Phil 125 F12: Schedule and Syllabus

PHILOSOPHY 125: Critical Thinking
Fall 2012
Section 4610  TTH 8:00-9:15    Location: F-716

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

TEXTBOOK: There are two texts required for this class:
  • Baillargeon, Normand. A Short Course in Intellectual Self-Defense. Seven Stories Press: 2007.
  • Frankfurt, Harry G. On Bullshit. Princeton University Press: 2005.
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:
  • ISD for A Short Course in Intellectual Self-Defense
  • OB for On Bullshit

Week 1: Introduction

Tuesday, August 21: Introduction (ISD 11-16)

Thursday, August 23: Language (ISD 19-37)
Homework: Find examples of each of the five functions of language. Also, find two examples of sets of words that have the same denotation but different connotations.

Week 2: Language

August 28: Language (ISD 38-49)
Homework: Find an example to illustrate each of the vocabulary words we discussed in class today.

August 30: Language Continued
Homework: Find an example of weasel words, jargon, and each of the four types of definitions. 

Week 3: Symbolic Logic

September 4: Syllogisms (ISD 49-54)
Homework: Find examples of each of the three ways to define. Then find examples of the following types of arguments: (a) an argument that is valid but not sound, (b) an argument that is invalid but which has a true conclusion, (c) an argument that is strong but not cogent, (d) an argument that is weak but which has a true conclusion.

September 6: Symbolic Logic (Materials Available Online)
Homework: Redo the arguments from the previous assignment. In addition, come up with the following types of arguments: (i) A deductive argument with two true premises and a false conclusion, (ii) A deductive argument with one false premise, one true premise, and a true conclusion, (iii) An inductive argument with two true premises and a false conclusion, (iv) An inductive argument with one true premise, one false premise, and a true conclusion, (v) a valid sound argument, (vi) a weak not cogent argument.

Week 4: Symbolic Logic

September 11: Symbolic Logic (Materials Available Online)
Homework: Symbolic Logic I, problem set B, #'s 1-25.

September 13: Symbolic Logic (Materials Available Online)
Homework: Symbolic Logic II, Exercise set B, symbolize #'s 1-15, then draw up truth tables for 11-15.

Week 5: Symbolic Logic

September 18: Symbolic Logic continued
Homework: Symbolic Logic IV; Problem set B, #'s 1-10 odd.

September 20: Symbolic Logic continued

Week 6: Exam

September 25: Review for Exam

September 27: FIRST EXAM

Week 7: Fallacies

October 2: Formal Fallacies (ISD 55-58)
Homework: Find examples of each of the fallacies we discussed in class.

October 4: Informal Fallacies (ISD 59-85)
Homework: Find examples of Ad hominem, appeal to authority and circular argument.

Week 8: Bullshit

October 9: On Bullshit (OB 1-30)
Homework: Find an example of each of the fallacies we discussed in class today.

October 11: On Bullshit (OB 31-67)

Week 9: Personal Experience 

October 16: Bullshit Continued 

October 18: Personal Experience (ISD 171-196)

Week 10: Personal Experience

October 23: Personal Experience (ISD 196-222)

October 25: Personal Experience Continued

Week 11: Exam

October 30: Review for Exam

November 1: EXAM 2

Week 12: Science

November 6: Empirical Science (ISD 223-242)
Homework: Someone hires a dowser to find water and that dowser is successful on the first try. What are some possible explanations for the dowser's success? Try to come up with three.

November 8: Empirical Science (ISD 242-266)

Week 13: Science and Evolution

November 13: Introduction of Paper Topic; Watch Film in Class

November 15: Continue Film

Week 14: Evolution and Intelligent Design

November 20: Evolution and Intelligent Design

November 22: NO CLASS. Happy Thanksgiving!

Week 15: The Media

November 27: Introduction (ISD 267-276), The Propaganda Model of Media (ISD 277-290)

November 29: In-Class Peer Editing (Bring two copies of your rough draft to class)

Week 16: The Media

December 4: Media Con't (ISD 290-306)

December 6: Review for Final (Final Paper Due)

The Final Exam for the course will be on Thursday, December 13 from 8:00-10:00 AM in F-716.

STUDENT EVALUATION
Grading: 
  • 20% Midterm Examination 1
  • 20% Midterm Examination 2
               
  • 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 or 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.

Grade Scale:
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: During the first two weeks of class, students will be dropped if any class is missed. Starting with Week 3, 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. 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.

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 athttp://www.cuyamaca.edu/dsps/.
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