Critical Thinking
        Philosophy

DE ANZA COLLEGE
SOCIAL SCIENCE DIVISION
COURSE OUTLINE

            Degree Applicable

PHILOSOPHY 4                                                   Effective Quarter Fall 2004

I.            Catalog Information

PHIL 4                                     Critical Thinking                                    4 Units

Advisory: Eligibility for English Writing 1A or English as a Second Language 5

Four hours lecture

The function of formal and informal logic, argument, critical evaluation, and use of language in the interpretation of diverse forms of discourse..

II.            Course Objectives

The student will:

A.      Distinguish in speaking, listening, writing and reading the logical and non-logical uses of language in written and oral discourse.

B.      Utilize the principles of deductive and inductive logic to analyze, criticize and evaluate ideas and the assumptions on which they are based in written and oral discourse.

C.      Differentiate fact from judgment, knowledge from belief, and the various modes of inquiry which characterize different areas of human thought.

D.      Develop critical thinking habits by recognizing common logical errors and/or fallacies of language and thought that occur in the advocacy of ideas.

E.      Analyze, criticize, and synthesize information and ideas through writing a sequence of shorter argumentative essays.

F.      Recognize importance of receiving evaluation of her/his written compositions with respect to quality of writing style and content accuracy as a means of improving communication.

G.      Strengthen her/his understanding and appreciation for the alternative viewpoints and contributions originating in diverse cultural, gender, ethnic, religious or scientific contexts.

III.            Essential Student Materials

None

IV.            Essential College Facilities

None

V.            Expanded Description: Content and Form

A.      Language, discourse, logic and critical thinking

1.            Logical and non-logical uses of language in written and spoken discourse (II. A)
2.            Application of deductive logic's principles to analyze, evaluate and criticize written and spoken discourse (II. B)
3.            Application of inductive logic's principles to analyze, evaluate and criticize written and spoken discourse (II. B)
4.             Function of context syntax and semantics in formulating and interpreting structured and significant statements (II. A, C, D, F)
5.            Critical reading and thinking both as analysis and synthesis of logic and language in everyday written discourse (II. A, B, D)

B.      Critically evaluating and composing arguments in everyday language

1.            Criteria for determining good arguments from bad arguments by identifying: claims, reasons (premises), information relevancy/irrelevancy, validity differences in formal and informal logic, unstated assumptions (II. A, B, C, D)
2.            Identify sources of unclarity in writing: ambiguity, vagueness, reference, meaning, definition, claims of opinion, fact or reason (II. A, B, C, D)
3.            Respecting and resolving issues of cultural, ethnic, gender, religious diversity (II. D, G)
4.            Criteria for differentiating fact from judgment and knowledge from belief (II. C, D)
5.            Distinguishing explanatory reasoning from justificatory reasoning in differing modes of inquiry (II. C)
a.      Use of physical, psychological and functional explanations
b.      Criteria for justificatory reasoning: clarity, relevance, coherence, verifiability, explanatory power, economy of assumption, consistency with fact and well-established theory, causal complexity versus causal simplicity, analogical comparisons, necessary and sufficient conditions
6.            Distinguishing rhetorical devices as non-argumentative persuasions: euphemisms, innuendo, loaded questions, stereotypes, hyperbole, slang, jargon (II. A, B, D)
7.            Distinguishing common informal fallacies in discourse: improper authority, ad hominem, two wrongs make a right, false dilemma, straw man, popularity, slippery slope, suppressed evidence, question begging, provincialism, argument from ignorance, false cause, false analogy, questionable statistics, inconsistency, division, composition, hasty conclusion (II. A, B, D)

C.      Critical reading and writing practice

1.            Reading and writing for the thesis (II. E)

a.      Status and function of thesis in written and spoken discourse
b.      Discovery and testing of thesis in reading and writing contexts
c.      Thesis research as preparation for argumentative and expositional writing

2.            Techniques for producing effectively written thesis argumentation (II. E, F, G)

a.      Synthesizing factual information into reasons supporting thesis
b.      Use of concrete example and diction to express clarity and meaning of ideas
c.      Coherent and consistent development of thought in support of thesis
d.      Variety, balance and economy in sentence construction
e.      Use of transitional words and phrases to effectively connect arguments
f.      Judicious and appropriate use of persuasive, emphatic and technical devices
g.      Articulation and criticism of anticipated counter-arguments to thesis with attention to diverse perspectives
h.      Identification of explicit and implicit assumptions of the argument
i.      Avoidance of logical fallacies
j.      Need for writer to be open to and/or draw conclusions from all relevant and methodologically justified evidence

3.            Revision of written composition through auditor's evaluative feedback (II. F)

a.      Review written composition from the reader's perspective with attention to diverse background assumptions
b.      Read written composition aloud to oneself listening for any incoherences (use of audio or video recording for playback encouraged) and revise as necessary
c.      Listen for written composition's coherency when read aloud by another person and revise as necessary
d.      Assessment and implementation of the professor's evaluative criticism(s) into the written composition

