Critical Thinking. [Fall 2017 Spring 2018] [Wednesday 1:00-2:15] Critical Thinking 1

Transcription

1 [Fall 2017 Spring 2018] [Wednesday 1:00-2:15] Critical Thinking Instructr: Laura Wlley Phne: Lcatin: The Prmetheus Academy Critical Thinking 1

2 Overview Gals This class helps students t strengthen their ability t critically examine ideas, philsphies, and current events by learning abut the many types f fallacius arguments and hw t spt them. When students learn abut hw ften these arguments are used in daily life, frm their peers t the mst influential and pwerful peple in ur sciety, they begin t use and develp higher-rder thinking skills. These new skills facilitate their ability t evaluate what they hear as well as what they think and say. Class Discussin Objectives Present yur pinin plitely, withut the use f inflammatry language. Define terms, s students are arguing abut the same tpic. Supprt yur statement(s) with facts. Distinguish between pinin and verifiable tpics f argument. Lgic Objectives Materials Please bring the fllwing items t class each day: Pen r pencil Paper 1½ inch binder with all handuts, hmewrk and exams, neatly rganized Imprtant Dates Fall Break Prmetheus Clsed [Nvember 20 th Nvember 24 th ] Last Critical Thinking Class Fall Semester [December 13 th ] Winter Break Prmetheus Clsed [December 15 th January 14 th ] Recgnize simple frms f argument Identify lgical fallacies in ral arguments and all frms f media presentatin Identify cmmn prpaganda techniques used in advertising, plitics and ther media Spring Semester Classes Resume [January 15 th January 19 th ] Spring Break Prmetheus Clsed [March 12 th March 16 th ] Class Evaluatin Because this class relies heavily upn class discussin, 50% f the student s grade will be based upn class participatin, while emplying Class Discussin Objectives (abve). Their cntent will nt be evaluated, nly their willingness t participate. The final grade will be an average f bth Fall and Spring Semesters. Fall Semester: 50% Class Participatin 25% Hmewrk 25% Exams Spring Semester: 50% Class Participatin 25% Hmewrk 25% Exams Last Critical Thinking class Spring Semester [May 16 th ] Summer Break Prmetheus Clsed [May 18 th ] Bks Used The Art f Argument: an Intrductin t the Infrmal Fallacies by Aarn Larsen and Jelle Hdge Philsphy fr Kids 40 Fun Questins That Help Yu Wnder Abut Everything! by David A. White, Ph.D. Critical Thinking 2

3 Class Plicies It is in the student s best interest t avid absences. Missing mre than 3 classes may make it difficult fr the student t fllw the material. If the student has multiple absences, and he r she is struggling in class, a parentteacher cnference may be necessary t determine hw t prceed. If an exam is missed, I will wrk with the student and student s parents t arrange a time utside f class t makeup the test. It is the respnsibility f the student t ask fr all missed hmewrk and t schedule a time fr makeup exams. Please be n time! Late arrivals may disrupt a gd discussin! N phnes r ther electrnics are allwed in class. If a student chses t bring such items ut during class, the device may be taken away and held until the end f class. It will be the student s respnsibility t retrieve it frm me after class. All hmewrk is due by the due dates listed n the syllabus. All make-up wrk shuld be finished and returned the week after receiving it. N wrk will be accepted after the last day f each semester, including missed exams r hmewrk. Anything nt turned in (Hmewrk) r nt cmpleted (Exams) will be ungraded and therefre will receive a zer. I will nt accept any unfinished wrk after the fllwing dates: n Fall Semester December 13, 2017 n Spring Semester May 16, 2018 During class discussins, students must be kind and respectful t ther students, even if they strngly disagree. They shuld listen and wait fr the speaker t finish talking befre ffering their perspective. They shuld avid talking ver each ther and wait patiently fr their turn t speak. Failure t d s will result in a lwer grade fr Class Participatin. There are a variety f tpics and pinins that may be brught up during class discussins that culd cnflict with the student s family values r that are nt usually discussed in plite cnversatin. There is abslutely n expectatin that everyne shuld agree r that all must accept ne crrect wrldview. Hwever, in rder t be a true critical thinker, it is necessary t listen t and cnsider anther s reasns and cnclusins. As the teacher, I have n intentin f making my values r pinins knwn t the students, thugh at times I will ffer alternate perspectives fr the class t evaluate. Again, these perspectives may nt be cherent with yur family values (r mine) but they may help the students develp the reasning they will use when supprting their cnclusins. Critical Thinking 3

