Course Syllabus
The mission of Santa Ana College is to inspire, transform, and empower a diverse community of learners.
Santa Ana College
Philosophy 110: Critical Thinking
Requisite: English 101 or English 101H with a minimum grade of C.
Section Information
Fall 2018
Section Number: 53508
Meeting Times: M 6-10:15pm
Meeting Location: D-102
Instructor Information
Instructor: Carlos Brocatto
E-Mail: brocatto_carlos@sac.edu
Office Hours: MTWR 6:30-7am; MW 9-10am
M 2:35-3pm & 5-6pm; TR 12-1pm
Phone: (714) 564-6536
Course Description
College-level critical thinking and writing. Promotes self-awareness, independent thinking, and improved academic expression. Examines philosophical methods of reasoning and composition, and the uses of informal logic and criticism in personal life, college, work, and democratic society.
Course Overview
We all make, accept and reject multiple claims on any given day. We make decisions on the basis of the information we get from friends, family, and the media we use (Internet, television, films, books, etc.). We also function as a source of information and attempt to convince others that we have viable views concerning the world. Presumably, we attempt to justify our views to other rational people by way of well-reasoned arguments that include evidence in support of our views. This course is about our ability to formulate effective arguments and identifying poor ones. As such, it involves refinement of our abilities to discriminate between good and bad information and the cultivation of the skills we need to grow together intellectually.
The main objective of this class will be to understand the fundamentals of critical thinking by developing the ability to identify, understand, and critically analyze simple and complex logical arguments. We will learn to assess the strength of information we gather and how to effectively employ it through argumentation. One immediate benefit of this class will be an improved ability to read and write essays that respond to specific questions through clearly stated theses and cogent claims that support them. An added benefit will be the ability to apply what we learn to the lives we lead by cultivating and addressing issues in our communities.
Required Texts & Course Materials
- Lewis Vaughn, Writing Philosophy: A Student’s Guide to Reading and Writing Philosophy Essays, 1st - 2nd (New York: Oxford University Press, 2018). [WP]
- Lewis Vaughn, The Power of Critical Thinking, 3rd - 5th (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010-18). [PCT]
- Michelle Kuo, Reading with Patrick: A Teacher, A Student, and a Life-Changing Friendship (New York: Random House, 2018).
Films: Precious Knowledge (2011)
Additional course documents and supplementary materials will be available on Canvas (C).
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify, reconstruct, and analyze logical arguments, including conclusions, premises, and implicit assumptions, within a wide variety of written works.
- To apply, in both written and oral form, critical thinking concepts and techniques to contemporary issues related to society, politics, law, science, medicine, and education.
- To identify common reasoning errors and cognitive biases that lead to faulty argumentation.
- To write effective argumentative essays in which original, thoughtful, strongly developed critical positions are presented in a clear, methodical, well-structured manner.
Assignments, Grades and Policies
Course Points
Class Participation 10
Homework 20
Term Paper Project 30
Midterm Exam 20
Final Exam 20
Total Points Possible 100
Grading Scale
A 90 - 100 points
B 80 - 89 points
C 70 - 79 points
D 60 - 69 points
F 0 - 59 points
Class Participation
Class participation will be determined by class attendance, completion of in-class assignments, questions raised through careful reading of the material, and by demonstrating careful consideration of various in-class positions whenever communicating your own. All electronic devices (e.g., phones, computers, etc.) must be turned off or silent and put away during class lecture. Unless otherwise informed, use of electronic media during class lecture will not be tolerated.
Homework
You must be in attendance in order to receive instructions regarding these assignments. Homework will consist of special topics and selected exercises either as online discussions or from The Power of Critical Thinking and will require application of critical thinking skills such as identifying fallacious argumentation and demonstrating competency in proposition logic. There will be four homework assignments worth five points each.
Term Paper Project
This assignment will be divided into three parts and instructions will be provided five weeks in advance of the final due date. The first part of the project concerns the construction of a detailed summary outline for planned work on part two and is worth five points. The second and third parts consist of essays. Part two will consist of three analytical summaries worth five points each and part three will build on part two and call for an argumentative essay worth ten points.
The term paper project will call for a combination of summary exposition and original analysis and will be judged according to coherence, clarity (including grammar/spelling), structure, argumentative strength, and originality. Each essay is to be typed, double-spaced, and four to five pages in length. This means the completed Term Paper Project will be approximately ten pages in length. Detailed instructions on how to construct a philosophy essay will be presented via course texts and in-class PowerPoint lecture.
