PHILOSOPHY 125: Critical Thinking Spring 2015 Section 5643 TR 8-9:15 Location: F-716 INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Ian Duckles Email: imduckles@gmail.com Office Hours: By Appointment TEXTBOOK: There are two texts required for this class:
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 Tuesday, January 27: Introduction (ISD 11-16) Homework: Explain the three reasons Baillargeon gives for why he wrote our text. Thursday, January 29: Language (ISD 19-37) Homework: Find examples of each of the five functions of language. Find an example of a euphemism and an example of a dysphemism. Week 2: Language February 3: Language (ISD 38-49) February 5: Language Continued Week 3: Symbolic Logic February 10: Syllogisms (ISD 49-54) February 12: Symbolic Logic (Materials Available Online) Week 4: Symbolic Logic February 17: Symbolic Logic (Materials Available Online) February 19: Symbolic Logic (Materials Available Online) Week 5: Symbolic Logic February 24: Symbolic Logic Continued February 26: Symbolic Logic Continued Week 6: Exam March 3: Review for Exam March 5: FIRST EXAM Week 7: Fallacies March 10: Formal Fallacies (ISD 55-58) March 12: Informal Fallacies (ISD 59- Week 8: Personal Experience March 17: Personal Experience (ISD 171-196) March 19: Personal Experience (ISD 196-222) Week 9: Spring Break March 24: NO CLASS!! March 26: NO CLASS!! Week 10: Science March 31: Personal Experience Continued April 2: Empirical Science (ISD 223-242) Week 11: Science April 7: NO CLASS!! April 9: Empirical Science (ISD 242-266) Week 12: Evolution and Intelligent Design April 16: Intelligent Design Week 13: Exam April 23: EXAM 2 Week 14: Bullshit April 30: On Bullshit (OB 31-67); Discuss paper topics Week 15: Bullshit and the Media May 7: In-class peer editing. Bring two copies of a draft of your essay to class. Week 16: The Media May 14: Media Continued (ISD 290-306) (Final Paper Due) Week 17: The Media May 21: Review for Final The Final Exam for the course will be on Thursday, May 28 8-10 AM in F-716. Grading:
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 the semester, you will be dropped for missing any class. After that, 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. 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. 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/. Voting: If you are not registered to vote, please register online today: tinyurl.com/reg2voteonline. Please choose the vote-by-mail option. TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN THIS COURSE (Thanks to Professor June Yang):
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