critical thinking syllabus - philosophy · pdf filecourse are to sharpen critical thinking...

Thiscourseseeks todevelopthestudent’sability torecognize,evaluateandcreatearguments.Thegoalsof thecoursearetosharpencriticalthinkingskills,toenhancetheabilitytomakeinformeddecisions,andtofocusonthepracticaleffectsofcriticalthinkingineverydayexperience.Thiscoursemayhavebothtraditionalclassroomsectionsanddistantlearningsections.Canbeusedtofulfillgeneraleducationhumanitiesrequirements.

RequiredTexts:

(1) LewisCarroll,SymbolicLogic&TheGameofLogic.Dover.

FurtherReadingProvidedonBlackboard

10290PHI1510.013Credits

Prerequisitesforthiscourse:NoneFall2017

1:00PM–1:50PMM/W/F

JAAC5008

Dr.ClancySmithdrclancysmith@hotmail.com

OfficeHours:Friday2:00PM–3:00PM

CoursePoliciesandRequirementsAttendance:Attendance is stronglyencouragedas itwill bedifficult for you toachieve the sameacademicprogress as yourclassmatesifyoumisstoomanyclasses.Thetestablematerialcomesfromthelecturesandthediscussionsinclassand,thus,tomissclassistoputyourselfinanunenviableposition.Ifaclassismissed,oneisstillresponsibleforthematerial due and covered that day. Please notify me in the case of excusable absences. Each student is fullyresponsibleforverifyingandcorrecting,ifnecessary,his/herregistrationstatus.

Note:Whenthenumberofabsences(otherthanthoseaddressedintheProvost’sExcuse)exceedsthreetimesthenumberofregularlyscheduledclassmeetingsperweek(20%ofclassmeetings),thestudentmayreceivethegradeof“FN”(failurefornon-attendance).

Assignments:

(1) Quizzes:Twoshortquizzestorecaptheprevioussection’sinformation.(2) GroupWorks:TwoshortGroupWorksrelevanttothesection’sinformation.(3) MidtermExam:Coversthefirsthalfofthesemester;formatt.b.a.(4) FinalExam:Cumulative;formatt.b.a.

GradeDistribution:AttendanceandParticipation(5%)GroupWorks(15%)Quizzes(30%combined)MidtermExam(25%)FinalExam(25%)GradeScale:Allassignmentswillreceiveanalphabeticand/ornumericgradebasedupontheirdemonstratedqualityofthoughtandeffort:A(100–93);A-(92–90);B+(89–87);B(86–83);B-(82–80);C+(79–77);C(76–73);C-(72–70);D+(69–67);D(66–60);F(59–0)EvaluationCriteria:AttendanceandParticipationwillbeevaluatedbyabroaddefinitionofactiveengagement:attendancerequiringbothone’smindandbody,sothatsleepingortexting,etc.,inclasswillbeconsiderednonattendance.Participationincludes the active attention to lecture and discussion, respectful listening, peer and small group conversation,discussion,andemailcommunicationwithme,andtheincorporationofdiscussedideasintoyourwrittenwork.

Note:pertainingtoclassdecorum;ahostileclassenvironmentwillnotbetolerated.Healthydebateanddisagreementsare,ofcourse,acceptable,butthecreationofahostileenvironmentthroughthreats,verbalabuseorphysicalassaultwillbemetwithimmediateanddireconsequences.

Note:don’ttextinclass.

Note: computers and tablets are permitted for note-taking but studentsmust refrain fromemailing orutilizingsocialnetworkingwebsitesduringclass(oranyothernon-class-relatedwebsites).

