phil76syllabus
PHIL 76 Syllabus
CRITICAL THINKING
Philosophy 76, section 70524
Spring 2013, Tuesdays 7:00-9:50 pm, room SS-101
Instructor: S.E.A. Hughes
Welcome to Critical Thinking. This course provides a set of tools to hammer out the dents in faulty reasoning. You will learn techniques for hammering out these dents so that your use of reason becomes smooth and shiny. These techniques include:
- distinguishing between facts and opinions
- evaluating and constructing valid arguments
- identifying informal fallacies
- using inductive and deductive arguments
- using categorical and propositional logic
- examining moral reasoning - both theoretical and applied
- applying the principles of formal reasoning to concrete decision-making situations
REQUIRED TEXT:
Critical Thinking (10th edition) by Brooke Noel Moore & Richard Parker
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Three one hour tests and a comprehensive final (100 points each).
2. A short argumentative essay (4-6 pages, 100 points) on an issue within one of the following topics of conversation: Abortion, Animal Rights, Autos and Highways, Capital Punishment, Education, Energy, Environment, Firearms, Food and Nutrition, Gay and Lesbian Issues, Genetics, Health & Medicine, Human Rights, Immigration, Pornography, Substance Abuse, and Women’s Issues. Topics will be narrowed later in the semester.
3. Five quizzes (20 points each, take-home or in-class).
4. No homework. However, you must PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
Grading Policy:
A+ = 600-580, A = 579-560, A- = 559-540, B+ = 539-520, B = 519-500, B- = 499-480,
C+ = 479-460, C = 459-420, D+ = 419-400, D = 399-380, D- = 379-360
ATTENDANCE AND CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:
Students who skip classes tend to earn the lowest grades. To excuse an absence, just notify me in advance. Please, do not disturb my lecture or your classmates by being late. No lateness allowed.
PLAGIARISM:
Plagiarism shall be punished according to the guidelines set forth by Chaffey College. Plagiarists will receive an F for the assignment.
Students with disabilities: If you require special accommodations, please inform me.
COURSE SCHEDULE (tentative):
January 15th - Chapter 1: What is Critical Thinking?
January 22nd - Chapter 2: Two Kinds of Reasoning, Quiz 1
January 29th - Chapter 3: Critical Thinking and Clear Writing
February 5th - Review, Test 1
February 12th - Chapter 4: Credibility
February 19th - Chapter 5: Persuasion Through Rhetoric
February 26th - Chapter 6: More Rhetorical Devices, Quiz 2
March 5th - Chapter 7: More Fallacies
March 12th - Chapter 7: More Fallacies, Quiz 3
March 19th - Spring Break
March 26th - Review, Test 2
April 2nd - Chapter 8: Deductive Arguments
April 9th - Chapter 8: Deductive Arguments
April 16th - Institutional/Flex Day - No classes held
April 23rd - Chapter 9: Truth-Functional Logic, Quiz 4
April 30th - Review, Test 3
May 7th - Chapter 10: Inductive Reasoning, Essay Due, Quiz 5
May 14th - Review, make-ups for excused absences
May 21st - Final Exam, 7:45-10:15 pm