughts about issues by asking you to answer specific questions. Your responses must occur within a Discussion post, no email responses accepted, this is so that people may comment on each other's contributions and that we may all benefit from this public interaction in a virtual forum. Before you are able to see the replies of other discussants, you must post substantial content that answers the questions posed in the prompt. Students posting blank or partial first responses receive zero credit, so make that first post count!
How does one succeed in this course? At least every week, look at the Schedule on this Syllabus and view whatever material I describe within the row for that week. With the exception of the course texts, find material within Canvas Modules. New material will appear sequentially, work down each list within the open module. Try and keep up, but if you get behind, be sure to review what you have missed before proceeding. Pace yourself, there is no more or less content than an ordinary face-to-face course. Our current all online format can appear overwhelming if you try to consume too much at one go. Pay attention to deadlines for each assignment (quiz or discussion), once these pass, you cannot make-up or re-do the work missed. Also, participate thoughtfully in our semi-live discussions in Canvas.
How do I determine your overall course grade? Grades are NOT based on averages or percentages, grades are based on TOTAL points earned. At the end of the semester I add all of the points you earn, subtract any points for non-attendance in Discussions, then assign the final letter-grade based on my grading scale
(below, on this page). For instance, if you earn a total of 158 points, then this corresponds to a C minus on my grading scale. Therefore, you earn a C minus for the course. Since my grading scale is generous and rounding introduces
error, I will not round scores up or down.
GRADING POLICY in the time of COVID-19. In general, students cannot re-take or make up any assignment after deadlines pass, absolutely, no exceptions, since I release and discuss answers. However, in documented cases of serious injury or illness (e.g. confirmed coronavirus infection), grades will be adjusted to accommodate hardship. Each case is different, we can work it out but you must contact me ASAP. There is no extra credit, extra credit is extra work, we don't have time or resources for more work. Everyone must be treated equitably: I will not do for one person what I cannot do for everyone. Also, there are plenty of points available so that you can miss a quiz and still do well in the course, but you can't miss a quiz and still earn an A.
Grade thresholds are as follows: The number on the left is the total number of points at the end of the course which corresponds to to the letter-grade on the right.
Total points determines Course Letter-Grade
225+ = A
214-224 = A -
203-213 = B +
192-202 = B
181-191 = B -
170-180 = C +
159-169 = C
148-158 = C -
137-147 = D +
126-136 = D
115-125 = D -
less than 115 = F
General knowledge and skills developed 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
Specific objectives: 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 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
Services for Students with Disability (SSWD) Sacramento State is committed to ensuring an accessible learning environment where course or instructional content are usable by all students and faculty. If you believe that you require disability-related academic adjustments for this class, please immediately contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSWD) to discuss eligibility. A current accommodation letter from SSWD is required before any modifications, above and beyond what is otherwise available for all other students in this class will be provided.
Student Health and Counseling Services Your physical and mental health are important to your success as a college student. Student Health and Counseling Services (SHCS) in The WELL offers medical, counseling, and wellness services to help you get and stay healthy during your time at Sac State. SHCS offers: Primary Care medical services, including sexual and reproductive healthcare, transgender care, and immunizations; urgent care for acute illness, injuries, and urgent counseling needs; pharmacy for prescriptions and over-the-counter products; mental health counseling, including individual sessions, group counseling, support groups, mindfulness training, and peer counseling; athletic training for sports injury rehabilitation; wellness services, including nutrition counseling, peerled health education and wellness workshops, and free safer sex supplies; violence and sexual assault support services. Most services are covered by the Health Services fee and available at no additional cost.
Crisis Assistance & Resource Education Support (CARES) If you are experiencing challenges with food, housing, financial or other unique circumstances that are impacting your education, help is just a phone call or email away. The CARES office provides case management support for any enrolled student.
Review all academic responsibilities, definitions, sanctions and rights described here. Student sharing or copying answers on tests is cheating, which is dishonest and violates campus codes of conduct. See especially the definitions of Cheating and Plagiarism in section IV.
Plagiarism is a serious academic offence and will not be tolerated in this class. Always use quotation marks and a footnote citation to indicate sentences or passages you borrow from another author. Assignments in which cheating or plagiarism is found will be assigned a failing grade. ALL incidents of either will be reported both to the Department Chair and to the Judicial Officer in the Office of Student Affairs for possible further administrative sanction.