Philosophy 205: Critical Thinking and Writing in Philosophy
Fall 2017
CRN 71731 T 6:00-9:10 PM Location: SB-213
Instructor Information
Dr. Ian M. Duckles
Email: iduckles@sdccd.edu
Office Hours: MTWR 9:00-9:30 and 12:30-1:00; Tuesday 5:00-6:00
Office: SB 311-H
Phone: 619-388-2294
Course Description: This critical thinking and writing seminar in Philosophy is designed to enhance the student's critical thinking, writing, and research skills in preparation for upper division academic activity. Issues addressed in this class may involve various areas of human experience and aspiration: metaphysical, cosmological, scientific, political, ethical, aesthetic, and religious. Together with the application of basic principles of deduction and induction, special attention is given to identifying and avoiding fallacies in reasoning, and to techniques and aids to research, reasoning, and writing. This course is designed for students who want to hone their writing and critical thinking skills in Philosophy.
Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:
- Identify assumptions and differentiate between beliefs, truth, validity and inductive strength.
- Distinguish between deductive and inductive reasoning.
- Critically evaluate arguments and differentiate between non fallacious and fallacious reasoning.
- Read critically and conduct research, using the results to effectively fulfill the course assignments.
- Develop strong arguments based on sound reasoning.
- Compose clear, carefully-reasoned expository and argumentative prose dealing with complex/sophisticated philosophical materials.
Course Learning Outcomes:
- Critical Thinking: Think critically in reading, writing, and/or speaking about various areas of human experience and aspiration (metaphysical, cosmological, scientific, political, ethical, aesthetic, and religious), thereby identifying problems, theses, arguments, evidence and conclusions.
- Communication: Write or speak about various areas of human experience and aspiration (metaphysical, cosmological, scientific, political, ethical, aesthetic, and religious), thereby addressing problems, formulating theses, making arguments, analyzing and weighing evidence, and deriving conclusions.
Requisites and Advisories: Prerequisite: ENGL 101 with a grade of "C" or better, or equivalent or Assessment Skill Level R6/W6.
Texts: This course has two required texts. These texts should be brought to class every day. They are:
Bioethics: Principles, Issues, and Cases. Lewis Vaughn, ed. Oxford, 2017
ISBN: 9780190250102
There is also an eBook available.
Writing Philosophy. Lewis Vaughn, Oxford, 2006.
ISBN: 9780195179569
Schedule: This schedule is subject to change. Changes will be announced in class and online on this website. Students should check the course website (this one) regularly. All Reading assignments come from the texts above. The syllabus uses the following abbreviations:
- B for Bioethics
- WP for Writing Philosophy
Week 1
Tuesday, August 22: Introduction, Reading Philosophy (WP Chapter 1)
Week 2
August 29: Arguments and Fallacies (WP Chapters 2 and 5)
Homework Due: Read and Summarize James Rachels' essay "Active and Passive Euthanasia" (B pp. 678-681).
Week 3
September 5: Arguments and Fallacies Continued
Homework due: Pick one argument from the Rachels essay. Is that argument deductive or inductive? Evaluate the form and content of that argument. What kind of argument is it (e.g. analogical induction, modus ponens, etc.)? What do you think of the argument?
Week 4
September 12: Review for Exam, Exam 1
Week 5
September 19: Writing Papers and Defending a Thesis in an Argumentative Essay (WP Chapters 3 and 4)
Homework Due: Take a look at the issues in the Bioethics Book and pick the top three issues you would like to discuss as a class.
Week 6
September 26: Moral Reasoning in Bioethics (B Chapter 1)
Homework Due: First Short Paper Due; Pick an op/ed for Essay #2, and bring a copy to class.
Week 7
October 3: Bioethics and Moral Theories (B Chapter 2)
Homework Due: Bring a copy of your thesis for Short Essay #2.
Week 8
October 10: Bioethics and Moral Theories Continued
Homework Due: Second Short Paper Due; Pick a topic for Essay #3.
