Syllabus
A systematic study of extended arguments aimed at helping students develop the skills necessary for understanding, analyzing, and evaluating argumentative rhetoric. Topics included are argument identification and argument structure, definitions and disputes, deduction and induction, premise verification and informal fallacies.
Credits: 3 hours
This course satisfies General Education Proficiency 4: Critical Thinking.
Students will:
1) Acquire core concepts for the evaluation and production of reflective and argumentative writing, reading, and thinking
2) Acquire the skills to identify various kinds of arguments, distinguish their structural components, and properly evaluate the strength or weakness of arguments
3) Learn various fallacious modes of argument and other common errors in human reasoning, with evidence/examples.
4) Acquire the ability to resolve theoretical and conceptual issues using argumentative strategies
5) Acquire ability to reason about choices, uncertainty, and probabilities in complex contents, and apply techniques for reasoning in these contexts
Reasoning is a skill. Like other skills (e.g., baking and boxing), it can be improved. This course introduces the techniques and theories relevant to both formal and informal logic with the aim of improving your critical reasoning. We will focus primarily on the development and evaluation of arguments. Arguments are claims put forward in support of further claims. A good argument provides us with reason to believe its conclusion. Since our beliefs have implications for our actions and our desires, the evaluation of arguments is important for both theoretical and practical concerns. We will also consider different kinds of arguments and discuss strategies for overcoming common errors in human reasoning.
Name: Dr. Alspector-Kelly
Office Location: 3017 Moore Hall
Office Hours: Via email and in person by appointment.
E-mail: marc.alspector-kelly@wmich.edu. If you email me with questions about the class, please put PHIL2200 in the subject line. I'll do my best to get back to you in 2 -3 days.
Note that if you experience technical difficulties, you should contact the Help Desk:
The text for this course is Understanding Arguments, Concise Edition, by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and Robert Fogelin. This is a version of the authors’ Understanding Arguments, 9th Edition; the only difference is that the last 5 chapters of the 9th Edition are removed. We will be using one of those removed chapters: Chapter 19, “Moral Reasoning”. So why did I order the Concise Edition? Because we’re only going to need that one chapter. I've made it available in the ethics module (the last module of the course). But if you’d prefer, feel free to get the 9th edition (which does include that chapter). You can get the concise edition through the WMU bookstore and either the concise or 9th at http://www.cengagebrain.com (and, of course, at many other sites on the web). HOWEVER: don’t get the 8th or previous editions.
Unless indicated otherwise in Learning Modules, you will submit homework using the DROPBOX tool. The due dates in Assignments match the dates in the schedule below. The last date is the due date.
|
Module |
Assignments |
% of Grade |
Date Open-Date Due |
|
Welcome to PHIL2200 |
Syllabus Quiz
|
0 |
1/6-1/17 |
|
What is an Argument? Reading: Understanding Arguments, Preface and Chapter 1 |
Arguments vs. Explanations Quiz Discussion: Argument from Youtube Assignment: Argument Analysis |
3.64 3 3.64 |
1/6-1/17 1/6-1/17 1/6-1/17 |
|
Deductive Argument Reading: Understanding Arguments, Chapter 3 up to and including p. 46, and Chapter 5, pp. 90—96, section entitled “Some Standards for Evaluating Arguments” |
Assignment: Deductive Argument Quiz: Arguments, Validity, Soundness |
3.64 3.64 |
1/6-1/24 1/6-1/24 |
|
Language Matters Reading: Understanding Arguments, Chapter 3 from page 54 to end (the "Evaluative Language" section), Chapter 13, and Chapter 14. Chapter 2 is also recommended but not required. |
Discussion: Vagueness Assignment: Language Matters EXAM ONE |
3 3.64 15 |
1/13-1/31 1/13-1/31 1/13-2/7 |
|
Fallacies Reading: Understanding Arguments, Chapters 15 and 16 and pp. 341-342 of Chapter 17 (section entitled “Straw Men and False Dichotomies”) |
Discussion: Post a Fallacious Argument Assignment: Fallacies |
3 3.64 |
1/27-2/14 1/27-2/14 |
|
