PHILOSOPHY 125: Critical Thinking Spring 2011 Section 5643 MW 9:30-10:45 Location: F-506 INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Ian Duckles Email: imduckles@gmail.com Office Hours: By Appointment TEXTBOOK: There are two texts required for this class:
COURSE DESCRIPTION: “Introduction to critical thinking with emphasis on analyzing and constructing both inductive and deductive arguments. Critical reasoning will be applied to a variety of situations such as making sound decisions, evaluating claims and assertions, avoiding fallacious reasoning, etc.” (Grossmont College Catalogue 2008-2009, p. 192). COURSE OBJECTIVE: Students will learn the basic elements of critical thinking with a particular focus on logical fallacies and then will learn to apply these tools to real world problems and issues. COURSE CALENDAR (topics and important dates included): Homework will be due daily and assignments will be announced in class. Do not be concerned if we fall ahead or behind on this schedule. The most important goal is that everyone understand the concepts and problems. This schedule is subject to change. All changes will be announced in class and posted on the course website. The schedule uses the following abbreviations:
Week 1: Introduction Monday, January 24: Introduction, (ISD 11-16) Week 2: Language January 31: Language (ISD 38-49) February 2: Syllogisms (ISD 49-54) Week 3: Language February 7: Formal Fallacies (ISD 55-58) February 9: Informal Fallacies (ISD 59-74)Homework: Find two arguments and determine is the argument deductive or inductive; Valid/Not Valid or Strong/Weak; Sound/not sound or Cogent/Not cogent Week 4: Language February 14: Informal Fallacies (ISD 74-85) Week 5: Language February 21: NO CLASS Week 6: Exam February 28: Review for Exam Week 7: Bullshit March 7: On Bullshit (OB 1-30) Week 8: Personal Experience March 14: Personal Experience (ISD 171-196) Week 9: Personal Experience March 21: Extra Day Week 10: Exam March 28: Review for Exam Week 11: Science April 4: Empirical Science (ISD 223-242) Week 12: Science April 11: Extra day April 13: Extra day Week 13: Spring Break!! April 18: NO CLASS!! Week 14: Media April 25: Introduction of Paper Topic; Watch Film in Class Week 15 May 2: Introduction (ISD 267-276), The Propaganda Model of Media (ISD 277-290) Week 16 May 9: Media Continued Week 17 May 16: Extra Day STUDENT EVALUATION: Grading: 20% Midterm Examination 1 20% Midterm Examination 2
A: 93-100 %
20% Final Examination 10% Final Paper Due Last Day of Class. Though this is only worth 10% of your grade failure to complete this assignment of the associated pre-writing will result in an F in the course. 10% Homework. Homework will be due at the start of the class for which it is assigned. I will not accept late assignments. 20% Pop Quizzes. These will be given at the start of class, they cannot be made up if missed. A-: 90-92 % B+: 88-89 % B: 83-87 % B-: 80-82 % C+: 78-79 % C: 70-77 % D: 60-69 % F: <60 % ACADEMIC POLICIES Student Responsibility to Drop/Withdraw: It is the student’s responsibility to officially add, drop, or withdraw from the course stated in the class schedule. Failure to do so can result in a failing grade. Class Attendance: A student may be disenrolled from the course after two absences; however, a student will be disenrolled from the course after eight absences without exception. (This count will begin at the first session of Week 3.) ATTENDANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS PARTICULAR COURSE. Tardiness/Early Departure: If a student arrives unreasonably late or leaves early without notifying the instructor before the event, then that student will be considered absent for that class session. Professionalism: It is assumed that students will conduct themselves in a professional manner with a positive attitude. An open mind is one of the most important tools required for success in academia. If a student is negative and feels as is there is nothing of value to be gained by the college experience or this course, he or she will not do well in this course. Student Code of Ethics and Conduct: Students must abide by the Student Code of Conduct published in the Grossmont College Catalogue 2006-2007 24-25. Students who obstruct the instructor’s ability to convey knowledge, or disrupt their fellow students’ ability to learn, will be dealt with under the terms delineated in the Grossmont College Student Code of Conduct. Such dealings may include, but are not limited to, warnings, written reprimands, disciplinary probations, instructor-initiated suspensions, terminations of financial aid, short or long-term suspensions from campus, and temporary or permanent expulsions. These consequences are serious and can easily be avoided. Examples of disruptive activities that will not be tolerated are: repeated cell phone ringing, repeatedly falling asleep in class, excessive talking, texting, passing of notes, entering and leaving class several times during a session, verbal rudeness directed towards the instructor and/or other students, and non-verbal rudeness directed towards the instructor and/or other students. Finally, ACADEMIC DISHONESTY IS GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL FROM THE COURSE. If you are unsure of what academic dishonesty is, ask the instructor. This instructor is charged with maintaining a positive learning experience for all students in this course, and that responsibility is a serious one. Disruptive behaviors will not be tolerated in this course. TEN TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN THIS COURSE (Thanks to Professor June Yang):
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to notify the instructor and contact Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) early in the semester so that reasonable accommodations may be implemented as soon as possible. Students may contact DSPS in person in room A-113 or by phone at (619) 660-4239 (voice) or (619) 660-4386 (TTY for deaf) or online athttp://www.cuyamaca.edu/dsps/. |
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