Midterm & Final Exams
Each exam is in-class and consists of essay questions and exercises from our text. The midterm will cover all material worked through by the time of the exam. The Final is cumulative. Comprehensive study guides will be provided for each exam and we will review extensively in class.
Late Essays and Make-up Exams
Unless there is a valid excuse (e.g., medical emergency, fatality, etc.), no late work will be accepted and no make-up exams will be made available for this class.
Plagiarism and Cheating
Plagiarizing or cheating on any assignment will result in a “0” for that assignment, and possible failure of the course. Anyone caught plagiarizing or cheating may also be subject to college disciplinary sanctions. Further guidelines on plagiarism will be provided with the instructions for the first essay assignment.
Students with Disabilities
Your success in this course is important to me. Santa Ana College and I are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability that may have some impact on your ability to do well in this course, I encourage you to speak with me as soon as possible. Also, please contact Disabled Students Programs & Services so that we can all collaborate on your classroom observations in a timely manner. DSP&S is located in VL-203, and their phone number is 714-564-6264. The DSP&S office requires documentation of your disability in order to receive reasonable accommodations. If you do not have documentation, they will work with you to acquire it. I look forward to supporting you to meet your learning goals.
It is the disabled student’s responsibility to contact the course instructor at the beginning of the semester to discuss potential plans when classroom evacuations are necessary.
Course Adds and Drops
The deadline to turn in to the Admissions Office all documents needed to add the course is Sunday, 9/9; you cannot enroll in this course for any reason if you miss this deadline. The deadline to drop this course without a W on your transcript is Sunday, 9/9; the deadline to drop this course with a W on your transcript is Sunday, 11/18. If you miss four or more classes, the instructor has the right to drop you from the course. It is not, however, the instructor’s responsibility to drop you from the course; if you wish to drop, it is your responsibility to do so.
Reading and Assignment Schedule
Weekly topics are in italics while important dates and assignments are indicated in bold type.* All assigned reading should be completed prior to the day indicated.
Week 1: Critical Thinking, The Critical Attitude & Social Responsibility
Mon., 8/27 – Introductions, Syllabus, Plato’s Euthyphro (C); PCT pp. 3-19; WP pp. 3-20
Week 2: Labor Day
Mon., 9/3 – No Class
Note: Sun., 9/9 is the last day to drop the course with no grade
Week 3: Education, Obstacles to Critical Thinking; Reasons for Belief & Doubt
Mon., 9/10 – PCT pp. 30-47, 109-146, Film: Precious Knowledge
Week 4: Making Sense of Arguments
Mon., 9/17 – PCT pp. 58-102; WP pp. 21-42 – HW1 Due
Week 5: Faulty Reasoning
Mon., 9/24 – PCT pp. 155-182; WP pp. 88-98
Week 6: Deductive Reasoning & Translating Arguments
Mon., 10/1 – PCT pp. 193-215, Group Work – HW2 Due
Week 7: Propositional Logic, Midterm Review
Mon., 10/8 – WP pp. 55-87; Term Paper Project Assigned
– PCT pp. 218-229, Group Work, Midterm Review
Week 8: Midterm Exam
Mon., 10/15 – Group Work; Midterm Exam – HW3 Due
Week 9: Inductive Reasoning
Mon., 10/22 – PCT pp. 264-310
Week 10: Explanations
Mon., 10/29 – PCT pp. 319-361
Week 11: Judging Scientific Theories
Mon., 11/5 – PCT pp. 367-416 – Term Paper: Part 1 Due
Week 12: Veteran’s Day
Mon., 11/12 – No Class
Note: Sun., 11/18 is the last day to drop the course with a “W”
Week 13: Moral arguments & Reading with Patrick
Mon., 11/19 – PCT pp. 422-443, WP pp. 107-130 – Term Paper: Part 2 Due
– Reading with Patrick Introduction & pp. 3-133, Discussion
Week 14: Reading with Patrick
Mon., 11/26 – Reading with Patrick pp. 134-208, Discussion – HW4 Due
Week 15: Term Paper Workshop
Mon., 12/3 – Reading with Patrick pp. 209-279, Discussion
– Term Paper Writing Workshop, Review for final
Week 16: Review & Exam
Mon., 12/10 – Final Exam – Term Paper Project Due
Note: This schedule is tentative and subject to change if classroom circumstances warrant.
*WP = Writing Philosophy PCT = Power of Critical Thinking
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|