Deep Analysis Reading: Understanding Arguments, Chapter 5 (excluding pp. 90-96, section entitled “Some Standards for Evaluating Arguments”) |
Assignment: Sub-Arguments and Suppressed Premises
|
3.64 |
2/3-2/21 |
|
Propositional Logic Reading: Understanding Arguments, Chapter 6 |
Assignment: Connectives Assignment: Forms and Testing for Validity EXAM TWO |
3.64 3.64 15 |
2/10-2/28 2/10-2/28 2/10-3/14 |
|
Chance and Choice Reading: Understanding Arguments, Chapters 11 and 12 |
Quiz: Chance and Choice Discussion: Pascal’s Wager |
3.64 3 |
3/3-3/21 3/3-3/21 |
|
Induction, Abduction, Analogy Reading: Understanding Arguments, Chapters 8 and 9 |
Assignment: Induction, Abduction, Analogy |
3.64 |
3/10-3/28 |
|
Ethical Argument Reading: Understanding Arguments, Chapter 19, “Moral Reasoning” |
3 15 |
3/18-4/11 3/18-4/21 |
An important part of your class investment/professionalism grade will be based on your participation in the discussion forums. Each discussion forum provides instructions concerning what you need to do.
There is a significant amount of time during which each assignment is available (typically over two weeks). So unless you have an excuse, with documentation if requested, which sufficiently accounts for why you couldn’t complete an assignment in all the time that it was available, late work will not be accepted.
Your overall course grade will be based on the assignments listed above, as follows:
|
Component |
Weight |
|
3 EXAMS 15% each |
45% |
|
10 ASSIGNMENTS/QUIZES, 4% each |
40% |
|
5 DISCUSSION 3% each |
15% |
|
Total |
100% |
Each graded assignment is assigned a percentage score, and assignments are weighted as indicated above to arrive at a final percentage score for the course.
Online courses are typically just as time intensive as traditional courses. In fact, many students claim that online courses require more time and commitment. As you begin this course, you would be wise to schedule at least 10 to 15 hours per week for studying materials and completing assignments.
Falling behind in this course is particularly problematic because the concepts we cover are cumulative. This means that not becoming proficient with information and objectives presented and assessed in a particular week can lead to low scores for that week as well as in subsequent weeks.
Online courses require your active participation. Here are some tips for success:
If you have questions about the technology or support of this course, click the links found at the bottom of the course home page. Always use the BROWSER CHECK before elevating a technology concern to the help desk. The E-Learning Technical Support link has answers to frequently asked questions and tutorials. The Student Services link has a wealth of non-technical student support information and services. If you are unable to find an answer to your question by following these links, contact the Online Education Team.
Technical Support
Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. EST
Online Education
3202 Ellsworth Hall
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Phone: (269) 387-4200
Fax: (269) 387-4226
If you have issues that you cannot resolve through Online Education, please describe the problem in an email to me or in a post to a discussion forum in your course site.
Any student with a documented disability (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the Disabilities Services for Students center at the beginning of the semester; contact information is here: http://www.wmich.edu/disabilityservices/index.html. A disability determination must be made by this office before accommodations are provided by the instructor.
You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the academic policies and procedures in the Undergraduate or Graduate Catalogs (found online, http://catalog.wmich.edu) that pertain to Student rights and responsibilities. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity, and computer misuse. If there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. You will be given the opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should consult with me if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an assignment or test.
You can access information about financial aid at http://www.wmich.edu/finaid/.
To learn about tuition and fees, go to http://www.wmich.edu/online/tuition.php.
To learn about dates & deadlines, course withdrawal and other registration information, go to http://www.wmich.edu/registrar/index.html