QuizzeswillbeevaluatedbytheaccuracyoftheiranswersExamswillbeevaluatedbytheaccuracyoftheiranswersElectronicSupplementsandStudyGuidesSupplementalmaterial(includingreadings,assignments,andstudyguides)willbeavailablethroughourBlackboardsite.UniversityPoliciesHonorCode:theBelmontcommunityvaluespersonalintegrityandacademichonestyasthefoundationofuniversitylifeandthecornerstoneofapremiereeducationalexperience.Ourcommunitybelievestrustamongitsmembersisessentialforbothscholarshipandeffectiveinteractionsandoperationsoftheuniversity.AsmembersoftheBelmontcommunity,students,faculty,staff,andadministratorsareallresponsibleforensuringthattheirexperienceswillbefreeofbehaviorswhichcompromisethisvalue.Inordertoupholdacademicintegrity,theuniversityhasadoptedanHonorSystem.Studentsandfacultywillworktogethertoestablishoptimalconditionsofhonorableacademicwork.ThefollowingistheStudentHonorPledgethatguidesacademicbehavior:“Iwillnotgiveorreceiveaidduringexaminations;Iwillnotgiveorreceivefalseorimpermissibleaidincoursework,inthepreparationofreports,orinanyothertypeofworkthatistobeusedbytheinstructorasthebasisofmygrade;Iwillnotengageinanyformofacademicfraud.Furthermore,IwillupholdmyresponsibilitytoseetoitthatothersabidebythespiritandletterofthisHonorPledge.”

Note:Specifictothiscourse:Ihaveazero-tolerancepolicyforacademicdishonesty,especiallyplagiarismwhich includes, but is not limited to, the summary, paraphrase, or direct use of either published orunpublishedworkofanotherwithoutfullandclearcitation.Further,therewillbeno“double-dipping”byhanding in paperswritten by you for another course other than this one. Consequences for academicdishonestywillresultina0%fortheassignmentwithouttheabilitytoredosaidassignmentandpossiblefurther repercussions in accordance with school policy. If you have any questions about plagiarism oracademichonestyingeneral,pleaseconsulttheschoolhandbook,one’sacademicadvisor,orme.

IV.AccommodationofDisabilitiesIncompliancewithSection504oftheRehabilitationActandtheAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct,BelmontUniversitywillprovidereasonableaccommodationofallmedicallydocumenteddisabilities.Ifyouhaveadisabilityandwouldliketheuniversitytoprovidereasonableaccommodationsofthedisabilityduringthiscourse,pleasenotifytheOfficeoftheDeanofStudentslocatedinBeamanStudentLifeCenter,(615)460–6407,assoonaspossible.V.CourseEvaluationsTheuniversityurgesandexpectsallstudentstoparticipateinallcourseevaluations,providinghonestfeedbacktothe instructor and institution about the specific aspects and elements of the course. Outside of the officialevaluations,Ihighlyencourageyoutoprovidemewithfeedbackthroughoutthesemesteraboutthecourseandtocollectivelyorprivatelydiscusssuchmatterstobettereveryone’soverallexperienceinthecourse.

[Reading&AssignmentSchedule(SubjecttoChange)]

Part 1: Introduction & Overview 8/23 Wed. IntroductiontotheCourse:Overview&Syllabus

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: None8/25 Fri. IntroductiontotheCourse:Terms&Ideas

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: None8/28 Mon. Inductionvs.Deduction

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: HomeworkAssignment#1

Part 2: Deduction 8/30 Wed. IntroductiontoDeduction

ReadingsforToday: TheGameofLogic.Chapter1:NewLampsforOld[pp.1–12] AssignmentsforToday: HomeworkAssignment#29/1 Fri. Syllogisms

ReadingsforToday: TheGameofLogic.Chapter2:Syllogisms[pp.20–31] AssignmentsforToday: HomeworkAssignment#39/4 Mon. LaborDay[NoClass]9/6 Wed. LawsofDeduction:PartI

ReadingsforToday: BeginningLogic.Chapter1:Conditionals&Negation[pp.9–13] AssignmentsforToday: HomeworkAssignment#49/8 Fri. LawsofDeduction:PartII

ReadingsforToday: BeginningLogic.Chapter1:Conditionals&Negation[pp.13–19] AssignmentsforToday: HomeworkAssignment#59/11 Mon. Fallacies

ReadingsforToday: TheGameofLogic.Chapter3:Fallacies[pp.32–36] AssignmentsforToday: None9/13 Wed. OverviewofInduction

