PHIL XX1:  Critical Thinking

Summer Semester 2014 | Day | Burnaby

INSTRUCTOR:   Nic Fillion, WMC 4610 (nfillion@sfu.ca)

REQUIRED TEXT

• Salmon, M.  Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking, 6th ed.  Wadsworth Publishing.  ISBN:  978-1133049753

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course aims to improve skills that are required to correctly analyze and evaluate arguments.  Specifically, we will examine some of the best known methods to think and make decisions in a rationally acceptable way.  These skills crucially depend upon our ability to understand the nature of evidence in deductive and inductive reasonings.

We shall begin at the beginning:  by considering the nature of arguments.  We shall consider what makes for a good argument, but we shall also consider a range of poor but deceptive arguments.  With this background in the basic tools of critical reasoning, we shall explore a number of its applications:  causal reasoning, the confirmation of hypotheses, and reasoning about probability, value and decision-making.  By the end of the course, students should be equipped to think clearly about, and to evaluate, fundamental claims and methods in all areas of academic inquiry and in their own day-to-day lives.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Grades will be determined as follows:

• Participation in tutorials 5%
• Six assignments to complete on Canvas  20%
• Midterm Exam  25%
• Final Exam  50%

Prerequisites:  Philosophy XX1 has no prerequisites and may be applied towards the Certificate in Liberal Arts and the Q-requirement.