Phil 125: Schedule and Syllabus

The date for Midterm 2 has been changed. Please see the schedule below.

PHILOSOPHY 125: Critical Thinking

Spring 2010
Section 5643  MW 9:30-10:45    Location: F-506

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Ian Duckles
                 Email: imduckles@gmail.com
        Office Hours: By Appointment

TEXTBOOK: Introduction to Logic, 13th Edition, Irving M. Copi & Carl Cohen, Pearson, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2009. (This text is required. We will use it daily in class.) You may use the 12th edition of the text.

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.
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 Week 1
 January 25
Syllabus, Policies, Introductions
  January 27                
Chapter 1: Basic Logical Concepts
    Have read: pp 4-36
Homework Due Monday February 2: Find an argument from the President's State of the Union Address. Bring that argument to class and identify the premises and the conclusion.
 Week 2
 February 1
Chapter 2: Analyzing Arguments.
    Have Read: pp. 37-70. 
Homework: Pages 39-40, #'s 4-10.
  February 3
Chapter 2: Analyzing Arguments Con’t.
    Have Read: pp. 37-70.
Homework: pp. 49-50 #'s 5-10. ( For users of the 12th ed. pp. 48-50 #'s 5-10)
 Week 3
 February 8
Diagramming Continued
Homework: pp. 58-59 #'s 2-4. (For users of the 12th ed. pp 56-57 #'s 1, 5, 10)
  February 10
Chapter 3: Language and Definitions
    Have Read: pp. 71-117
Homework: pp 73-74, Section A, #'s 1-10 (12th ed. pp 75-76, Section I, #'s 1-10)
Also find one example of each of the five types of definitions.
 Week 4
 February 15
NO CLASS. Enjoy the Holiday!
  February 17
Chapter 3: Language and Definitions Con’t.
    Have Read: pp. 71-117
Homework: Review the online study guide.
Page 111-12, Section B #'s 11-20.
Find one example of each of the 6 ways to define discussed in class.
 Week 5
 February 22
Midterm review
  February 24
FIRST MIDTERM (15% of Grade)
 Week 6
 March 1
Chapter 8: Symbolic Logic
    Have Read: 315-339
Homework: Pages 327-331; Section A #'s  6-10; Section B 1-10; Section D #'s 1-10.
  March 3
Chapter 8: Symbolic Logic Con’t.
    Have Read: 315-339
Homework (13th Edition): Pages 339-341: Section A #'s 11-25; Section C #'s 11-25.
Homework (12th Edition): Pages 329-331: Section I #'s 11-25; Section III #'s 11-25.
 Week 7
 March 8
Continue Symbolic Logic
Homework (13th Edition): Pages 339-341: Draw truth tables for Section C #'s 15-25.
Homework (12th Edition): Pages 329-331: Draw truth tables for Section III #'s 15-25.
  March 10       
Continue Symbolic Logic
Homework (13th Edition): Pages 355-56: Section B 1-10.
Homework (12th Edition): Page 344: Section II 1-10.
 Week 8
 March 15
Continue Symbolic Logic
    Have Read: 342-349
Homework (13th Edition): Pages 355-57: Section C 1-10 (SYMBOLIZE ONLY).
    Page 362: Section C, 16-20.
Homework (12th Edition): Page 344-46: Section III 1-10 (SYMBOLIZE ONLY).
    page 351: Section III, 16-20.
  March 17
Continue Symbolic Logic
    Have Read: 342-349
Homework (13th Edition): Pages 355-57: Section C,  determine validity or invalidity for problem 1, 3, 5, 7, 8-10.
Homework (12th Edition): Page 344-46: Section III, determine validity or invalidity for problems 1, 3, 5, 7, 8-10.
 Week 9
 March 22
Review for Midterm
 
SECOND MIDTERM (15% of Final Grade)
  March 29-April 2
 SPRING BREAK!!: NO CLASS
 Week 10
 April 5
Credibility
    Readings Announced in Class
  April 7
Credibility continued
 Week 11
 April 12   
Chapter 4: Fallacies
    Have Read: 118-135
  April 14
Fallacies Con’t
    Have Read: 141-177
 Week 12
 April 19
Slanters
  April 21
Slanters Con't.
Homework (13th Edition): Pages 135-139, exercise A #'s 1-15.
Homework (12th Edition): Pages 136-138, Section I #'s 1-10; Section II #'s 1-5.
 Week 13
 April 26
Introduction of Essay Prompt
    In-Class: Watch Film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed
  April 28
Continue Watching Film
 Week 14
 May 3
Continue Film
  May 5
Continue Film
 Week 15
 May 10
Chapter 13: Science and Hypothesis
    Have Read: 559-587
  May 12
Theory of Evolution
 Week 16
 May 17   
In-Class Peer Editing
  May 19
Review for Final Exam
    FINAL PAPER DUE

The Final Exam will be on Monday, May 24 from 9:30 AM-11:30 AM in Room F-506

STUDENT EVALUATION:

Grading:    15% Midterm Examination 1
15% Midterm Examination 2
              
20% Final Examination
10% Final Paper Due May 18. 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.
               
20% 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: 93-100 %

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):

  1. Be optimistic about your ability to learn from the textbook, the instructor, and each other.
  2. Do all homework. It will be collected every time, and spot-checked.
  3. Do all assigned reading.
  4. If you find you fall behind in your understanding, contact the instructor.
  5. Be prepared to spend at least two hours per hour spent in class in order to master this material. If you do not, you probably will not receive a grade of C or better.
  6. Have confidence in your ability to do the work.
  7. Use all resources at your disposal.
  8. Remember that you are gifted with more education and intelligence than many persons on this planet. If you try, you are sure to get it, or at least most of it!
  9. Remember that we are all here to learn.
  10. Remember that you are being trained, or acquiring a skill. Studying, like anything else, is a craft, i.e. an activity. No one is born a good student; we must all transform ourselves into excellent students.
Academic Integrity: Cheating and plagiarism (using as one’s own ideas, writings or materials of someone else without acknowledgement or permission) can result in any one of a variety of sanctions.  Such penalties may range from an adjusted grade on the particular exam, paper, project, or assignment to a failing grade in the course.  The instructor may also summarily suspend the student for the class meeting when the infraction occurs, as well as the following class meeting.  For further clarification and information on these issues, please consult with your instructor or contact the office of the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs.

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 at http://www.cuyamaca.edu/dsps/.
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