Week 9
October 17: Abortion (B Chapter 7, pp. 309-322; Roe v Wade, pp. 397-402)
Week 10
October 24: Abortion Continued ("A Defense of Abortion" pp. 326-336; "Why Abortion is Immoral" pp. 336-348)
Homework Due: Bring a copy of your thesis for Short Essay #3.
Week 11
October 31: Genetic Choices (B Chapter 9, pp. 539-557)
Homework Due: Third Short Paper Due
Week 12
November 7: In-Class Peer Editing.
Homework Due: Bring three copies of a draft of Essay 4 to class.
Week 13
November 14: Human Research (B Chapter 6, pp. 239-254)
Homework Due: Fourth Short Paper Due
Week 14
November 21: NO CLASS!! THANKSGIVING
Week 15
November 28: In class Peer-Editing.
Homework Due: Bring three copies of a draft of your Final Paper to class.
Week 16
December 5: Presentation of Final Paper
Homework Due: Long Research Paper Due
Week 17
December 12: Review for Final; Final Exam
STUDENT EVALUATION:
Assignments: Your grade in the course will be based on your performance on the following assignments:
- 30% Short Papers: Over the course of the semester you will be assigned FOUR short papers of varying length. Each paper will be worth 10% and I will drop the lowest paper.
- 20% Final Paper: This will be an 8-10 page research paper that will be due at the end of the semester. In addition, you will present your paper to the class.
- 20% Exams: There will be one midterm exam and a final. Each will be worth 10% of your grade. You can make-up the first exam, but there will be no make-ups for the final exam.
- 20% Weekly Quizzes: There will be a quiz each day of class. Sometimes these quizzes will cover the material discussed in the previous week, other times they will involve in-class writing. These quizzes will be given at the beginning of class, and cannot be made-up if missed.
- 10% Homework. There will be regular homework assignments for each class. These are due at the beginning of the class for which they are assigned. I will not accept late homework.
Grade Scale: ≥ 90 = A
≥ 80 = B
≥ 70 = C
≥ 60 = D
< 60 = F
ACADEMIC POLICIES:
Late Assignments: No quizzes can be made up and I will not accept late homework. The essays must be turned in within the first ten minutes of class on the day they are due. Papers turned in after that time but before the end of class will be docked 1/2 a letter grade (an A becomes a B+; a C+ becomes a C-, etc.). After that, papers will be docked two full letter grades (A becomes a C, B+ becomes a D+, etc.) for each week that the paper is late. There will be no exceptions to this policy.
Student Responsibility to Drop/Withdraw: It is the student’s responsibility to drop all classes in which he/she is no longer attending. It is the instructor’s discretion to withdraw a student after the add/drop deadline due to excessive absences. Students who remain enrolled in a class beyond the published withdrawal deadline (October 27), as stated in the class schedule, will receive an evaluative letter grade in the class.
Attendance: During the first two weeks of class, students will be dropped for any unexcused absence. Starting during the third week, students may be dropped for missing two classes. In addition, students who arrive unreasonably late or leave unreasonably early will be marked absent.
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.
Academic Integrity and Conduct: Mesa College students are bound by the Student Code of Conduct, Policy 3100. In this course, cheating, plagiarism, disruptions of instructional activity, fraud and/or lying will result in, at a minimum, a grade of “F” for the assignment/test with no make up permitted. Any of these infractions may result in formal disciplinary action by the Dean of Student Affairs as described in the code (as published in the catalog or online).
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities: Students with disabilities who may need academic accommodations should discuss options with their professors during the first two weeks of class. You should also contact DSPS. DSPS can be found at http://www.sdmesa.edu/dsps/ or they can be contacted by phone at 619-388-2780.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS IN THIS COURSE (Thanks to Professor June Yang):
- Be optimistic about your ability to learn from the textbook, the instructor, and each other.
- Do all homework and all the readings. The homework will be collected every time, and spot-checked, and the readings will help you understand the course material.
- Be prepared to spend time outside of class working on class material, doing readings, homework, preparing for quizzes and exams, etc.
- Ask questions if you don't understand something.
- 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!
