Plato’s Symposium

Critical Thinking (PHIL) 1101: Logic & Critical Thinking

Darton College

Online Course Syllabus (tentative)

Welcome to PHIL 1101 online! My name is Mr. Philip Fortier. I will be your facilitator/instructor for this course.

Below you will find the information that you need to assist you in the successful completion of this course. I want you to know that I am here to assist you in doing your very best in the class. If you have questions at any time, about anything related to either the format or subject matter, I will be more than happy to help you in any way possible. You may contact me privately via e-mail or telephone.

Instructor Location & Professional Responsibilities:

I live in Michigan, teach four other classes (online and onsite) and have other family and work related responsibilities. I do my best to provide consistent and timely email feedback to all my students. Unfortunately, technical and scheduling difficulties sometimes do arise (both for student and teacher). However, the online format and course structure does lend itself to a more flexible stance with respect to the usual turnaround time, so please keep that in mind. Also please keep in mind that this class is actually two classes combined with a total enrollment of 50 students. I try to have a turnaround time with respect to email correspondence of 24 hours and one week for major assignments (i.e. major papers, exams, etc.). Please be mindful that in some cases, the turnaround time for correspondence may exceed the 24 hour standard.

Instructor: P. Fortier, M.A.

(Marquette, 1991)

Office Hours: Online Chats & Telephone Conferences By Appt. Only. I am not compensated by Darton for long distance telephone usage but hopefully if the need arises conference calls through Darton may be arranged.

E-Mail Information: oldsoul1966@yahoo.com, philipfortier@webct.darton.edu

Course Prerequisites: None

Employer Tuition Remissions:

Students receiving course tuition reimbursement from employers must submit a written request to the facilitator for any letters verifying attendance and/or earned credits.

Required Texts:

Critical Thinking: Consider the Verdict (Fifth Edition) Author: Bruce N. Waller. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc. ISBN: 0-13-189666-0

There is a way to access the textbook via an online version (and I believe for a lesser charge) but you need to contact the textbook’s information on the Prentice-Hall website for help. I do not have any information about this feature.

Ø Supplemental readings may be provided or other readings may be required from Internet sources.

Ø The schedule of readings, topics and assignment due dates TBA

Reference:

A Guide for Writing Research Papers:

http://webster.commnet.edu/mla/index.shtml

Columbia Guide on Citations:

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/cup/cgos/idx_basic.html

Modern Language Association Handbook (MLA, 2004) – Check the Internet or your bookstore for purchasing information.

Both required papers in this course must use the MLA style of referencing. It is an excellent reference work to have in your collection.

I highly recommend you purchase this important book to assist you in writing papers for this course and for writing any other college paper.

Credit Value: 2 Credits

Course Materials Locations

(Make Certain to Read the Information that Follows Prior to Asking the Instructor or Others Where Course Materials are Located)

On the Homepage, you should see eight icons. The course materials are located as follows:

1) Under the Course Syllabus icon, you will find the Course Syllabus.

2) Under Weekly Content Module, you will find each week’s lecture, each week’s agenda, vocabulary lists, the student questionnaire, argument worksheet/topic notice document (for your two required position papers in this class), a list of possible topics for your two papers and any other yet to be posted content related documents.

3) Under the Weekly Discussion Forum icon, you will see two forums. The names and aims of these two forums are noted below:

• Course Format Questions Forum – For general questions about the format of this course. (If you have specific questions about grades, your paper topic or personal feedback, please use email.

• Argument Paper Development Forum – Later in the course, you will have the opportunity to critique some sample argument papers and post your own argument outlines and summaries for class discussion. (I will provide specific directions pertaining to content and method at a latter time.)

4) Under the Email icon, you will be able to read and write emails to others in the class.

5) Under the Weekly Assignment icon, you will locate the weekly (or biweekly in some cases) assigned reading and exercises. Under this icon, you will also be able to submit any of your work to me via a submission tool. Do not email me assignments or papers – I will retrieve them only via the Weekly Assignment feature.

6) Under the Online Quizzes icon, I will post the exams in this course. You will have only two exams in this course. I will provide reviews, lectures and practice exercises for both exams. You will have plenty of time and practice to study for these exams.

Please Note:

This class is technically listed as part of the “honors curriculum.” Thus, you should expect some challenging subject matter and assignments. However, since its mode of transmission is online, I will remain somewhat flexible as to the schedule of due dates (pending your feedback) and course content progression. This term, my aim is to follow a leisurely flow of study and coursework.

7) Under the My Grades icon, you will have access to your grades.

8) Under the WebHelp icon, you have access to technical help for WebCT.

Grading Scale:

90-100% A

80-89% B

70-79% C

60-69% D

0-59% E

* If you have specific questions about plus or minus letter grades and/or percentages, please email me.