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: None9/15 Fri. ReviewofDeduction

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: HomeworkAssignment#69/18 Mon. Quiz1 ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: In-ClassQuiz

Part 3: The Science of Induction 9/20 Wed. ScienceofInduction[Step1]

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: HomeworkAssignment#79/22 Fri. ScienceofInduction[Step2]

ReadingsforToday: FixationofBelief.CharlesPeirce.1stHalf. AssignmentsforToday: HomeworkAssignment#8

9/25 Mon. ScienceofInduction[Step2]Cont. ReadingsforToday: FixationofBelief.CharlesPeirce.2ndHalf.

AssignmentsforToday: None9/27 Wed. ScienceofInduction[Step3]

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: HomeworkAssignment#99/29 Fri. ScienceofInduction[Step4]

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: HomeworkAssignment#10 10/2 Mon. GroupWork#1

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: In-ClassGroupWork 10/4 Wed. Mid-TermExam

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: In-ClassMidtermExam

Part 4: Obstacles to Inquiry 10/6 Fri. Peirce’sFixationofBelief[revisited]:PartI

ReadingsforToday: Peirce’sFixationofBelief AssignmentsforToday: None10/9 Mon. Peirce’sFixationofBelief[revisited]:PartII

ReadingsforToday: Peirce’sFixationofBelief AssignmentsforToday: None10/11 Wed. Marcuse’sOne-DimensionalMan:PartI

ReadingsforToday: One-DimensionalMan.HerbertMarcuse. AssignmentsforToday: None10/13 Fri. Marcuse’sOne-DimensionalMan:PartII

ReadingsforToday: One-DimensionalMan.HerbertMarcuse. AssignmentsforToday: None10/16 Mon. FallBreak[NoClass]10/18 Wed. ConfirmationBias

ReadingsforToday: ReadingTBA AssignmentsforToday: None10/20 Fri. Yancy’sBlackBodies,WhiteGazes

ReadingsforToday: BlackBodies,WhiteGazes.GeorgeYancy. AssignmentsforToday: None

Part 5: Aids to Inquiry

10/23 Mon. Semiotics:PartI

ReadingsforToday: BlackBodies,WhiteGazes.GeorgeYancy. AssignmentsforToday: None10/25 Wed. Semiotics:PartII

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: None10/27 Fri. Cryptography:PartI

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: None

10/30 Mon. Cryptography:PartII ReadingsforToday: None

AssignmentsforToday: None11/1 Wed. GroupWork#2

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: In-ClassGroupWork11/3 Fri. Catch-UpDay

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: None

Part 6: Applied Methods to Problem-Solving 11/6 Mon. Plato’sEuthyphro

ReadingsforToday: Plato’sEuthyphro AssignmentsforToday: None11/8 Wed. King’sLetterfromaBirminghamJail

ReadingsforToday: LetterfromaBirminghamJail.King,Jr. AssignmentsforToday: None11/10 Fri. Marcuse’sOne-DimensionalMan

ReadingsforToday: One-DimensionalMan.HerbertMarcuse. AssignmentsforToday: None11/13 Mon. Descartes’MeditationsonFirstPhilosophy

ReadingsforToday: Meditation1&2.RenéDescartes. AssignmentsforToday: None11/15 Wed. Descartes’MeditationsonFirstPhilosophy[Cont.]

ReadingsforToday: Meditation1&2.RenéDescartes. AssignmentsforToday: None 11/17 Fri. KantianEthics

ReadingsforToday: ReadingsTBA AssignmentsforToday: None11/20 Mon. Quiz#2

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: In-ClassQuiz11/22 Wed. ThanksgivingBreak[NoClass]11/24 Fri. ThanksgivingBreak[NoClass] 11/27 Mon. Exercises

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: None11/29 Wed. Exercises

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: None12/1 Fri. Exercises

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: None 12/4 Mon. FinalExamReview/ClassEvaluations

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: None12/8 Fri. FinalExam[2:00–4:00pm]

ReadingsforToday: None AssignmentsforToday: FinalExam