REAS=
ONING
AND CRITICAL THINKING (Phil 206)
Fall 2008
“Are we to be content to accept the bare
statements of others or of ourselves without asking any questions? Or must =
we
examine the statements?”
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nbsp; &nbs=
p; Plato’s
Euthyphro
Professor: Dr. Willia=
ms
Office:
Office Phone: 597-490=
7
Office Hours: Tuesday=
and
Thursday 2:20-3:30; Wednesday 1:30-2:30 or by appt.
Email: WilliamsNM@wof=
ford.edu
Class Location/Time: =
Course Description
The primary aim in th=
is
course is to develop your capacity to critically examine both your own and
other’s beliefs. We are surrounded by countless opinions, political
statements, advertisements, and conflicting normative claims. People are al=
ways
trying to convince you of something. Whether or not you agree with them is =
your
choice. However, is your choice adequately justified? This is what we will
examine here.
Although we will spen=
d most
of our class time going over homework assignments, there will be some small=
-group
exercises. The purpose of these activities is to help you cultivate clear,
disciplined, and independent thinking. It will also improve your ability to
read, write, and speak clearly about controversial subjects. Thinking
critically can even improve your performance on graduate and professional
entrance exams.
Required Text/Readings
●Critical Thinking by Brooke Noel Moore and Richard Parker, 8=
th
edition, McGraw Hill, 2007.
●E-Reserve mate=
rial
Learning Objectives
By the end of the cou=
rse,
students are expected to:
●identify argum=
ents and
their parts (premises and conclusions);
●identify rheto=
rical
devices;
●identify common
fallacies;
●understand the=
logical
structure of deductive, inductive, analogical and causal arguments.
Methods of Evaluation
●Exams: There a=
re three
exams in this class. All exams, including the comprehensive final, will have
questions similar to those in our textbook.
●Quiz on valid =
argument
patterns
●Homework: Assi=
gnments
will be given in class. It is your responsibility to get homework assignmen=
ts
if you miss class. On occasion, I will collect homework to check that they =
are
done and answer any queries you put on them. Students who turn in completed=
assignments
will receive full credit (10 pts.). Incomplete assignments will receive par=
tial
credit (5 pts.). A zero (0) will be awarded if nothing (or next to nothing)=
is
turned in. In-class writing exercises will also count toward this category.=
Distribution of Graded Work
●3 exams at 25%=
each
●Quiz on valid =
argument
patterns: 15%
●Homework/in-cl=
ass
exercises: 10%
Grading Scale (percentage)
A =3D100-94; A- =3D 9=
3-90; B+ =3D
89-87; B =3D86-84; B- =3D83-80; C+ =3D 79-77; C =3D76-74; C- =3D73-70; D =
=3D69-60; F =3Dbelow
60
Preparedness and Participation
Critical thinking can=
not be
crammed, memorized, or improvised. As with many other skills, the skills ne=
eded
to think critically must be practiced on a regular basis. Thus, completing =
the
assigned exercises in a timely manner is an integral part of the course and=
a
key component for earning a high grade. When I call on you to answer a home=
work
exercise question you should be fully prepared to offer a thoughtful respon=
se.
With a certain amount of dedication on your part, this course should be int=
eresting,
broadening, useful and even fun. If you are working hard and still having
trouble with the material, please make an appointment with me outside of cl=
ass.
The process of learning to think critically can be difficult, but I am here=
to
help you succeed.
All work is due at th=
e beginning
of class. If you are absent on a day I collect homework exercises you ca=
nnot
make up the work. If you know in advance that you will not be attending
class when an exam is scheduled you must see me as soon as possible so that=
we
can make arrangements for a make up exam. If I don’t hear from you by=
the
next class period you will have forfeited the exam.
Attendance is require=
d in this
class. You are allowed TWO absences with no grade reduction, thereafter two
points off your final grade for every absence. I will record attendance at
every class meeting. You are required to arrive at class on time and remain=
for
the entire period in order to be counted as present. Excessive tardiness may
result in a lower grade.
Academic dishonesty w=
ill be
handed in accordance to Wofford’s honor code, which can be found at
http://www.wofford.edu/studentlife/honor_code.pdf .
If you have a disabil=
ity that
requires my attention please let me know as soon as possible so that I may
accommodate you.
COURSE SCHEDULE*
Week 1 – Sept. 1-3-5
Introduction
Chapter 1: Critical T=
hinking
Basics
Week 2 – Sept. 8-10-12
Chapter 2: Clear Thin=
king,
Critical Thinking, and Clear Writing
Week 3 – Sept. 15-17-19
Chapter 2
Chapter 3: Credibilit=
y
Week 4 – Sept. 22-24-26
Exam #1
Chapter 7: The Anatom=
y and
Varieties of Arguments
Week 5 – Sept. 29-Oct. 1-3
Valid Argument Patter=
ns
Quiz=
on
valid argument patterns
Week 6 – Oct. 6-8-10
Chapter 4: Persuasion=
through
Rhetoric
Week 7 – Oct. 13-15-17
Chapter 5: More Rheto=
rical
Devices
Week 8– Oct. 20-22-24
Fall academic holiday
(Friday, Oct. 24)
Week 9 – Oct. 27-29-31
Chapter 6/Review
Exam #2
Week 10 – Nov. 3-5-7
Chapter 10: Inductive=
and
Analogical Arguments
Evaluating arguments =
from
analogy: handout exercises 11.6 and 11.9
Week 11 – Nov. 10-12-14
E-Reserve: Judith Tho=
mson’s
“A Defense of Abortion” (questionnaire)
Student essay (analog=
ical
argument)
Chapter 12: Moral Rea=
soning
(pp. 419-432)
Week 12 – Nov. 17-19-21
Student essay (moral
reasoning) and peer-review exercise
Student essay (two fa=
llacies)
and peer-review exercise
Student essay (consid=
ering
objections) and peer-review exercise
Week 13 – Nov. 24
Writing good arguments
(student essay)
Week 14 – Dec. 1-3-5
Writing an editorial =
(How to
respond to an opinion piece in less than 150 words)
Final exam review
Exam 3
Comprehensive final e=
xam:
10:30 class---Monday, December 8 (9:00 am – noon)
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p; 11:30
class---Tuesday, December 9 (9:00 am – noon)