Critical Thinking
Philosophy 2106
Instructor:
David Wisdo
E-Mail: wisdo_david@colstate.edu
Office:
207 University Hall
Phone:
(706) 507-8261
Office
Hours: TR:
9:00-10:30 Meeting:
TR11:00-12:15 CCT
406
TEXT: Frances Howard-Snyder, Daniel Howard-Snyder and Ryan Wasserman, The Power of Logic, 4th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009.
OBJECTIVES: When a person begins to reflect upon his or her beliefs about the world, he or she sometimes discovers that they amount to little more than disconnected opinions that are neither justified nor related to each other in a coherent fashion. The individual who wishes to deal with this situation in an intelligent and intellectually responsible fashion might desire to reflect on his or her beliefs in a systematic and thoughtful way. This course in critical thinking and informal logic is intended as a first step for those students whose goal is to development of those analytical skills necessary for the thoughtful evaluation of beliefs, arguments and theories.
REQUIREMENTS: It goes without saying that regular class attendance is expected of all students in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Columbus State University 2008-2009 Catalog. Throughout the semester, students will be expected to do the assigned readings and to complete homework assignments (TBA) taken from The Power of Logic Tutor, a website designed specifically for use with the text.
Grades will be based upon two in-class tests worth 25 points each, a Mid-Term Examination worth 25 points and a cumulative Final Examination worth 25 points, for a total of 100 points.
Two In-Class Tests: 50 points (25 points each)
Mid-Term Exam: 25 points
Final Exam: 25 points
TOTAL 100 points
The grading scale for the course will be as follows:
|
90-100 |
A |
|
80-89 |
B |
|
70-79 |
C |
|
60-69 |
D |
|
Below 60 |
F |
The schedule for the Final Examinations is listed on the CSU Academics web page.
ADA COMPLIANCE STATEMENT: Students with a documented disability as described by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (P.L. 933-112 Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are encouraged to contact Joy Norman at the Office of Disability Services, Tucker Hall, (706) 568-2330. Course requirements will not be waived, but reasonable accommodations and technical support may be made to assist in meeting course requirements.
WITHDRAWAL POLICY: Students who wish to drop a course after the last official day of schedule change must officially withdraw from the course. Students must withdraw using the Integrated Student Information System (ISIS) on the university's Web. Prior to the W grade deadline as published on the Web under Registration Information on the Class Schedules page, a grade of W will be assigned by the registrar unless a grade of WF has already been assigned by the registrar for excessive absences. A grade of WF will be assigned when a withdrawal form is received in the Office of the Registrar after the deadline. A student may appeal the assignment of a WF grade by submitting to the Office of the Registrar documentation of non-academic hardship. Refer to the Registration, Policies, and Services section on the Web under the Class Schedules page for specific dates and additional information regarding course withdrawal.
ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT: It is the responsibility of every student to understand and comply with the University policy outlined on pages 64-65 of the Columbus State University Student Handbook 2008-2009.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: In order to complete the course successfully, students will be expected to master and demonstrate competency in the following areas.
I. BASIC CONCEPTS
Students should be able to:
II. IDENTIFYING ARGUMENTS
Students should be able to:
III. LOGIC AND LANGUAGE
Students should be able to:
IV. INFORMAL FALLACIES
Students should be able to:
V. CATEGORICAL LOGIC: STATEMENTS
Students should be able to:
VI. CATEGORICAL LOGIC: SYLLOGISMS
Students should be able to:
VII. INDUCTION
Students should be able to:
I. BASIC CONCEPTS
Jan. 13: Validity & Soundness, section 1.1
Jan. 15: Forms and Validity, section 1.2
Jan. 20: Counterexamples and Invalidity, section 1.3
Jan. 22: Strength & Cogency, section 1.4
II. IDENTIFYING ARGUMENTS
Jan. 27: Arguments and Nonarguments, section 2.1
Jan. 29: Well-Crafted Arguments, section 2.2
Feb. 3: Argument Diagrams, section 2.3
Feb. 5: Test
III. LOGIC AND LANGUAGE
Feb. 10: Logic, Meaning and Emotive Force, section 3.1
Feb. 12: Definitions, section 3.2
Feb. 17: Using Definitions to Evaluate Arguments, section
3.3
IV. INFORMAL FALLACIES
Feb. 19: Fallacies of Irrelevance, section 4.1
Feb. 24: Fallacies Involving Ambiguity, section 4.2
Feb. 26: Fallacies Involving Unwarranted Premises, section 4.3
March 3: Review
March 5: MIDTERM EXAMINATION
March 9-15 SPRING BREAK
V. CATEGORICAL LOGIC: STATEMENTS
March 17: Standard Forms of Categorical Statements, section 5.1
March 19: The Traditional Square of Opposition, section 5.2
March 24: Further Immediate Inferences, section 5.3
VI. CATEGORICAL LOGIC: SYLLOGISMS
March 26: Standard Form, Mood, and Figure, section 6.1
March 31: Venn Diagrams and Categorical Statements, section 6.2
April 2: Venn Diagrams and Categorical Syllogisms, section 6.3
April 7: Venn Diagrams and Categorical Syllogisms, again
April 9: The Modern Square of Opposition, section 6.4
April 14: Test
VII. INDUCTION
April 16: Inductive and Deductive Logic: Contrasts and Clarifications, section 10.1
April 21: Arguments from Authority and Induction by Enumeration, section 10.2
April 23: Mill’s Methods and Scientific Reasoning, section 10.3
April 28: Arguments from Analogy, section 10.4
April 30: Review
FINAL EXAMINATION: Fri., May 8 at 10:30 am-12:30 pm
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