Critical Reasoning Syllabus

Evangel University, Fall 2006, M, W, F - 11:00 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. AB II Room 305.
Phil 110, Professor Douglas F. Olena
Office: AB II room 214G

Evangel Policy regarding term papers and tests

Special Cases Policy for learning or physical disabilities. Generally my policy is that if you for any reason need some assistance with your work, testing or any other thing, please see me at any time during the semester to let me know how to assist you. I will make every effort to make your time in my classroom as productive as possible.

General Rules for paper writing.

Purpose of Critical Reasoning in the Curriculum:

Critical Reasoning serves the student by giving him or her the tools to read aguments and evaluate content by publicly accepted standards. It helps the student see flawed logic and prepare a response. Many arguments presented as proof for a position are in error and need to be unpacked by careful examination of claims and reasons given for conclusions. The course in Critical Reasoning also helps the student learn to write a clear and concise defense for a position.

Course Description:

Exploration of topics in informal and inductive reasoning with emphasis on recognizing and evaluating arguments and fallacies in ordinary, literary, and scientific contexts.

My addendum to the Course Description:

This Introduction to Critical Reasoning will explain the structure and content of natural language arguments. Moral, statistical and political arguments will be discussed in some detail. The reading and class discussion will survey natural language logical errors, fallacies and blunders. This is an analysis and writing course. Though the papers a student will be responsible for are short, they will require careful attention to detail.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the course, you should be able:

To outline all of the major parts of any argument.
To use key terms and concepts of natural language argument.
To read a passage of text from any context and discuss its merits, faults, strengths and weaknesses as an argument.
To discuss the relative strength or weakness of statistical, scientific, or anecdotal arguments.
To recognize errors in reasoning.
To demonstrate in written and oral form certain logical and analytical skills for evaluating arguments.

Texts:

Becoming a Critical Thinker, Fourth Edition, Sherry Diestler
The Trial and Death of Socrates, Grube Translation.

Course Requirements:

Read the Diestler text and do selected exercises.
Write a written synopsis and critique of the arguments in the Crito.
Take sectional tests and quizzes.
Take a mid-term and a final exam.

Grading:

1/5 — Class participation and homework
1/5 — Preliminary test
1/5 — Written exposition of a selected essay (Crito)
1/5 — Mid-term exam
1/5 — Final exam

Grading will be on the Evangel standard:
93-100% = A 90-92.9% = A- 87-89.9% = B+ 83-86.9% = B 80-82.9% = B- 77-79.9% = C+ 73-76.9% = C 70-72.9% = C- 67-69.9% = D+ 63-66.9% = D 60-62.9% = D- 0-59.9% = F

If you have a grade of 90 or above you will not have to take the final exam.

Class Participation and Homework:

For each day the student attends, he or she will receive a point toward their class participation and homework grade. Absences will be counted as per Evangel standard practice. Quizzes given in class count toward this grade as well as questions directed at the individual student.

Exposition:

Part 1:

In the first part of the formal exposition of Crito, you will be required to give a summary of the arguments. This summary will be comprised of a play by play description of the salient elements of the essay. This will require careful reading and writing.

The exposition will be 500 words: Grammar and spelling are very important. If you know that your grammar is poor, read the paper with another student while it is still in rough draft then rewrite it. Go to the Write Place if you are an inexperienced writer.

Part 2:

The second part of the formal exposition will be comprised of a short recapitualation of the following:

A statement of the main arguments posed by the author.
Issues the author seeks to advance or denigrate.
The conclusions of the arguments.
Reasons given in support of the conclusions.

1500 to 1800 words: Again, grammar and spelling are very important. I am looking for ideas and creative insight into these issues and reasons, and I want them in a logical form. I want you to advance counter arguments if you believe the author's arguments to be erroneous. This should be a creative paper. I want you to give reasons outside the reasons in the dialogue for why the arguments succeed or fail. Ask questions about family, friends, true opinions, ethics, the state and anything that is referred to in the dialogue.

This will be due three weeks after the assignment is given. Poor writers will be required to submit their papers to the Write Place before final submission.

Addendum:

If you have any questions about any of this syllabus or any of the course requirements, please email me. You are responsible for everything in this syllabus and if you fail to hand in an assignment, you are still responsible for it and will be graded without it. I may remind you the assignment is due, but am not obligated to. I will also direct you to this syllabus if the answer you seek is in it.

I have made and will make mistakes. When I do, I am disposed to favor the student. Begging me to reconsider a grade sometimes will help you, though the last time I read a paper for the second time, I found more mistakes, and realized why I had given the student the grade I did. I did not lower the student's grade.

If you are having trouble in class, please see me, email me or call me. I am more likely to be generous to you if we have a relationship of some kind. If you sneak into class late, leave early, never say anything in class or out of it, show no interest in the material, etc., there are few options to me when it comes to grading your work. I will be as fair as humanly possible, but if I don't know you, all I will have is the work you give (or don't give) me.

As much as the techne of education disposes us to treat each other perfunctorily (adj. (of an action or gesture) carried out with a minimum of effort or reflection), I am convinced that the effort required to master the material is a very humanizing process. We depend on each other for this conversation to be productive. Fostering relationships with fellow students and professors will be to our mutual advantage.