Instructor:Jonathan D. Gainor Instructor s Office Location: 213 J Rose Lehrman Hall. Course: Informal Logic Philosophy 102 CRN & 32580

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1 Harrisburg Area Community College Virtual Campus Spring 2015 Philosophy 102: Informal Logic Course Syllabus The critical habit of thought, if usual in society, will pervade all its mores, because it is a way of taking up the problems of life. Men educated in it cannot be stampeded by stump orators... They are slow to believe. They can hold things as possible or probable in all degrees, without certainty and without pain. They can wait for evidence and weigh evidence, uninfluenced by the emphasis or confidence with which assertions are made on one side or the other. They can resist appeals to their dearest prejudices and all kinds of cajolery. Education in the critical faculty is the only education of which it can be truly said that it makes good citizens. William Graham Sumner he critical habit of thought, if usuamores, because It would be a very good thing if every trick could receive some short and obviously appropriate name, so that when a man used this or that particular trick, he could at once be reproved for it. Arthur Schopenhauer Instructor:Jonathan D. Gainor Instructor s Office Location: 213 J Rose Lehrman Hall jdgainor@hacc.edu Office Telephone: ext Course: Informal Logic Philosophy 102 CRN & Meeting Time: Online, asynchronous. Discussions, quizzes, exams, and other written projects are completed online and students should plan to spend 5 7 hours online/working on class work per week in order to complete homework discussions, use learning modules, take quizzes and other assessments, and so forth. Note that the instructor will give periodic s to students through the D2L course delivery system as due date reminders. The student is required to check course s regularly using his/her hawkmail account. Synchronous online instruction will be available upon request. Meeting Place: Online

2 Office Hours: Held 9 10 A. M. and 12 1 P. M. M, W, F and 9:30 10:00 A. M. T / TR Other times are available by appointment. Feel free to the instructor with any questions. Required Readings: Kahane, Howard and Nancy Cavender. Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric. Twelfth Edition. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, (if the student has a prior edition of the text, the practice exercises may differ but the overall content of the text is not substantially different from the 11 th to the 12 th edition) We will also be making use of two of the pocket guides from the Critical Thinking Foundation ( Fallacies: The Art of Mental Trickery and How to Detect Media Bias and Propaganda are particularly useful for our purposes. These are in the online course module as PDF files. Methods: Students will read the text, related notes and commentary in the learning modules, and listen to online audio lectures/or audio enhanced power point files. These are designed to convey the main ideas and methods of logic and critical thinking. Course learning modules also contain notes and other collateral material to enhance learning. Students should complete the recommended textual practice exercises and must complete the chapter discussions and quizzes to assess learning. Examinations, short projects, and essays will also assess learning of course outcomes. Course Description: Learning to think clearly by examining the logical principles of right reasoning. Practice in creating valid inductive and deductive arguments and spotting arguments and misleading ploys increase the student's powers of writing, speaking and critical thinking. (Core A) Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to: Construct and master a variety of valid argument forms Analyze and demonstrate deductive and inductive thinking Diagnose and correct logical errors in their thinking and writing, as well as in the rhetoric of others Explicate the promise and limitation of logic in daily life and theoretical problem-solving Attendance: The student is required to complete the required number of quizzes (8 minimum), participate in homework discussions (these are mandatory and to be completed during the time window in which that chapter s quiz is open), and complete examinations and projects within the allotted time/due dates per the syllabus. In order to accomplish this, the student should plan to be logged into and be active in the course a minimum of 3-4 sessions per week or approximately 5 7 hours. Quizzes, examinations, and discussion board topics will be completed within the allotted time period per the

