phil76syllabus
CRITICAL THINKING Chaffey College – Rancho Campus
Philosophy 76, section 76703
Spring 2014, MW 7:00-10:30pm, Room SS-100
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):
March 24th - Chapter 1: What is Critical Thinking?
March 26th - Chapter 2: Two Kinds of Reasoning, Quiz 1
March 31st - Chapter 3: Critical Thinking and Clear Writing
April 2nd - Review, Test 1
April 7th - Chapter 4: Credibility
April 9th - Chapter 5: Persuasion Through Rhetoric, Quiz 2
April 14th - Chapter 6: More Rhetorical Devices, Quiz 3
Chapter 7: More Fallacies
April 16th - No Class - FLEX Day
April 21st - Review, Test 2
April 23rd - Chapter 8: Deductive Arguments
April 28th - Chapter 8: Deductive Arguments, Quiz 4
April 30th - Chapter 9: Truth-Functional Logic
May 5th - Review, Test 3
May 7th - Chapter 9: Truth-Functional Logic, Essay Due
May 12th - Chapter 10: Inductive Reasoning, Quiz 5, make-up day
May 14th - Final Exam, 7:00pm