Description

This course will be an introduction to logic and critical reasoning. The course is divided into two components. The first component is on informal and formal logic, and the second component is on critical writing. Topics in the first component pertaining to informal logic include: general argumentation theory, argument identification, argument diagramming and mapping, and informal fallacy identification. Topics in the first component pertaining to formal logic include: validity and soundness, the syntax and semantics of the formal language of propositional logic, translation from natural language to formal language, truth-table analysis, and either truth-tree analysis or natural deduction as a procedure for determining the formal validity of arguments. Topics in the second component come from contemporary moral, political, and social issues as presented in the media or in professional scholarly journals. Topics are often taken from the NPR program Intelligence Squared, the New York TImes, the Atlantic, and Philosophy Journals.

Online Resources

Links

• Critical Thinking Community
• Critical Thinking on the Web
• Critical Thinking
• NPR-Intelligence Squared Debates

Course Documents

Documents

• Logic and Critical Reasoning by A. Vaidya and A. Erickson [PDF]
• Identifying Arguments [PPTX]
• Argument Identification Exercises [DOCX]
• Diagramming Arguments [PPTX]
• Argument Diagramming Exercises [DOCX]
• Informal Fallacies: A guide [PPTX]
• Fallacy Title List [DOC]
• Formal Criteria for Evaluating Arguments [PPTX]
• The Language of Propositional logic [PPTX]
• Translation into Propositional Logic [PPTX]
• Translation Key [DOC]
• Translation Exercises [DOCX]
• Truth-Table Analysis [PPTX]
• Truth-Table Exercises [DOCX]
• Truth-Tree Analysis [PPTX]
• Rules for Tree Construction [PDF]
• Truth-Tree Exercises [DOCX]
• Rules for Natural Deduction [PDF]
• Peer Review Sheet [PDF]
• Epistemic Responsibility and Critical Thinking by Anand J. Vaidya [PDF]