Bonus:

A bonus argument paper may be submitted at the end of the course for extra credit. This will be figured into the final grade and may help raise the final grade if the other class requirements are lacking. But all students are required to take all exams and complete other assignments. All paper topics must be submitted in writing and approved by the instructor before final paper submission. I will post paper guidelines, suggestions, and paper evaluation criteria at later date.

Catalog Description:

This course is designed to introduce the student to the thinking processes used in analyzing, evaluating and creating information. The purpose of the course is to promote intellectual inquiry and exchange through the application of critical thinking in personal, professional, and sociopolitical contexts.

Course Objective:

This course will attempt to introduce the student to the practice of logic and critical thinking. Specifically, we will study some of the major methods and principles to distinguish correct reasoning from incorrect reasoning. Emphasis will be placed on the application of reasoning skills in writing and presenting arguments in a variety of areas, particularly in settings that have relevance to contemporary life such those issues related to personal and communal ethics.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

· Understand the historical foundations of logic and its utility in everyday life.

· Present logical and consistent arguments in support and against controversial positions.

· Be familiar with some of the major terms and concepts in the study of logic.

· Be able to distinguish the components of a good argument.

· Be able to develop valid arguments and critique fairly the bad arguments of others.

Plagiarism/Cheating

Plagiarism of any material is a serious offense, not to mention illegal and may result in failure of the course. Outside sources may be used if properly referenced as such. Cheating will not be tolerated.

Fortier Class Policy

If plagiarism is detected in a student's work, that student will not receive credit for that assignment. If plagiarism occurs a second time, the student will be assigned an‘E/F’ or ‘0’ for the course.

If any instance of plagiarism is suspected, that paper (without any of its name identifying characteristics) will be submitted to a third party for plagiarism analysis. Please refer to the Darton handbook and/or website for particulars on further instances and sanctions involving plagiarism.

1. Having a tutor or friend complete a portion of your assignments.

2. Having a reviewer make extensive revisions to assignments.

3. Copying work submitted by another student for the class.

4. Using information from INTERNET OR ONLINE information services without proper citation

5. Having someone assist you in answering examination questions or cases, or having someone

see/review/critique your answers prior to submitting those answers to the classes.

N.B. (note bene: ‘good note’): This list is not all-inclusive. Please check with me ahead of time if you have any questions regarding academic integrity.

• Please consult with the Darton Library for procedures on correct Internet references.
• Papers will be returned un-graded if they are not referenced properly.

Class Composure/Attitude/Responsibilities

Students are expected to show respect and understanding in their rapport with other students and instructor. This is college and everyone is expected to conduct themselves in an adult manner. It is the policy of Darton College and this class not to discriminate against any person on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, handicap or national origin. Moreover, it is essential in the practice of philosophy to respect the diversity in beliefs, cultures or personal lifestyles whenever and wherever they may exist.

· The student is responsible for completing all requirements outlined in this syllabus, the addendum and information documents.

· The student is responsible for informing the instructor about any health conditions which might interrupt the flow of student learning in this course. Please inform me of any special needs for exam taking or other special needs accommodations at the outset of the class.

· Each student is responsible for reading the material and not relying entirely on the instructor for presenting every detail.

· Please purchase the study guide along with the textbook.

Attendance Guidelines:

A student participant should ‘attend’ class at least 2 out of 7 days per week. A student can ‘attend’ the course through a variety of methods:

Ø uploading assignments to the system

Ø contributing to the Argument Development Forum (when required)

Ø course subject related correspondence with the instructor

Class dialogue is important to maximize your learning in the area of argument development. Students should actively participate in these discussions when they are appropriate. You are encouraged to bring personal experiences into this class forum. However, in the true spirit of philosophical reflection, discussion will be directed toward the objective and philosophically relevant – toward the creating of valid and sound philosophical arguments. Students are also encouraged to bring into the class discussions any relevant information from current events, especially arguments from the media and/or political sphere.

Students should also read each week’s lecture notes, agenda and relevant textbook pages and complete all other necessary assignments as noted. Each week (or biweek), your assignment will be noted on the week’s agenda. The due date and item will be listed. In most cases, the weekly (or biweekly) assignment will be due by 12:00 Midnight (Eastern Time Zone) on the Friday of the week. Only major course assignments (i.e. position papers and exams) will be noted on the Overall Master Calendar (located under the Weekly Content Module).

Assignments:

It is crucial to label all assignments. When you submit assignments, post in a forum or e-mail the instructor, you must spell out the topic. It is very difficult to sort through all the assignments, emails and forum messages to find your items for grading if they are not labeled correctly or uploaded to the proper forum.

Instructor Feedback:

Here are my goals as the instructor:

1) Occasionally, I will send some directional comments to the forum indicating important points, etc. I will mention any major concerns or strong points the class needs to consider. After the midterm exam, you will have access to the grade book and point scores. After major course items are graded, you will be able to view your points for major assignments. I will calculate forum participation/assignment points only at the midterm – not on a week by week basis.

