Syllabus
CRITICAL THINKING
Course Description
In this course bachelor students learn to practice rational, logically consistent, and clearly argued reasoning. The course trains students’ skills in analysis and argumentation. The students learn to recognize fallacies and biases.
Contact information
Instructor: Dr. Oleksandr Kulyk
Office: Gagarin ave, 72, 813
Email: prof.kulyk@gmail.com
Course Webpages: https://sites.google.com/site/kuliktexts/en/ct
Required texts
Moore, B.N. and Parker, R. (2009). Critical Thinking. California State University.
Chatfield, T. (2017). Critical Thinking. SAGE Publications Ltd.
Spangler, M.M. (1986). Logic. An Aristotelian Approach. University Press of America.
Aristotle, Topics.
Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• evaluate arguments;
• practice argued reasoning;
• recognize fallacies and biases.
Evaluation
Grades will be based on a 100-point scale distributed as follows:
Participation (20%) – 20 points
Essays (20%) – 20 points
Debates (20%) – 20 points
Exam (40%) – 40 points
Final grade
А 90–100 points
В 82–89 points
С 75–81 points
D 64–74 points
Е 60–63 points
F 0–59 points
Course Requirements
Participation
To participate is to come to class and regularly contribute to discussions throughout the semester. This includes discussions in class and with the instructor during office hours.
Essays
In the framework of this course students will write two essays. Students are asked to critique an assigned text based on a provided set of criteria. The criteria focus on the validity of the assertions made and their relevance and applicability.
Debates
Taking part in debates, students have to show their skills in critical thinking and logical arguing.
Exam
There will be a final exam in which students will respond to two questions about the material covered. The format will be an essay. Students are expected to demonstrate in their answers that they have thought about the issues in an informed, thoughtful, and articulate way.
Tentative Timeline
February
Lecture:
Introduction to Critical Thinking
Lecture:
The Claim and its Source
Seminar:
Fallacies Based on Emotions
Lecture:
Evaluating Arguments
March
Seminar:
Non Sequitur and Fallacies in Causal Explanations
Lecture:
Stereotypes and Cognitive Biases
Seminar:
Faulty Generalizations
Lecture:
Vagueness and Ambiguity
Seminar:
Decision Making
Lecture:
Argumentation Theory
April
Debates
Seminar:
The Law of Identity, the Law of Noncontradiction, and the Law of Excluded Middle
Seminar:
Principle of Sufficient Reason
Lecture:
Words and Concepts. Intension and Extension.
Seminar:
Definition and Classification
Lecture:
Judgment and Proposition
May
Lecture:
Deductive and Inductive Reasoning
Seminar:
Applying of Deductive and Inductive Reasoning
Lecture:
Analogical and Abductive Reasoning
Seminar:
Applying of Analogical and Abductive Reasoning
Lecture:
Categorical, Hypothetical, and Disjunctive Syllogisms
Seminar:
Applying of Categorical, Hypothetical, and Disjunctive Syllogisms
June
Debates
Consultation
Exam