3 syllabus without exception and also note that quizzes and examinations are timed activities. The student is allotted one opportunity to take a quiz after the quiz period has expired. Note that the quiz expiration times can be found in the assessments section of the course module. Please note that students who stop attending the course will not automatically be dropped from the course. Make up Work: Only documented cases of HACC s computer infrastructure system in crisis will result in students having extra time for assignments. The instructor will add an extra 2 days to the assignment s time expiration or due date in case of such a failure. Any other allowances for make up work will be at the instructor s discretion and a rationale for make up work must be documented by the student in accordance with the college s excused absence policy. Again, the student is allotted an opportunity to take one quiz after the quiz times out for any reason. The student should use this opportunity for leniency wisely. Note that there are usually large time windows in which to complete quizzes/examinations although they are timed once logging in to take them. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act STUDENTS IN NEED OF ACCOMMODATIONS: Students with disabilities who are in need of accommodations should contact the campus disability coordinator listed below. Coordinators for each campus are listed here: EEOC POLICY 005: It is the policy of Harrisburg Area Community College, in full accordance with the law, not to discriminate in employment, student admissions, and student services on the basis of race, color, religion, age, political affiliation or belief, gender, national origin, ancestry, disability, place of birth, General Education Development Certification (GED), marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, genetic history/information, or any legally protected classification. HACC recognizes its responsibility to promote the principles of equal opportunity The Pennsylvania Human Relations Act ( PHRAct ) prohibits discrimination against prospective and current students because of race, color, sex, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, handicap or disability, record of a handicap or disability, perceived handicap or disability, relationship or association with an individual with a handicap or disability, use of a guide or support animal, and/or handling or training of support or guide animals. The Pennsylvania Fair Educational Opportunities Act ( PFEOAct ) prohibits discrimination against prospective and current students because of race, religion, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, handicap or disability, record of a handicap or disability, perceived handicap or disability, and a relationship or association with an individual with a handicap or disability. Information about these laws may be obtained by visiting the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission website at HACC Virtual Learning Deborah Bybee Coordinator, Disability Services 104F

4 735 Cumberland Street Lebanon, PA Phone: Incomplete Grades: If extenuating circumstances arise, the student may be granted an I grade. Consult the student handbook for the stipulations for completing an I grade. Withdrawal From Course: Please consult the Student Handbook for procedures concerning course withdrawals. Students will not automatically be dropped from the course for non-attendance. Academic Dishonesty: Plagiarism is a misdemeanor offense and is punishable by law. A student who cheats on an in-class assignment or plagiarizes outside written work will be minimally subject to failure of that assignment. A formal documentation of the incident of plagiarism will also be made in HACC s reporting system. The student s future instructors and HACC administration can access this report. A second offense will result in automatic failure in the course. Please note that plagiarism includes direct copying from a source ( cut and paste plagiarism ) even when that source is cited as well as using a source without citing it. For further information about plagiarism and its consequences, please consult the Student Handbook. The way to avoid plagiarism is to do your own work and to thoughtfully convey ideas in your own words. See agreement at end of syllabus. Grading Criteria: The final grade will be calculated based upon a point system. The student may earn up to 655 points in the course. The final average can be calculated by adding the total number of points earned, dividing by 655, and multiplying by 100 for a final percentage score. Quizzes, examinations, and discussion/homework will comprise the final grade. 1) Two examinations will contribute 250 points to the final grade. Each will be valued 125 points each. These will be composed of multiple choice questions and short answer essays. One examination will be given near the mid-point of the term and the final will be semi-cumulative and open through the Thursday evening of final exams week. Precise availability dates are set in the course module under the quiz section of the course 2) Review quizzes and quizzes that will count towards the final course average will be available for most of the chapters/units. The instructor will count the student s 8 best quiz grades as up to 80 points towards the final grade calculation. Most quizzes will be composed of three concept or terminology-related multiple-guess questions and a miniessay related to one of the major issues from the reading(s). These are located within the assessments section of the course and 8-minutes will be allotted for each quiz. The syllabus quiz is required but does not count towards the 8 quiz grades.

5 3) Discussions will compose up to 200 points towards the final grade. See the discussions portion of the course for more information. Note that most discussions are valued 5 points for an original post and up to 5 points for additional participation/follow up posts and most chapters will have 2 mandatory discussions that will be completed within the dates listed in the assignments and course calendar for those discussions. Full credit for an original post requires a complete detailed answer to the question and a full 5 points for follow up posts will require two substantial comments to other student posts (so, a minimum of two posts for a chance at full credit). These ought to promote further inquiry and understanding of the course material. They also compose a significant portion of the final grade and failure to participate in the course discussions will make it impossible to pass the course. Note that while the discussions have no specific time out date as the quizzes do, expect to complete discussions during the period in which its corresponding chapter quiz is available. 4) An essay (chapter 7, 25-points), one essay evaluation (in conjunction with chapter 8, 50-points), and an essay concerning the mass media (chapter 11, 50-points, in conjunction with the chapter 11 discussion board assignment) will compose 125 points towards the final course grade. Calculating the Final Grade: Add the total number of points earned and divide by the total possible points earned (655). Multiply this by 100 to get the final percentage grade. A grade: > 589, B grade: > 523, C grade: > 458, D grade: > 392, F grade: < /=391 Assignments and Course Calendar (meets week of 19 January 12 May) Week of 19 January: Getting started/introduction to Logic/Critical Thinking Read Chapter One of the text of Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric (LCR). The student should learn the characteristics of arguments, be able to identify arguments, and learn the differences between inductive and deductive reasoning. We will also broach the issue of background beliefs and Kahane s case for the importance of basic scientific literacy. Recommended textual problems (note that these do not need to be sent to the instructor, but are for practice only. Feel free to ask questions about any of the practice exercises that you like) for practice are 1-1 (odd), 1-2 (odd), please also complete 1-5 #2 and #3. Also see 1-8 and the discussion of the National Science Foundation quiz, 1-9. This is also a nice opportunity to begin thinking about your own worldview. Read about this in the chapter and consider taking the test on politicalcompass.org: This several page questionnaire provides a nice opportunity for assessing one s views on major issues as well as enabling one to discover one s own orientation on the axes of authority and economic views, two major issues that compose our worldview and

