Philosophy 203:
Logic
Chapman University
Department of Philosophy
Fall, 2011
Syllabus
Course Description
(From Catalogue) An introduction to the skills necessary for distinguishing between correct and incorrect reasoning (both deductive and inductive), in order to help students reason more persuasively and write more clearly. The focus is on interpreting arguments in everyday English plus basic propositional logic.
Course Information for Section Number 1
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Meeting Times................................ |
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9:00 to 9:50 AM |
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Meeting Location............................ |
Beckman Hall (BK) 203 |
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Website............................................ |
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Reading and Assignment Schedule. |
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Instructor......................................... |
Christopher Lay, PhD |
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Contact............................................ |
lay@chapman.edu |
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Office Location............................... |
Cafe Lucca |
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Office Hours................................... |
Fridays 11:00 to 1:00PM and by appointment |
Course Information for Section Number 2
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Meeting Times................................ |
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00 to 10:50 AM |
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Meeting Location............................ |
Beckman Hall (BK) 206 |
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Website............................................ |
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Reading and Assignment Schedule. |
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Instructor......................................... |
Christopher Lay, PhD |
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Contact............................................ |
lay@chapman.edu |
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Office Location............................... |
Cafe Lucca |
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Office Hours................................... |
Fridays 11:00 to 1:00PM and by appointment |
Course Goals and Objectives
This course aims at empowering students to
1. distinguish between opinions, facts, and arguments;
2. identify valid and invalid reasoning;
3. identify formal and informal fallacies; and
4. develop critical thinking capacities by:
a) identifying main theses,
b) identifying what supports those theses,
c) evaluating the strengths of that which supports those theses, and
d) evaluating the validity of the reasoning that takes the reader from that which supports those theses to the theses themselves.
Textbook
Burton F. Porter's The Voice of Reason: Fundamentals of Critical Thinking, Oxford University Press, 2002.
Course Grade and
Assignments
Participation 10% of course grade
Weekly Quizzes 20% of course grade
Midterm Exam 30% of course grade
Final Exam 40% of course grade
Pass/No Pass
Chapman University policy states that for students taking courses PASS/NO PASS must receive at least a ŇCÓ to get a Pass (not a C-).
Attendance
Attendance is required in this class as the lectures and discussions go beyond the readings. Absence #4 lowers your grade a third (e.g., from B+ to B); absence #5 lowers your grade another third (e.g., from B to B-); as does #6 (e.g., from B- to C+), and so forth. This is true even if all assignments and exams are completed—unless (i) you officially withdraw from the course, (ii) you give me a schedule at the beginning of the semester for a Chapman athletic team which requires you to miss class, or (iii) I (and the rest of your instructors) receive notification from Dean of Students Kertes [AF 101; 714-997-6721] that your situation requires special consideration (e.g., hospitalization for severe illness; death of a close family member, etc.). (Dean Kertes is extremely helpful to students who genuinely need it—and he contacts all of your teachers for you, so that you donŐt have to tell each teacher personal information.) Absences to complete projects in other courses—or to practice for performances—are not excused. Excessive lateness after the first instance is counted as an absence.
Participation
Participation in philosophy instruction is essential. You are expected to do the readings on schedule (i.e. before the class period indicated) and come to class prepared to discuss them. Class participation will decide borderline grades, either up or down, and in rare cases, extraordinary class participation can boost your final grade up a third (e.g., from 'B' to "B+"). Talking about the substantive issues of the course in office hours and via email will also count as class participation.
Weekly Quizzes
Each weekly quiz will cover that week's reading and will consist of questions either from, or like, the "Assignments, Exercises, and Puzzles" from the textbook.
Midterm and Final
Exam
Both the midterm and the final exams will consist of 1) questions either from, or like, the "Assignments, Exercises, and Puzzles" from the textbook, and 2) short essay questions. The final exam will not be cumulative.
Make-up Quizzes
You will only be able to make up in-class assignments if you have a credible excuse (e.g., doctor's note, jury summons, obituary notice, etc.).
Students with
Disabilities
In compliance with ADA guidelines, students who have any condition, either permanent or temporary, that might affect their ability to perform in this class are encouraged to inform the instructor at the beginning of the term. The University, through the Center for Academic Success (1st floor DeMille Hall; 714-997-6828), will work with the appropriate faculty member who is asked to provide the accommodations for a student in determining what accommodations are suitable based on the documentation and the individual student needs. The granting of any accommodation will not be retroactive and cannot jeopardize the academic standards or integrity of the course.
