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CRITICAL REASONING
PHIL 20103
Spring Semester 2003
Syllabus
Dr. Blake Hestir
Office: Reed Hall 212B
Office Hours: MW 2-3, or by appointment
Phone: 257-6374
email: b.hestir@tcu.edu

1. Required Text

James W. Cornman, Keith Lehrer, and George S. Pappas. Philosophical Problems and Arguments: An Introduction. 4th ed. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co. (1992).
… Merrillee Salmon, Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking, 4th ed., Wadsworth (2002).

2. Course Objectives

Critical Reasoning offers you a chance to develop and enhance your ability to detect, analyze, and critically evaluate reasoning in ordinary language and its technical counterpart found in law, business, economics, biology, journalism, etc. In the first half of the course, we shall explore inductive, abductive, and deductive argument forms, and spend some time working on your ability to identify the premises and conclusion of an argument, as well as the type of argument in question. In the second half of the course, we shall consider a number of philosophical arguments, presented in response to particular philosophical problems. Topics will include the following: epistemology (theory of knowledge) and skepticism, existence of god, and ethics (i.e., theories of morality). The objective of the latter part of the course is to teach you how to apply the analytic and evaluation skills you learn in the first part of the course. Hopefully by the end of the semester, you will have dramatically enhanced your ability to reason critically about a wide variety of subjects.

3. Course Requirements

3.1. Graded Material

3.2. Tests

The second and third exams are mildly cumulative. With respect to the tests, you are responsible ONLY for the material introduced and discussed in class and material in the text that is discussed or mentioned in class. These tests are designed to assess your absorption of information and your ability to apply the strategies and methods of critical reasoning you have learned. There will be out-of-class review and help sessions before the tests. Make-ups are only given for those with official excuses.

I strictly uphold the TCU Academic Honor Code published in the TCU Student Handbook.

3.3. Reaction Papers

You will be required to write a critical analysis paper towards the end of the semester. The topic will be announced ahead of time and will pertain to one or more of the philosophical problems we discuss. This paper is to be original work, involving reconstruction of arguments and philosophical criticism of those arguments. The paper must be double-spaced, typed, and no less than four pages in length. You will not be required to use any outside sources. Be sure to check grammar and spelling! Any paper not meeting these requirements will receive a grade no higher than the equivalent of a ŚCą. I accept rough drafts, and in fact I encourage you to submit one to me for perusal (please, no later than two days before the due date!). Late papers will not be accepted. In the case of an emergency, you will need to supply written documentation.

3.4. Quizzes and Take-home Assignments

Short quizzes may be given at any time. There will be no make-ups, but missed quizzes will not count against those with official excuses. The lowest two quiz grades will be dropped. The assignments will vary depending on what we are studying; they will primarily be exercises to help you learn the different argument forms.

4. Class Participation

Class participation is a must!

5. Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities needing academic accommodations should contact and provide appropriate documentation to the Coordinator for Students with Disabilities (Center for Academic Services) as soon as possible.

6. Attendance Policy

You are required to come to class. Since you are tested only over material covered in class, and since some of what I shall be teaching you does not occur in the text, coming to class and taking good notes is a MUST.

7. Class Schedule

Note that changes to the following schedule may be necessary, and if so, I shall announce them in class.