Santiago Canyon College Humanities & Social Sciences
Philosophy 110
Fall 2010 Section 34813 M/W: 1:30pm-3:35pm Room B-207
Course Syllabus
Instructor David Kelsey Email: [email protected] Office hours by appointment [email protected]
Course description: In this class we will learn how to write, read and think critically. We will examine the structures and techniques of good and bad reasoning and the role of rhetoric and logic in argument. We will also learn how to read and write Papers using various standards that guide good reasoning. This will enable the student to better evaluate her own reasoning and thought processes, which will give her the practical tools to effectively reason through the everyday problems and dilemmas she encounters. This course has the following prerequisites: English 101 or 101H with a grade of C or better.
Student Learning Outcomes For any student who successfully completes this course, she will be able to: 1. Demonstrate an understanding of the discipline of critical thinking, including its major conceptual components, methods, standards, and applications. 2. Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze and evaluate central concepts, claims and arguments found within both the descriptive and normative realms of reasoning. 3. Demonstrate the ability to critically think and critically write while being reflective, clear, logical, and fair.
Reading: Brooke Noel Moore and Richard Parker, Critical Thinking (9th ed. 2009, ISBN: 9780073386676) Anthony Weston, A Rulebook for Arguments (4th edition, 2009, ISBN: 9780872209541) Selected articles and other materials to be determined
Class website: You can find course materials on the course website. Here is the url: davidkelseyphilosophy.com
Requirements: Two 3-4 page papers (25%) A mid-term examination (20%) A Non-Comprehensive Final examination (25%) Two Homework assignments (10%) Attendance (10%) Class participation (10%)
1 Oral Presentation (up to 4% extra credit)
Note: If you fail to take the mid-term or the final, you will receive zero (0) points for that exam, whereas if you take but fail the exam, you will receive at least some points. Please keep that in mind if you are considering not fulfilling any of the course requirements.
Grading:
The midterm and the final: The details of the mid-term and final examination have yet to be decided, but these will most likely consist of a variety of multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answer and essay questions.
Papers: The papers must be typed on a Microsoft word document. The font should be size 12 and either Garamond or Times New Roman. The paper must be between 3 and 4 pages long. Note that you should not turn in more than 4 pages as I will stop reading at the end of the 4th page. The details of the paper topics have yet to be decided. Paper topics will be handed out no later than 2 weeks before the paper due date.
Homework: Your homework will come from the exercises in the back of the Moore and Parker book. Each homework will be worth 5% of your final grade in the class.
Class Attendance: Class attendance will count for 10% of your grade in the class. This is to ensure that you show up. Class attendance will be taken 5-10 minutes after the start time for the course.
Your class attendance grade will be calculated as follows: Miss 0-1 classes: 10/10 Miss 2 classes: 8/10 Miss 3 classes: 6/10 Miss 4 classes: 0/10
(Note that if you miss 4 classes in the course before the drop deadline you will be dropped from the course!!! The drop deadline for the course is: 11/14/10)
Tardy Policy: I will take roll at 5-10 minutes after class is set to begin. If you arrive after this time I will mark you late. If you leave at any time before I dismiss class for the day, I will mark you as leaving early. 3 marks for arriving late or leaving early counts as an absence.
Class Participation: Class Participation will count for 10% of your grade in the class. I will grade you according to your overall contribution to class discussion. Just paying attention and not disturbing the class will help you as will any helpful comments you make. If you do anything to disturb class during lecture this will hurt your participation grade.
Extra Credit: You can do an oral presentation for up to 4 points of extra credit. The details of the presentation have yet to be determined. Some of the things I have in mind though include:
2 The topic of the presentation will most likely be fallacies and rhetoric The presentation will be a short one: probably no more than 5 minutes
Late Work: Late work will be assigned the following late penalty. Up to 2 days late: 10% late penalty 3 or more days late: 25% late penalty
Absence/Drop Policy It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw officially from a course. However, because of enrollment demand a student may be dropped by the instructor when not appearing at the first class meeting. A student may also be dropped for excessive absences when the total hours of absences exceed 10% of the total scheduled hours of the class. Under extenuating circumstances, a student may be reinstated by the instructor.
Student Conduct All students are responsible for maintaining appropriate conduct while enrolled in classes through the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD). Guidelines for student conduct are set forth in the RSCCD “Standards of Student Conduct” policy. Detailed information regarding student discipline and rights within this policy is available in the college catalog and student handbook. Students who violate the Standards of Conduct are subject to disciplinary action, which includes, but is not limited to, removal from class, suspension and expulsion.
Class Rules of Conduct: Please observe the following rules when attending class: 1. Arrive on time and leave after class is dismissed (Please notify the instructor if you must arrive late or leave early.) 2. No eating in class. Drinking water or coffee during class is ok, but please clean up after yourself! 3. Turn off all cell phones (no calls or text messages during class Please!)
Confidentiality: Your work and performance is considered to be confidential. For this reason the instructor will not discuss your grade and/or standing in the course with anyone but the student. Information will not be made available to any outside members including: parents, friends, relatives, etc. If you are under 18 years of age and this issue poses a problem, then please do not take this course.
