California State University, Chico
Department of Philosophy
-- Spring 2005 --
PHIL 02
Logic and Critical Thinking
Greg Tropea / Curtis Peldo
Tutors: Greg Bard, Phil Clements, Niall Diamond, Andrew Sale
"In order to be capable of thinking, we need to learn it first."--Martin Heidegger
Where to find us and when...
Instructors' offices: Trinity 118 (Tropea) / Trinity 113 (Peldo)
Scheduled office hours held in the Critical Thinking Resource Room, Modoc 118A
Click here for Resource Room schedule
Appointments for other times can be made and drop-in visits are welcome
Email assistance: Tropea's email: gtropea@csuchico.edu
Peldo's email: cpeldo@csuchico.edu
Please use WebCT email for course-related communications--use the portal or log in here
Tropea's Web Site: http://www.csuchico.edu/phil/gtropea_home.html
Peldo's Web Site: http://www.curtispeldo.com
About the reading for this course...
  • Critical Thinking, 7th edition, by Brooke Moore and Richard Parker (CT)
  • WWW pages liinked in the syllabus with weekly assignments and objectives and WebCT
    Purpose of the course...
    The CSU Executive Order (Chancellor's Office) governing critical thinking courses establishes our agenda this way: "Instruction in critical thinking is to be designed to achieve an understanding of the relationship of language to logic, which should lead to the ability to analyze, criticize, and advocate ideas, to reason inductively and deductively, and to reach factual or judgmental conclusions based on sound inferences drawn from unambiguous statements of knowledge or belief. The minimal competence to be expected at the successful conclusion of instruction in critical thinking should be the demonstration of skills in elementary inductive and deductive processes, including an understanding of the formal and informal fallacies of language and thought, and the ability to distinguish matters of fact from issues of judgment or opinion."

    All PHIL 02 courses satisfy CSU Chico General Education requirements in Area A3. This campus's policy states that students in a Critical Thinking course must demonstrate
    1. ability to distinguish between fact and judgment and between belief and knowledge;
    2. ability to distinguish between correct and incorrect reasoning, including an understanding of the formal and informal fallacies in language and thought;
    3. knowledge of and skill in using elementary methods and patterns of reasoning, including induction and deduction; and
    4. ability to criticize, analyze, and advocate ideas with logical force within human discourse, both oral and written.

    How we'll translate these policy statements into practice...
  • Two large group meetings in the Harlen Adams Theater most weeks, consisting of lectures, other presentations, discussions, and group work (alternative assignment days to be announced in class)
  • Study of critical thinking theory
  • Self-assessments, quizzes, and writing assignments that focus on your understanding of key points of critical thinking method
  • Conversations out of class in the Resource Room (Modoc 118A), offices, and other venues of our choice
    Grading...
    These percentages are advisory guidelines to the final grade.
    Participation and quizzes 25%
    Mid-term exam 15%
    Cumulative final examination on theory and application of critical thinking method 25%
    Critical writing (analytical essays)
    		35%
    Note on quizzes: Quizzes are pass-fail, with a passing grade of 60%. If your grade is lower than that, you can raise it to passing by coming in to the Resource Room and going over the quiz in detail with one of the instructional staff within two weeks of the posting of quiz grades.
    Note on percentages: These percentages are advisory only. Final grades may be affected beyond these percentages positively by especially meritorious performance in some part of the course or negatively by seriously deficient performance in one or more areas, including low participation in course activities as evidenced by in-class writing. Do not underestimate the importance of class participation (the CW1 and CW2 columns in WebCT) for your final grade.

    Course Schedule by Week

    To get the full benefit of this course, assigned reading must be done before coming to class . To help focus your reading and your attention in class, you should familiarize yourself with the critical thinking terms and objectives listed for each week.

    The PowerPoint presentations from the lectures are linked below. You can view them in your web browser or in PowerPoint, which is preferable. If you do not have PowerPoint on your computer, you can download a PowerPoint Viewer. Click here for Windows. Click here for Macintosh. A free version of StarOffice is available here for Linux and Windows users.

    Use this syllabus as a study guide for the semester and for the final exam.

    Week 1 Writing #1: "Intro" on WebCT, open until Wednesday of Week 2 at 11 PM
    Week 2 Quiz #1 (Q1) on WebCT; see WebCT for open period
    Week 3 Quiz #2 (Q2) on WebCT; see WebCT for open period
    Week 4 Quiz #3 (Q3) on WebCT; see WebCT for open period
    Week 5 Quiz #4 (Q4) on WebCT; see WebCT for open period
    Week 6

    Work on drafts of two critical thinking analyses that are due on WebCT and in hard copy on Thursday of next week. An explanation of grading standards is located in the Analytical Writing Skills Rubric.

    Week 7

    Work on drafts of two critical thinking analyses that are due on WebCT and in hard copy on Thursday of this week. An explanation of grading standards is located in the Analytical Writing Skills Rubric.

    Week 8 Mid-term exam available on WebCT; see WebCT for open period
    Week 9 Quiz #5 (Q5) on WebCT; see WebCT for open period
    Week 10
    Week 11 Quiz #6 (Q6) on WebCT; see WebCT for open period
    Week 12 Final versions of six critical thinking analyses due in hard copy and on WebCT by Friday. An explanation of grading standards is located in the Analytical Writing Skills Rubric.
    Week 13
    Week 14 Quiz #7 on WebCT; see WebCT for open period
    Week 15
    Week 16