Philosophy 205: Critical Thinking and Writing in Philosophy
Fall 2018
CRN 46721 T 6:00-9:10 PM Location: SB-212
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 21: Introduction, Reading Philosophy (WP Chapter 1)
Week 2
August 28: 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 4: 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 11: Review for Exam, Exam 1
Week 5
September 18: Writing Papers and Defending a Thesis in an Argumentative Essay (WP Chapters 3 and 4)
Homework Due: First Short Paper Due
Week 6
September 25: Moral Reasoning in Bioethics (B Chapter 1)
Homework Due: Pick an op/ed for Essay #2, and bring a copy to class. Also, create a bibliographic entry for that op/ed in CMS format.
Week 7
October 2: Bioethics and Moral Theories (B Chapter 2)
Homework Due: Bring a copy of your thesis for Short Essay #2. Also, in class you were assigned a moral value from the textbook (they are on B pages 9-13). For that value, answer the following questions:
- What is the value?
- Are there any key concepts associated with with applying that value? Explain.
- Are there any issues or problems that arise in trying to apply that value? Explain.
- What do you think of the value? Does it seem like an important value to consider when discussing bioethics? Why or why not?
Week 8
October 9: Bioethics and Moral Theories Continued
Homework Due: Second Short Paper Due
Week 9
October 16: Abortion (B Chapter 7, pp. 309-322; Roe v Wade, pp. 397-402)
Homework Due: Pick a topic for Essay #3.
Week 10
October 23: 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 30: Genetic Choices (B Chapter 9, pp. 539-557)
Homework Due: Third Short Paper Due
Week 12
November 6: In-Class Peer Editing.
Homework Due: Bring three copies of a draft of Essay 4 to class.
Week 13
November 13: Human Research (B Chapter 6, pp. 239-254)
Homework Due: Fourth Short Paper Due
Week 14
November 20: NO CLASS!! THANKSGIVING
Week 15
November 27: In class Peer-Editing.
Homework Due: Bring three copies of a draft of your Final Paper to class.
Week 16
December 4: Presentation of Final Paper
Homework Due: Long Research Paper Due
Week 17
December 11: Review for Final; Final Exam
STUDENT EVALUATION:
Assignments: Your grade in the course will be out of 850 points and will be based off your performance on the following assignments:
- Short Papers (300 points): Over the course of the semester you will be assigned FOUR short papers of varying length. Each paper is worth 100 points and I will drop your lowest score.
- Final Paper (200 points): This will be an 8-10 page research paper that will be due at the end of the semester. In addition, you will give a short presentation of your paper to the class.
- Exams (200 points): There will be one midterm exam and one final exam. Each exam will be worth 100 points.
- Participation (50 points): This includes attendance, participation in pre-writing and peer-review, participation in class discussions, and visiting with the professor in office hours.
- Quizzes (100 points): There will be regular pop quizzes in class that cover the material from previous classes. They will be given at the start of class and can not be made-up if missed. I will drop the lowest quiz grade.
Grade Scale:
≥ 765 points = A
≥ 680 points = B
≥ 595 points = C
≥ 510 points = D
< 510 points = 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 (August 31) due to excessive absences. Students who remain enrolled in a class beyond the published withdrawal deadline (October 26), 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!