4 Fall Schedule August 30 th What is Critical Thinking and why is it imprtant? Set up binder please bring 1 ½ inch binder, lined paper, a set f 5 dividers, index cards and at least tw pencils; these items must be brught t every class thrughut the schl year Lk thrugh required text fr class, The Art f Argument by Aarn Larsen and Jelle Hdge Discuss expectatins and hw t d assignments Bth parent and student shuld read, sign, and return t me Class Plicies Due September 6 th September 6 th What is Lgic? Let s Argue! (page 5) Fight Fair! Hw t Make an Argument Withut Starting an Argument (page 7) Critical Thinking as a Way f Life (page 10) Additinal Discussin: Are yu a fair and just persn? [Plat] Hmewrk: n Cmplete Sectin A, pg. 12 Due September 13 th n Define: reasn, relevance, debate, presumptin, clarity and premises Due September 13 th September 13 th Review and crrect hmewrk Frmal vs. Infrmal Lgic (page 14) Dialgue n Lgic and Prpaganda (page 19) Additinal Discussin: Hw d yu knw wh yur friends are? [Aristtle] Hmewrk: n Define: frmal lgic, infrmal lgic, lgic, valid, sund, categrical lgic, prpsitinal lgic, deductive reasning, inductive reasning, fallacy, relevance, persuasin, and prpaganda Due September 20 th n Read: Unit 1: Relevance (page 24-25) Due September 20 th September 20 th Ad Fnteum Arguments Review and crrect hmewrk Finding the Main Issue and Asking the Right Questins (page 26) Dialgue n Winning an Argument Srt f, While Lsing a Friend (page 27) Chapter 1: The Ad Fntem Arguments: Arguments Against the Surce (page 31) Additinal Discussin: Shuld yu be rewarded fr yur effrts in schl? [Cnfucius] Hmewrk: n Define: Ad Fntem Arguments and Ad Hminem Due September 27 th n Review all definitins twice befre September 27 th September 27 th Fallacy 1: Ad Hminem Abusive (page 32) Fallacy Discussin n Ad Hminem Abusive (page 35) Fallacy 2: Ad Hminem Circumstantial (page 37) Fallacy Discussin n Ad Hminem Circumstantial (page 40) Additinal Discussin: Shuld yu let little things bther yu? [Marcus Aurelius] Hmewrk: n Define: Ad Hminem Abusive, Ad Hminem Circumstantial, Tu Quque and Genetic Fallacy Due Octber 4 th n Review all definitins twice befre Octber 4 th Octber 4 th Fallacy 3: Tu Quque (page 42) Fallacy Discussin n Tu Quque (page 45) Fallacy 4: Genetic Fallacy (page 47) Critical Thinking 4

5 Begin Chapter 1 Review (page 51) Additinal Discussin: Shuld yu ever tell a lie? [Immanuel Kant] Hmewrk: n Cmplete Chapter 1 Review n Chapter 1 Exam (pen bk) Octber 11 th Appeals t Emtin Cllect Chapter 1 Review and Chapter 1 Exam Chapter 2 Appeals t Emtin (page 52) Dialgue n Appeals t Emtin (page 53) Fallacy 5: Appeal t Fear r Argumentum Ad Baculum (page 58) Fallacy Discussin n Appeal t Fear (page 62) Additinal Discussin: Are there Times when yu shuld be vilent? [Martin Luther King, Jr.] Hmewrk: n Define: Appeal t Emtin, Appeal t Fear, nn-argumentative persuasin Due Octber 18 th n Answer questins 1-5 n page 59 Due Octber 18 th Octber 18 th Cllect hmewrk Fallacy 6: Appeal t Pity (page 63) Fallacy Discussin n Appeal t Pity (page 67) Fallacy 7: Mb Appeal (page 69) Additinal Discussin: What makes smething yu say true? [Aristtle] Hmewrk: n Define: Appeal t Pity and Mb Appeal Due Octber 25 th n Review all definitins Due Octber 25 th n Make yur wn ad (page 73) Due Octber 25 th Octber 25 th Cllect hmewrk Fallacy 8: Snb Appeal (page 75) Fallacy 9: Appeal t Illegitimate Authrity: Argumentum Ad Verecundiam (page 80) Fallacy Discussin n Appeal t Illegitimate Authrity (page 85) Additinal Discussin: Can yu dubt that yu exist? [René Descartes] Hmewrk: n Define: Snb Appeal and Appeal t Illegitimate Authrity Due Nvember 1 st n Write the meaning f the fllwing: The Wrng r False Experts, The Biased Experts, The unnamed Experts, and The Celebrity Experts (page 80) Due Nvember 1 st n Cmplete the Cumulative Fallacy Wrksheet (pages 78 and 79) Due Nvember 1 st Nvember 1 st Cllect Hmewrk Fallacy 10: Chrnlgical Snbbery (page 87) Begin Chapter 2 Review (page 91) Additinal Discussin: Des a tree make a sund if it falls in a frest with n ne arund? [Gerge Bishp Berkeley] Hmewrk: n Define: Chrnlgical Snbbery Due Nvember 8 th n Cmplete Chapter 2 Review (page 91) Due Nvember 8 th n Cmplete Cumulative Fallacy Wrksheet (pages 94 and 95) n Study fr Chapter 2 Exam and review all Chapter 2 definitins n Bring yur textbk t class n Nvember 8 th Critical Thinking 5

