PY114-4-AU-CO:
Critical Reasoning
2020/21
Philosophy
Colchester Campus
Autumn
Undergraduate: Level 4
Current
Thursday 08 October 2020
Friday 18 December 2020
15
17 May 2021
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
Logic comes in two main kinds: formal and informal. Formal logic attempts to express and evaluate arguments using a specialised logical notation or set of symbols, whereas informal logic does the same in natural language (although it does sometimes involve the use of technical terms that differ from ordinary, everyday English).
For this Autumn Term part of the module 'Critical Reasoning and Logical Argument' (PY114), the focus will be on informal logic (or 'critical reasoning'). Even without knowing it, we all already use informal logic to some extent. We regard some arguments as successful and others as unsuccessful in establishing their conclusions, and we may be able to give reasons why some arguments succeed and others fail. We may also recognise and distinguish between different kinds of argumentative move: e.g. the 'slippery slope argument' or the 'ad hominem'. However, our grasp of these is often vague or implicit. The aim of the Autumn part of the course is to develop and sharpen this implicit understanding of informal logic by subjecting to critical scrutiny a range of key concepts such as 'validity', 'soundness' and 'inference', as well as looking some of the ways in which arguments can go wrong (sometimes termed 'fallacies'). These concepts help to understand and classify the arguments we come across, whether in philosophical prose or in other forms (such as the newspaper article or the political speech). Since informal logic is closely related to the ability to organise and express complex ideas with clarity and precision, this part of the course will also involve some intensive work on writing skills and even some basic grammar.
It can be useful to approach informal logic by focusing discussion around a particular topic or theme. For the academic year 2020-1, the chosen theme will be: 'the politics of the university'. Broadly understood, this refers to the set of issues having to do with relations of power as they manifest themselves in the context of higher education. For example, we may discuss the recent and on-going 'marketisation' of the sector, the introduction of fees, student protest, industrial action by university staff, or issues of 'free speech' on campus.
The aims of this module are:
• To develop the capacity to deconstruct and critically analyse argumentative strategies in any medium (from philosophical essays to political speech, media sources and oral debates).
• To gain a capacity to use critical thinking reflexively, in order to improve your own writing.
By the end of the autumn term students should:
1. be able to identify and articulate arguments as presented in philosophical and other forms of prose;
2. have developed a range of formal and informal skills for the assessment of arguments;
3. be able to identify informal argumentative fallacies;
4. have enhanced and developed their ability to write clear, forceful, argumentative essays in which arguments from published works are presented and critically assessed, and in which a thesis is critically defended.
The module provides intensive training in the skills and methods required for university-level work in philosophy and related disciplines. This course will focus on building and honing the writing skills and techniques appropriate to philosophical prose, and on the identification and evaluation of arguments.
Autumn Term:
Logic comes in two main kinds: formal and informal. Formal logic attempts to express and evaluate arguments using a specialised logical notation or set of symbols, whereas informal logic does the same in natural language (although it does operate with its own specialised vocabulary, which sometimes differs from ordinary English). In the Autumn Term, the focus will be on informal logic.
Even without knowing it, we all already use informal logic to some extent. We regard some arguments as successful and others as unsuccessful in establishing their conclusions, and we may be able to give reasons why some arguments succeed and others fail. We may also recognise and distinguish between different kinds of argumentative move: the 'slippery slope argument', the ad hominem, or reductio ad absurdum. However, our grasp of these is often vague or implicit.
The aim of this part of the course is to develop and sharpen this implicit understanding, by subjecting to critical scrutiny a range of key concepts, such as: validity, soundness, inference, deduction, induction, abduction (or 'inference to the best explanation'), and credence, as well as some of main ways in which arguments can go wrong ('fallacies').
These concepts help to understand and classify the arguments we come across, whether in philosophical prose or in other forms (such as the newspaper article or the political speech). Although some of these concepts can seem quite abstract, an effort will be made to explain them in ordinary language, and to introduce them through examining actual texts, both academic and non-academic.
For example, we may look at contemporary examples of satirical or polemical writing from newspapers or blogs, so as to extract the main argumentative forms and assess their logical and rhetorical effectiveness.
Please note: Week 8 of the autumn term will be Reading Week and there will be no lecture/class unless notified otherwise by Lorna Finlayson.
1 x one-hour lecture each week followed by a one-hour discussion class at which issues covered in the lecture will be discussed. All teaching events will be accessible to students on and off campus either face-to-face or remotely through online teaching.
Weeks 8 is a Reading Week.
- Thomson, Anne. (c2008) Critical reasoning: a practical introduction, London: Routledge.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course. The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students. Further reading can be obtained from this module's reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
AUTUMN 24 hr take home exam |
|
50% |
| Coursework |
Chosen Autumn assignment/s |
|
50% |
Additional coursework information
Two-hour examination in the summer term
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Lorna Finlayson, email: ljfinl@essex.ac.uk.
spahinfo@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
No
Dr Thomas Joseph Stern
University College London
Senior Lecturer
Available via Moodle
Of 1885 hours, 0 (0%) hours available to students:
1885 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
Philosophy
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