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Philosophy 405, Advanced Critical Thinking

Phil 405 Course Description
Phil 405 Overview
When is Phil 405 Offered?
Phil 405 Sample Syllabus

Phil 405 Course Description

Prerequisite: Philosophy 200, 210, 368 or consent of instructor. Advanced study of logic, argumentation, fallacies, and deductive and inductive reasoning. Includes application of critical thinking methods to applied topics in philosophy, including ethical and legal reasoning, particularly as they impact public policy decisions.

Phil 405 Overview

This course has several purposes. First, it is designed to insure that graduates with the Concentration are equipped to analyze complex public policy issues. This requires being able to read and analyze scientific claims, as well as to sort through various competing and complex moral issues. Typically we will use examples from medicine, law enforcement, environmental policies, and economics as case studies throughout the semester.

Second, the evaluation of scientific claims is a key part of this course. Typically it is taught using Ronald Giere's book Understanding Scientific Reasoning, an excellent tool for evaluating arguments that depend on scientific studies.

Third, the class builds on previously learned critical thinking and logic skills. Typically, the class begins with a review of such concepts as soundness and validity and the nature of the hypothetical. (You are required to take Phil 105, Critical Thinking, or Phil 106, Logic as a prerequisite to Phil 405, in part because these classes are taught by the philosophy faculty and emphasize deductive reasoning processes.)

Finally, Phil 405 is intended as a mini-prep course before you take your LSAT, GRE, or other graduate entrance exam. The skills emphasized in this course, especially the careful reading and argument analysis, are key parts of those exams and a portion of the class is devoted to the types of problems represented on those exams.

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When is Phil 405 Offered?

For the 2001-2002 academic year, Phil 405 will be taught as an independent study. Beginning Summer 2002, you will also be able to take this course as an independent study in the Summer. (The Professional Career Advisor is encouraging students to do their internship the Summer prior to their Senior Year. If so then, students can simultaneously take Phil 405 as an independent study at the same time.)

Beginning Fall 2002, the department also hopes to offer this class as part of its regular course offerings. Typically it will be taught during Fall semester only.

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Phil 405 Sample Syllabus

Advanced Topics in Critical Thinking

Professor: Mitch Avila, Ph.D.

Office Hours: M & W, 11:00–11:50, 1:00–2:20, and by appointment, EC 474

Phone: 657.278.2272

E-Mail: mavila@fullerton.edu

Required Reading

Giere, Ronald N. Understanding Scientific Reasoning (4^th edition, 1998; Holt, Rinehard, and Winston).

Supplemental Reading Packet (available from Titan Bookstore).

Student Learning Objectives:

(1) Students will learn why certain standards of argumentation (the application of logic to language, the nature of justification, the difference between deduction and induction, the nature of conditional statements, the distinction between necessity and sufficiency, the role of scientific theory, the nature and justification of scientific theory, the nature of common fallacies, the conceptual foundation of statistical evidence and probability theory, the requirements to justify causal hypotheses, and so forth) are conceptually and philosophically required in order to make justified truth claims.

(2) Students will learn to apply these standards of argumentation to contemporary public policy, moral, and scientific debates and to evaluate whether philosophically defensible standards of argumentation have been met in these public policy, moral, and scientific debates.

(3) Students will practice evaluating and assessing arguments in a group setting, working with other persons to reach a practical consensus.

Course Requirements/Methods of Assessment:

(1) There are 12 quizzes, generally scheduled at the beginning of first day of class each week. Each quiz is worth 20 points. These quizzes will provide the student with regular feedback involving whether or not he or she is sufficiently grasping the conceptual foundations of the course material.

(2) There are 10 homework assignments, each worth 20 points, due as indicated in the course calendar. The homework assignments are designed to provide the student with regular feedback about whether or not he or she is sufficiently understanding how to apply the course material to practical examples.

(3) There are 10 group assignments, each worth 20 points, due as indicated in the course calendar. The group assignments are designed to provide the student with regular feedback about whether or not he or she is sufficiently competent in applying the course material and working in a group setting.

(4) There are three Application Exams, each worth 100 points. These exams will assess if students can apply the concepts to practical issues.

(5) There are two Conceptual Foundation Essay Exams, each worth 100 points. These exams ask students to write narrative analyses and discussions of the conceptual and philosophical foundations of standards of argumentation.

(6) Each group is responsible for a semester-long Group Policy Project, analyzing some contemporary public policy or moral issue. The project is worth 200 points total: 50 points for participation; 50 points for the self-evaluation; and 100 points for the project/presentation.

(7) Each group must submit peer evaluations of the draft versions of two other Group Policy Projects. Each peer evaluation is worth 50 points.

Course Grade:

Course grade will be determined by points, each assignment being assessed according to how it meets the stated learning objectives above:

`A' = 1300+ `B' = 1150–1299 `C' = 1000–1149

`D' = 850–999 `F' = <850

Course Calendar:

Additional Information:

1. There are no extra credit opportunities in this course.

2. Late assignments are subject to a 10% penalty each 24 hours late. Maximum Penalty = 25%.

3. The professor reserves the right to modify the conditions of this syllabus if conditions and/or developments warrant such a change.

4.. Resources/materials allowed in exams and other in-class assignments: none.

Supplemental Readings/Bibliography

There are literally 100's of books on these topics. The following resources are either classics in their field or are appropriate for students looking for additional background information. These additional resources available in the Pollak Library, the Department of Philosophy Library, or from CSU Link.

Bransford, John, and Barry S. Stein, The Ideal Problem Solver: A Guide for Improving Learning, Thinking, and Creativity. New York: W. H. Freeman, 1984.

Cohen, Morris R., and Earnest Nagel, An Introduction to Logic. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1993.

Copi, Irving M., and James A. Gould, Contemporary Philosophical Logic. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1978.

Copi, Irving M., and James A. Gould, Contemporary Readings in Logical Theory. New York: MacMillan, 1967.

Copi, Irving M., and Keith Burgess-Jackson, Informal Logic. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1996.

Dauer, Francis W., Critical Thinking: An introduction to reasoning. New York: Oxford University Press, 1989.

Flew, A. G. N., ed., Logic and Language (First Series). Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1955.

Flew, A. G. N., ed., Logic and Language (Second Series). Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1952.

Fogelin, Robert J., and Walter Sinnot-Armstrong, Understanding Arguments: An Introduction to Informal Logic. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1997.

Giere, Ronald N., Explaining Science: A Cognitive Approach. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1988.

Quine, Willard V., From a Logical Point of View. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1962.

Quine, Willard V., Methods of Logic. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1972.

Reinard, John C., Foundations of Argument: Effective Communication for Critical Thinking. Dubuque, IA: W. C. Brown Publishers, 1991.

Toulmin, Stephen, and Albert R. Jonsen, The Abuse of Casuistry: A History of Moral Reasoning. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988.

Toulmin, Stephen, Richard Rieke, and Allan Janik, An Introduction to Reasoning. New York: MacMillan, 1984.

Tymoczko, Thomas, and Jim Henle, Sweet Reason: A Field Guide of Modern Logic. New York: W. H. Freeman, 1995.

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