6 Nvember 8 th Review and cllect all hmewrk assignments Chapter 2 Exam Additinal Discussin: Are yu certain that the law f gravity is really a law? [David Hume] Nvember 15 th Red Herrings Chapter 3: Red Herrings (page 96) Fallacy 11: Appeal t Ignrance (page 97) Fallacy Discussin n Appeal t Ignrance (page 100) Fallacy 12: Irrelevant Gals r Functins (page 102) Additinal Discussin: Hw can yu tell when yu knw smething? [Immanuel Kant] Hmewrk: n Define: Red Herring, Appeal t Ignrance, and Irrelevant Gals r Functins Due Nvember 29 th Nvember 20 th Nvember 24 th - Fall Break (Prmetheus Clsed) Nvember 29 th Fallacy 13: Irrelevant Thesis (page 105) Fallacy Discussin n Irrelevant Gals r Functins and Irrelevant Thesis (page 108) Fallacy 14: Straw Man Fallacy (page 110) Begin Chapter 3 Review (page 114) Additinal Discussin: D yu perceive things as they are r nly as they seem t be? [Bertrand Russell] Hmewrk: n Define: Irrelevant Thesis and Straw Man Fallacy Due December 6 th n Cmplete Chapter 3 Review (pages 114 and 115) Due December 6 th n Cmplete Cumulative Fallacy Wrksheet (pages 116 and 117) Due December 6 th n Review all Chapter 3 definitins and Study fr Chapter 3 Exam n Bring yur textbk t class n December 7 th December 6 th Review and cllect all hmewrk Chapter 3 Exam Additinal Discussin: Can yu lie t yurself? [Jean-Paul Sartre] n Study fr Unit 1 Exam - this includes all fallacies and definitins fr Chapters 1, 2, and 3. December 13 th Unit 1 Exam n All ungraded hmewrk shuld be turned in by the end f this class perid. n Any make up exams shuld be cmpleted by end f the day. n I will nt accept any unfinished wrk after this date. Anything nt turned in r cmpleted will be ungraded and therefre will receive a zer. December 15 th January 14 th - Winter Break (Prmetheus Clsed) Spring Schedule January 17 th Presumptin Unit 2: Presumptin, Definitins Summary (page 118) Fallacies f Presumptin (page 120) Chapter 4: Fallacies f Presuppsitin (page 121) Additinal Discussin: Can yu think abut nthing at all? [Parmenides] Hmewrk: n Define: Fallacies f Inductin, Fallacies f Presuppsitin, axims, enthymeme Due January 24 th Critical Thinking 6

