PHL 221 - Critical Thinking and Logic

1. Demonstrate the difference between philosophical questions, knowledge and ways of thinking and those appropriate to other disciplines.
   1. Distinguish the kind of reasoning appropriate to philosophy from kinds appropriate to other disciplines.
   2. State, clarify and exemplify the methodologies of philosophical thinking.
   3. Use writing to promote learning in all of the above outcomes and objectives.
2. Demonstrate a practical understanding of language usage.
   1. State and explain the nature of the various rhetorical uses of language
   2. Identify examples of rhetorical uses of language.
   3. Distinguish cognitive elements in language.
3. Demonstrate understanding of the fundamental concepts of the discipline of logic and critical thinking.
   1. Define the concepts of logic and critical thinking.
   2. Distinguish examples of logic and critical thinking
   3. Provide a critical explanation of cases when the concepts are and are not helpful in analyzing examples.
4. Demonstrate the ability to evaluate arguments.
   1. Define, identify and distinguish the various kinds of arguments.
   2. Evaluate the strengths and weakness of arguments.
   3. Identify the assumptions necessary to make arguments strong, valid and cogent.
5. Explain the logical functions and definitions of logical operators.
   1. State appropriate logical definitions and functions of these terms.
   2. Explain why these terms are defined as they are.
6. Identify the logic of an argument in written text.
   1. Develop facility at distinguishing and identifying statement forms such as tautologies, contingencies and contradictions.
   2. Identify and state the arguments from written texts and put into convention forms such as those of syllogistic logic, truth functional logic and quantificational logic.
   3. Perform tests for validity by using such methods as truth tables, deductions and syllogistic analyses.
7. Demonstrate an understanding of the various kinds of fallacious reasoning
   1. Demonstrate the ability to identify fallacious reasoning in areas such as but not limited to the news, politics, advertising and culture.
   2. State and explain the definitions of these fallacies.
   3. Identify and explain the presence of these fallacies when given various arguments and texts