Chapman University
Academic Integrity Policy
Chapman University is a community of scholars that emphasizes the mutual responsibility of all members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work, and academic dishonesty of any kind will be subject to sanction by the instructor and referral to the university's Academic Integrity Committee, which may impose additional sanctions up to and including dismissal. (See the Undergraduate Catalog for the full policy.) To avoid plagiarism, see the helpful examples offered by Prof. Earl Babbie, Dept. of Sociology, in his website: http:www1.chapman.edu/~babbie/plag00.html . He makes clear when someone is staying so close to an author's ideas (even without exact quotes) that it's plagiarism. Severe penalties for plagiarism and cheating include an automatic F for the assignment, an automatic F in the course, or even expulsion (depending upon the severity of the offense and whether the student has previously been academically dishonest). All instances of plagiarism will be reported to the ProvostŐs Office and recorded in the student's file.
Schedule
of Readings and Assignments
(with embedded links to Lecture Notes)
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Week One |
Critical Thinking |
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Monday, August 29th |
Syllabus, Schedule, Overview, and
Introductions |
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Wednesday, August 31st |
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Friday, September 2nd |
Review and Weekly
Quiz |
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Week Two |
Using Words |
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Monday, September 5th |
Labor
Day |
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Wednesday, September 7th |
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Friday, September 9th |
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Week Three |
Using Words
& Language and Definition |
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Monday, September 12th |
Review and Weekly
Quiz |
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Wednesday, September 14th |
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Friday, September 16th |
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Week Four |
Language and Definition & Disagreements,
Claims, and Reasons |
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Monday, September 19th |
Review and Weekly
Quiz |
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Wednesday, September 21st |
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Friday, September 23rd |
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Week Five |
Disagreements, Claims, and Reasons & Avoiding
Mistakes in Thinking |
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Monday, September 26th |
Review and Weekly
Quiz |
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Wednesday, September 28th |
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Friday, September 30th |
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Week Six |
Avoiding Mistakes in Thinking & Avoiding More
Subtle Mistakes in Thinking |
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Monday, October 3rd |
Review and Weekly
Quiz |
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Wednesday, October 5th |
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Friday, October 7th |
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Week Seven |
Avoiding More Subtle Mistakes in Thinking &
Midterm |
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Monday, October 10th |
Review and Weekly
Quiz |
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Wednesday, October 12th |
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Friday, October 14th |
Midterm |
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Week Eight |
Formal Reasoning |
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Monday, October 17th |
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Wednesday, October 19th |
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Friday, October 21st |
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Week Nine |
Formal Reasoning & Deductive
Reasoning |
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Monday, October 24th |
Review and Weekly
Quiz |
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Wednesday, October 26th |
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Friday, October 28th |
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WEEK TEN |
Deductive Reasoning |
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Monday, October 31st |
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Wednesday, November 2nd |
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Friday, November 4th |
Review and Weekly
Quiz |
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Week ELEVEN |
Inductive Reasoning, Causes and Analogies |
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Monday, November 7th |
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Wednesday, November 9th |
Pages 195 to 206 Weekly
Quiz |
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Friday, November 11th |
Veteran's Day |
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Week TWELVE |
Generalizations and Hypotheses |
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Monday, November 14th |
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Wednesday, November 16th |
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Friday, November 18th |
Review and Weekly Quiz |
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Week THIRTEEN
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Essay Writing |
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Monday, November 21st |
In-Class Essay Writing Example |
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Wednesday, November 23rd |
Turkey Day |
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Friday, November 25th |
Turkey Day |
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Week FOurTEEN
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Reasoning in the Disciplines |
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Monday, November 28th |
Pages 233 to 243 Political
Rhetoric |
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Wednesday, November 30th |
Pages 243 to 257
Persuasion in Advertising |
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Friday, December 2nd |
Pages 257 to 273
The Law |
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WEEK FIFTEEN |
Arguing in the Disciplines |
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Monday, December 5th |
Pages 283 to 284
Literary Explication |
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Wednesday, December 7th |
Pages 303 to 316 Historical
Explanation |
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Friday, December 9th |
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Finals Week |
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Monday, December 12th, (For Section #1, which normally meets at 9:00AM) |
Final Exam from 10:45AM to 1:15PM |
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Tuesday, December 13th, (For Section #2, which normally meets at 10:00AM) |
Final Exam from
8:00AM to 10:30AM |