Accommodations for Disabilities: Students with verifiable disabilities who want to request academic accommodations are responsible for notifying their instructor and Disabled Students Programs and Service (DSPS) as early as possible in the semester. To arrange for accommodations, contact DSPS by phone at (714) 628-4860; (714) 639-9742 (TTY- for hearing impaired students) or stop by the DSPS Center, E-105.
Academic Dishonesty: The following policy on academic dishonesty will be observed in this course: An instructor who has evidence that an act of academic dishonesty has occurred may, after speaking with the student, take one or more of the following disciplinary actions:
-Issue an oral reprimand -Give the student an “F” grade or zero points or a reduced number of points on all or part of a particular paper, project or examination; lower the overall class grade; assign an “F” grade for the course.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, the following: cheating (for example, “obtaining answers from another student before or during an examination”), plagiarizing (for example, “offering
3 another person’s work as one’s own: copying a speech, essay, report, project or paper from another person or from books or other sources”), and collusion (“Collusion occurs when any student knowingly or intentionally helps another student perform an act of academic dishonesty”). For a fuller explanation of this policy see the District website at http://www.sccollege.edu/
As for this class, the punishment inflicted for an act of academic dishonesty will depend on the circumstances. At the very least though, the student will receive a grade of ‘0’ on the assignment.
Disclaimer: I reserve the right to make changes to this syllabus. Topics and assignments may be modified as the semester progresses to accommodate the needs of the class. The class will be informed of such changes if and when they occur.
Schedule of Lecture Topics, Readings and Assignments: The schedule set forth below is subject to adjustment—we may go faster or slower, in which case I may add another topic or drop one. I will announce any such adjustments as much in advance as is possible. Unless and until an adjustment is announced, however, you should assume we will cover the topics and readings indicated on the dates and in the order given below. You will get much more out of the lectures and the accompanying class discussion if you have done the assigned reading beforehand, so all reading assignments should be completed prior to the class for which they are assigned. I may spend more time on some aspects of the assigned reading than others (indeed I may touch on some parts of each assignment only briefly), but you should still read all of the material specified for each assignment. You will be expected to be familiar with all of the material assigned (even what we don’t specifically discuss) for the mid-term and the final exam.
August 23: Course Introduction
August 25: Lecture 1: Critical Thinking basics Read chapter 1 of Moore and Parker
August 30: Lecture 2: The anatomy and Varieties of Arguments Read Chapter 2 of M&P
September 1:1 Finish Lecture 2 In class exercises from M&P chapter 2.
September 8: Lecture 3: Formalizing an argument Read M&P pages 51-54 & Power point lecture 3
September 13: Finish Lecture 3:
September 15: In class Exercise: formalizing an argument
September 20:
1 Note that Monday September 6 is Labor Day. There is no class.
4 Lecture 4: Rhetoric Read chapter 5 of M&P
September 22: Lecture 5: Fallacies Read chapters 6 & 7 of M&P September 27: In class exercises from M&P, chapters 5, 6 & 7
September 29: Lecture 6: Judging Credibility Read Chapter 4 of M&P
October 4: In class presentations
October 6: Lecture 7: clear thinking, critical thinking and clear writing Read M&P Chapter 3, pages 69-87 only Pass out Paper Assignment ***Homework #1 due***
October 11: In class exercises from M&P, chapter 3 Discussion of the Gettier article
October 13: Paper writing Exercises Midterm exam review
October 18: Midterm exam This exam will cover lectures 1-7 & chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 of M&P.
October 20: Lecture 8: Categorical Logic (Translating English sentences into standard form categorical claims.) Read pages 254-262 of M&P.
October 25: 3-4 page paper #1 peer review Lecture 9: Categorical Logic (The Square of Opposition & 3 Categorical Operations.) Read Pages 263-268 of M&P
October 27: Finish Lecture 9 Lecture 10: Categorical Logic (The Categorical Syllogism) Read Pages 273-281 & 283-285 of M&P 3-4 page paper #1 due
November 1:
5 Finish Lecture 10
November 3: Lecture 11: Inductive arguments Read Chapter 10 of M&P In class exercises from chapter 10 of M&P
November 8: Lecture 12: Causal Arguments Read Chapter 11 of M&P In class exercises from chapter 11 of M&P
November 10: Lecture 13: Moral arguments Read pages 436-448 of M&P only.
November 15: Lecture 13: continued ***Homework#2 due***
November 17: Finish Lecture 13
November 22: In class exercise on Moral Arguments Read Judith Jarvis Thomson’s A Defense of Abortion
November 24: Finish In class exercise on Moral Arguments
November 29: Final Lecture. The topic is still to be determined.2
December 1: 3-4 Page Paper #2 Peer review
December 6: Any remaining business and a class sum up 3-4 Page Paper #2 due Final exam review
December 8: Final exam The final exam will cover lectures 8-13 & Chapters 8, 10, 11 & 12 of Moore & Parker
2 If we are ahead of schedule at this point we may look to do a lecture on a further topic. We may do a lecture on Probability and Decision Making. If we cover Probability and Decision Making you will need to read ‘The Wager’ by Blaise Pascal. Note that ‘The Wager’ will be an in-class handout.
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