6 help to determine our stances on an array of issues. As opposed to the simple left-right distinction, political compass presents a dual axis approach to viewing ones orientation. Keep in mind that critical thinkers should be aware of their worldview(s), their possible sources, as well as the possible limitations of ones worldview. See the link to this chapter s discussions. They are mandatory and designed to highlight important lessons from the chapters. Be sure to complete the syllabus quiz. It s not counted towards the final grade but is mandatory because it assesses the student s awareness of what to expect in the course (types of assignments, grading, and so forth). Also complete the discussion for chapter 1 as well as the associated quiz. Because this is the first week of the course and students are presumably still getting acquainted with the new semester, online courses, and this particular course, I am extending the availability of these graded items through a Wednesday. Please see the quiz tab for when quizzes time out. Almost all chapters will have a quiz and our deduction chapter will have several Weeks of 26 January and 2 February (2 weeks for this unit) We will work on chapter 2 (LCR). Quite a bit of what will be covered concerning deduction is not heavily covered in the textbook. Students will be required to learn how to determine whether categorical syllogisms are valid or invalid. One of the methods is the Venn Diagram Method and I have self-made demonstrations that can be found on youtube as well ( A great deal more will be covered in modules and video links concerning the nature of deduction, Categorical Logic and Propositional Logic, and the evaluation of deductive arguments. Students will be responsible for being able to determine whether or not deductive arguments are valid or invalid using a variety of methods. This material from chapter 2 and associated instruction should help students to achieve the following course learning outcomes: l. To help the student construct and master valid argument forms 2. To provide occasions for the analysis of deductive and inductive thinking Please note that there will be several quiz opportunities for the chapter 2 material and additional notes on deduction are found in the course module. Please see the quiz tab of the course in order to keep aware of availability dates. Please do see the instructor examples via the youtube link. These should also be available in the course module by the time this week arrives and they address validity, categorical syllogisms, and various methods of testing for validity. Students will be required to learn these methods for determining validity. There are several Venn Diagram-related quizzes. I do have a practice quiz under the self-

7 assessments portion of the course. Please check official due dates that are under the quiz tab of the course module Week of 9 February: Informal Fallacies, Chapters 3 Students will be introduced to the Informal Logical Fallacies. Please read chapter 3 as well as the additional notes from the instructor and the available audio lectures and power points. This week s fallacies fit into the broad category that Kahane and Cavendar refer to as questionable premise ; however, this classification is often referred to as Fallacies of Presumption. It is recommended that the student attempt all of the practice problems at the end of the chapter (problems 3-1). Note the homework/discussion (2 of them) and the quiz for this week. Please also peruse the Critical Thinking Guide: The Art of Mental Trickery that s found in the pdf section of the course module Weeks of 16 and 23 February: More Informal Fallacies This week will complete work on chapter 3 and learn the chapter 4 fallacies. Note that the chapter 4 fallacies are often referred to as Fallacies of Relevance. Attempt as many of the chapter 4 practice problems as possible and please be reading the Critical Thinking Guide concerning fallacies, the art of mental trickery. Note the homework/discussion (2 of them) and the quiz for this week although these will be also available during part of the following week as well. Please consider taking some time to begin chapter 5. There are review exercises at the end of chapter 5 that cover chapters 3 and 4 as well. The midterm examination will be available shortly Week of 2 March: Midterm and More Fallacies (Ch 5) The midterm examination concerning chapters 1-4 and parts of the Critical Thinking Foundation s Fallacies Guide will be available during part of this week.