VI.            Assignments

A.      Reading

1.            Assigned reading from required texts which foster students' awareness of cultural and gender diversity (II. G)
2.            Assigned reading from required texts which include argumentative, persuasive, narrative or expressive essays (II. A, B, D, G)
3.             Assigned reading from required texts which include principles of critical thinking, deductive and inductive logic (II. A, B, C, D)
4.             Assigned reading from secondary sources covering mass media, e.g. TV, advertisements, news magazines, etc. (II. A, B, C, D)

B.      Writing (a series of writing assignments evaluated for communication and critical thinking skills, e.g., logical structure, synthesis, coherence, fallacious reasoning, grammar, punctuation, spelling, vocabulary, use of evidence, mode of inquiry, and conceptual development)

1.            In-class practice writing assignments emphasizing initial stages in the writing process, e.g., paragraph development, argument development, etc. (II. E, F)
2.            Evaluated in- or out-of-class writing exercises stressing argument analysis and construction ranging from paragraph development to short and succinct responses to assigned issues from text or public presentations, e.g., films, speeches, dramatic presentations, etc. (II. E, F)
3.            A succession of evaluated writing assignments done outside of class ranging initially from short and succinct essays on assigned topics (500 words) to a medium length essay (1,000 words in which critical reading and evaluation of information resources, logical development of arguments, and creative conceptual synthesis of information and ideas occur. ("Research paper" in this context is construed to mean an argumentative essay in which at least two alternative positions on a significant issue are presented.) (II. E, F)

VII.            Methods of Evaluating Objectives

A.      Formal essays as prescribed in VI., B. l., 2., and 3. above
B.      Quizzes, tests and final exam
C.      Active class participation (for which evaluation criteria are clearly stated on course syllabus)

VIII.            Sample Texts and Supporting References
(The instructor should feel free to use any texts, including those not on this list, that can support the objectives of this course.)

A.      Texts
Annas, Pamela and R.C. Rosen. Literature and Society. Englewood Cliff, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1990.
Annis, D.B. Techniques of Critical Reasoning, Riverside, NJ: Merrill, 1974.
Bain, Carl E., Jerome Beaty, and J. Paul Hunter. The Norton Introduction to Literature, 5th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 1991.
Barker, E.M. Everyday Reasoning. Englewood Cliffs, NJ; Prentice-Hall, 1981.
Bassham, Gregory, Irwin, William, Nardone, Henery, and Wallace, James M. Critical Thinking: A Student’s Introduction. 2nd ed. Mc Graw-Hill, United States of America, 2005
Brown, M.N. and A.M. Keeley. Asking the Right Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986.
Cederblom, J. and D.W. Paulsen. Critical Reasoning. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1982.
Chaffee, J. Thinking Critically. Burlington, MA: Houghton-Mifflin, 1985.
Damer, T. E. Attacking Faulty Reasoning.  3rd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1987.
Engel, S.M. With Good Reason. 4th ed. New York: St. Martin's, 1990.
Fogelin, R.J. Understanding Arguments. 5th ed. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1997.
Gage, J.T. The Shape of Reason. New York: MacMillan, 1987.
Govier, T.A Practical Study of Argument. 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2001.
Hintikka, J. and J. Bachman. What If......? Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1991.
Kahane, H. Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric. 9th ed. Florence, KY: Wadsworth, 2002.
Mayfield, M. Thinking for Yourself: Developing Critical Thinking Skills Through Writing. 3rd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1994.
Michalos, A.C. Improving Your Reasoning. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986.
Missimer, C.A. Good Arguments: An Introduction to Critical Thinking. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1990.
Moore, B.N. and R. Parker. Critical Thinking: Evaluating Claims and Arguments in Everyday Life. 7th ed. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 2004.
Nolt, J.E. Informal Logic: Possible Worlds and Imagination. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1984.
Ruggiero, V.R. The Art of Thinking: A Guide to Critical and Creative Thought. 7th ed. New York: Harper and Row, 2004.
Russow, L.M. and Curd, M. Principles of Reasoning. New York: St. Martin's, 1989.
Scholes, Robert and Nancy R. Cromley. The Practice of Writing. 3rd ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1991.
Seech, Z. Logic in Everyday Life: Practical Reasoning Skills. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1987.
Teays, Wanda. Second Thoughts: Critical Thinkiing from a Multicultural Perspective. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1996
Thomas, S. Practical Reasoning in Natural Language. 4th ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1997.
Troyka, J.Q. with E.R. Gordon, and A.B Dobie. Simon and Schuster Handbook for Writers. 2nd ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1990.
Waller, B.N. Critical Thinking: Consider the Verdict.2nd ed.  Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1994.
Weddle, P. Argument: A Guide to Critical Thinking. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1978.
Wright, L. Better Reasoning: Techniques for Handling Argument, Evidence, and Abstraction. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1982.