2) Sometimes, I will enter comments into the forum discussion as I review student contributions. These may include questions, clarifications and/or re-emphasis on important material.

3) At least two to three times per week, I will provide feedback or entertain questions (usually via email) directly to the student in a more personalized manner on related topics and lecture material.

4) If anyone is having a specific problem, I will send a private message. Usually this is done to reflect marginal participation, missing assignments or failure to fulfill some other aspect of the class. Detailed explanation of grading weights will be outlined below.

Transmission Format:

Please submit your all files either in Word or Rich Text Format (.rtf). If you do not have Word 97 or 2000, you can save your work in the Rich Text Format. Any word processing program can save your work as a Rich Text Format document.

I DO NOT HAVE ANY PROGRAMS THAT READ .WPS FILES. Please submit your documents in either one of the two formats discussed above. Documents in .html format also will not be accepted. It is wise to save a backup copy of your submissions including all your postings. Therefore, if I do not receive your work you will then have backups to verify your timely fulfillment of course requirements.

ALL STUDENT WORK MUST BE TYPED USING THE NEW TIMES ROMAN, 12 POINT STYLE.

During the first week, I will post a questionnaire/agreement to you. Each student must complete the questionnaire/agreement and submit it to me before they may go on in the course and before I will begin to read anything else that they have submitted. The purpose of the questionnaire or agreement is not only to make certain you understand the requirements but also to obtain information about your academic experiences and help resolve any technical issues.

Missed Exams, Late Papers & Attendance:

Students will be allowed only one make-up time for a missed exam. In the case of emergency/urgent absences (medical, employment etc.), a student will be required to submit official documentation. Coursework will drop by one letter grade each day after the material is due if no official documentation is supplied.

Possible Requirements for Student Papers:

Students may be required to submit the following items with their final paper copy:

1) Fortier Evaluation/Criteria Sheet (will be available shortly)

2) Topic Notice/Argument Worksheet

I will supply you with required format and content information during the second week of class and some of this information may be located already on WebCT. A simple title page will suffice.

· Papers will be returned without a grade if sources are not referenced properly.

Course Grading Weights:

Midterm (Exam 1) 15% (15 points)

Paper 1 (4-5 pp.) 20% (20 points)

Paper 2 (4-5 pp.) 25% (25 points)

Assignments/Forum 20% (20 points)

Final (Exam 2) 20% (20 points)

· Master Due Dates for All Student Papers/Exams: TBA; Weekly (or biweekly) Due Dates – noted on agendas for each week.

· Paper 1-2: argument/position format, 4-5 pages each, college level papers

· Suggested Paper Topics – see list of controversial issues document

· Exam format: short answers, identifications, multiple choice, argument construction or critique and/or essay(s).

· Exams are not cumulative. The weight will be determined early in the course.

· Assignment/Forum Point Distribution: (total as noted above = 20% or 20 points

· Weekly (or Biweekly) Textbook/Other Exercises = 1 point each for a total of 15 points

· Argument Paper Development (argumentation practice in the discussion forum) = 5 points

An exam review will be distributed one week prior to each exam in the course.

Topics of the Course (Subject to Change, Structured Per Waller Textbook)

1) Nature of Logic & Critical Thinking

Ø Introductory Terms and Concepts

Ø Historical Dimensions/Influences

Ø Logical Thinking & Utility

Ø Classical Analysis of Knowledge & Amendments

2) Writing Philosophy Papers

Ø Components of an Argument, Argument Types

Ø Argument vs. Explanation

Ø Deductive and Inductive Arguments

Ø Truth, Validity and Soundness

3) Functions of Language & Forms of Discourse

Ø Meaning & Definitions; Analogical Arguments

Ø Agreement and Disagreement

Ø Analogies

4) Nature and Classification of Fallacies

Ø Major Informal Fallacies:

Relevance, Presumption & Ambiguity

5) Categorical Propositions & Syllogisms

Ø Aristotle’s Role and Purpose; Traditional Square of Opposition

Ø Definition Types and Kinds of Meaning

Ø Rules for Definitions by Genus and Species

6) Sentential Logic

Ø Symbolizing Connectives, Truth Functions

Ø Truth Tables

Ø Modus Ponens & Modus Tollens

7) Causality and Mill’s Method

Ø Justification: Necessary & Sufficient

Ø Hume’s Analysis

Ø Science and Hypothesis; Legal and Moral Reasoning

Ø The Role of the Scientist

Course Papers, Exams and Textbook Assignments Due Dates: TBA

Typically however, you will have one textbook assignment due on a Friday per week. Sometimes, you will have a posting in the argument paper development/practice forum required during the week and at other times you will have a major paper or exam due during the week. A specific overall course schedule of major items due will be posted during the second week of the course.

"Among all human pursuits, the pursuit of wisdom is more perfect, more noble, more useful and more full of joy." 

-- St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

Saint Thomas Aquinas

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Copyright 1997 – 2005: Philip M. Fortier, M.A.