8 This week will be spent working on chapter 5 of Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric and involves inductive fallacies, sampling, and statistical reasoning errors. For homework practice, Students are encouraged to complete 5-1(all), 5-2 (1 7, 10-12,14-17, 19, 21, & #21 and 5-4. Note that some of these problems include a review of fallacies from the last few chapters Week of 9 March (Midterm Break, No classes) Week of 16 March: Psychological Impediments to Cogent Reasoning We will continue to chapter 6 of LCR. Prior to beginning our assessment of language and common logical fallacies, we will address some psychological impediments to cogent reasoning. These chapters help us to become familiar with course Learning Outcome # 4: To become familiar with both the promise and limitations of logic in daily problem solving. Often, psychological factors and background beliefs shape our thinking rendering our knowledge of logic to be secondary. Among the issues will be group loyalty, the herd instinct, prejudices, stereotypes, partisan mindset, superstitions, and rationalization. The student will also engage in discussion about the pull of pseudoscience and the paranormal and the instructor will address some other related psychological ploys to be aware of (notably some scams that many intelligent people fall prey to). See text questions 1,3,6,7,8,12,13,14, and 15. We will also encounter the problems of ethnocentrism and sociocentrism as addressed by the Critical Thinking Foundation. Please also see my additional commentary in the course module regarding some other terminology used for some common psychological impediments to cogent reasoning. Students should also view the critical thinking program Here There Be Dragons that is linked to the course module. It reviews some ideas that have already been addressed and specifically addresses some of the ideas found in chapter 6. Complete the homework/discussions as well Week of March 23: Language and Persuasion

9 Students will be introduced to the issue of language (ch 7 LCR). This will largely focus upon the persuasive use of language and the art of rhetorical strategies. Read chapter 7 of the text and listen to the NPR interview of Frank Luntz. It s an excellent example of the persuasive use of rhetoric in politics and corporate culture. Students should also be prepared to evaluate the accuracy of Luntz s terminology. For review, consider practice problems 7-1, 7-2 # 1-4, 6, 7, 9, and 7-4 # 4. Please also read and research the reform of sexist language and so-called politically correct language as found near the end of chapter 7. Note that there is more material concerning the reform of sexist language and political correctness in the course module. Don t forget to complete the quiz and homework/discussion. The essay pertaining to chapter 7 (Luntz and euphemistic language will be due near the end of March. The precise date will be announced Weeks of 30 March and 6 April: Evaluating Extended Arguments We will address strategies for evaluating extended arguments (typically editorial-length), encounter text examples, and instructor-produced examples. A practice evaluation and graded evaluation will be assigned. Both are under the assignments tab of the course module and a discussion forum is available. The practice evaluation is actually used for this week s discussion assignment. Note that there will be no quiz for this chapter and the homework/discussion is to peruse examples of editorial essay evaluations and to make comments about the practice essay evaluation. These can be found in the course module for chapter Week of 13 April: Advertising & Critical Thinking (will be available for over a week though) We will complete the discussion of essay evaluation and move to the chapters that address critical thinking and mass culture. The first of these chapters concerns advertising (chapter 10, LCR). Be sure to understand the following: Identification ads, promise ads, the use of jargon and slogans, sneaky rhetoric, patriotism, and trends in political advertising. For review, consider the following: 10-1 odds, 10 2 evens, 10-3 #2,10-4 #5 & 6. Remember to complete the homework/discussion and the quiz as well

10 Week of 20 April: Mass Media and the Shaping of Our Worldviews One may not notice it, but we are surrounded by a news-entertainment industry that is ubiquitous. It shapes our reality often without our critical awareness of it. A large part of this unit is to understand the economic structure of the mass media, how that influences media content, and its tendency to shape uncritical or selectively critical worldviews. Please prepare for a discussion about the news media and the issue of concentrated ownership (from chapter 11). Please view the related program that is linked to the learning module/folder. Remember to complete the homework/discussion and the quiz as well. The main discussion for this chapter will help you to prepare to write the larger discuss for this chapter concerning mass media Week of Week of 27 April and 4 May: More on Worldviews & Wrapping It Up Chapter 12 considers education, textbooks, and their impact upon worldviews. Students should read the chapter and watch the related and required James Loewen interview found in the C-SPAN archives. Be certain to learn how textbooks (high school history) come to be the way that they are due to institutional factors. Please also be aware of why this matters from a critical thinking stance. Remember to complete the homework/discussion and the quiz as well Final examination will be available during finals week 6 11 May, the precise date will be announced. Final Grades are due 15 May.