7 January 24 th Fallacies f Presuppsitin Fallacy 15: Begging the Questin r Petiti Principii (page 122) Fallacy Discussin n Begging the Questin (page 126) Additinal Discussin: Des anything ever happen by chance? [Demcritus] Hmewrk: n Define: Begging the Questin, Laded Questin, Laded Label, Laded Definitin, and Circular Reasning Due January 31 st n Review all definitins frm Chapter 1 Chapter 4, page 127 January 31 st Fallacy 16: Bifurcatin r False Dilemma (page 128) Dialgue n Presumptin (page 132) Fallacy Discussin n Bifurcatin (page 136) Additinal Discussin: Is time what yu see when yu lk at a clck? [St. Augustine] Hmewrk: n Define: bifurcatin and review all Chapter 4 definitins Due February 7 th February 7 th Fallacy 17: Fallacy f Mderatin (page 138) Additinal Discussin: If the universe came frm the Big Bang, where did the Big Bang cme frm? [St. Thmas Aquinas] Hmewrk: n Define: Fallacy f Mderatin Due February 14 th n Review all definitins frm Chapter 1 - Chapter 4, page 141 February 14 th Fallacy 18: Is-Ought Fallacy (page 142) Fallacy Discussin n the Is-Ought Fallacy (page 145) Fallacy 19: Fallacy f Cmpsitin (page147) Additinal Discussin: Are yu the same persn yu were five years ag? [Jhn Lcke] Hmewrk: n Define: Is-Ought Fallacy and Fallacy f Cmpsitin Due February 21 nd n Review all definitins fr Chapter 4 February 21 st Fallacy 20: Fallacy f Divisin (page 150) Fallacy Discussin n Cmpsitin and Divisin (page 153) Begin Chapter 4 Review (page 155) Additinal Discussin: D yu have free will? [Thmas Hbbes] Hmewrk: n Cmplete Chapter 4 Review (pages ) Due February 28 th n Cmplete Cumulative Fallacy Wrksheet (page ) Due February 28 th n Review all Chapter 4 definitins February 28 th G ver Chapter 4 Review (pages ) and Cumulative Fallacy Wrksheet (page ) Cllect hmewrk Chapter 4 Exam Additinal Discussin: Des anything depend n everything? [Gerg Hegel] March 7 th Fallacies f Inductin Chapter 5 Fallacies f Inductin (page 160) Fallacy 21: Sweeping Generalizatin r accident (page 163) Additinal Discussin: Is it imprtant t speak and write s yu can be understd? Critical Thinking 7

8 Hmewrk: n Define: Fallacy f Inductin and Sweeping Generalizatin Due March 21 st n Review all definitins frm Chapter 1-Chapter 4 March 12 th - 16 th - Spring Break (Prmetheus clsed) March 21 st Fallacy 22: Hasty Generalizatin r Cnverse Accident (page 167) Fallacy 23: False Analgy (page 170) Fallacy Discussin n False Analgy (page 173) Additinal Discussin: Shuld yu always listen t the pinins f thers? Hmewrk: n Define: Hasty Generalizatin and False Analgy Due March 28 th n Review all definitins frm Chapter 1-Chapter 5, page 174 March 28 th Fallacy 24: False Cause (page 175) Additinal Discussin: Shuld yu criticize peple f the pinins peple have? Hmewrk: n Define: False Cause Fallacy Due April 4 th n Review all Chapter 5 definitins April 4 th Fallacy 25: Fake Precisin (page 180) Begin Chapter 5 Review (pages ) Additinal Discussin: Why is because such an imprtant wrd? Hmewrk: n Define: Fake Precisin and review all Chapter 5 definitins Due April 11 th n Cmplete Chapter 5 Review (pages ) n Cmplete Cumulative Fallacy Wrksheet (pages ) April 11 th G ver Chapter 5 Review (pages ) and Cumulative Fallacy Wrksheet (page ) Cllect hmewrk Chapter 5 Exam Additinal Discussin: Is it always easy t tell what causes things t happen? April 18 th - Clarity Unit 3: Clarity (page 188) Chapter 6: Fallacies f Clarity (page 189) Dialgue n Fallacies f Clarity (page 191) Additinal Discussin: If many peple believe that smething is true, is it true? Hmewrk: n Define: Fallacies f Clarity Due April 25 th n Review all definitins frm Chapter 1-Chapter 5 April 25 th Fallacy 26: Equivcatin (page 195) Fallacy Discussin n Equivcatin (page 199) Fallacy 27: Accent (page 201) Additinal Discussin: D tw wrngs balance ut and make an actin right? Hmewrk: n Define: Equivcatin and Accent Due May 2 nd n Review Chapter 6 definitins May 2 nd Fallacy 28: Distinctin Withut a Difference (page 204) Fallacy Discussin n Distinctin Withut a Difference (page 207) Critical Thinking 8

9 Begin Chapter 6 Review (pages ) Additinal Discussin: I am lying. True r False? Hmewrk: n Define: Distinctin Withut a Difference and review all Chapter 6 definitins Due May 9 th n Cmplete Chapter 6 Review (pages ) Due May 9 th n Cmplete Cumulative Fallacy Wrksheet (pages ) May 9 th G ver Chapter 5 Review (pages ) and Cumulative Fallacy Wrksheet (page ) Cllect hmewrk Chapter 6 Exam Additinal Discussin: I wnder what it means t define smething? Hmewrk: n Study Final Exam which cvers the entire text and all 28 fallacies May 16 th Final Exam Last day f class and end f year celebratin n All ungraded hmewrk shuld be turned in by the end f this class perid. n Any make-up tests shuld be cmpleted by the end f the day. n I will nt accept any unfinished wrk after this date. Anything nt turned in r cmpleted will be ungraded and therefre will receive a zer. Critical Thinking 9