Logic, Reasoning, and Persuasion
730:101:02, Fall 2014

Instructor:	Erik Hoversten
Email:
Office:	106 Somerset St, Room 534, CAC
Office Hrs:	Wed and Thurs 2:00p-3:30p, and by appt.
Meeting Place:	Lucy Stone Hall, Room A143, Liv
Meeting Times:	MH 12:00p-1:20p
Textbook:	A Concise Introduction to Logic, 12th edition, by Patrick Hurley
	Lecture notes and additional readings available on the course website
Course website:	Sakai: LRP 02 F14

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Course overview

In this class we will introduce a variety of concepts and tools of critical thinking. The primary tool of philosophical study is the argument. We’ll be examining argumentation from a variety of different perspectives. We’ll begin by introducing the concepts of reason and reasoning. Once we have the basics down, we’ll move on to informal analysis of arguments with an emphasis on understanding and diagnosing informal fallacies of reasoning. The bulk of the term will be spent on formal argumentation. We’ll explore deductive, inductive, and abductive arguments in depth.

Core Curriculum Learning Goal: This course meets goal ‘o’: ‘Examine critically philosophical and other theoretical issues concerning the nature of reality, human experience, knowledge, value, and/or cultural production.’ Assessment will be by an SAS generic rubric embedded in the evaluation criteria laid out in this syllabus.

Assessment

Student grades will be determined based on performance on two in class exams, six homework assignments, and attendance and participation in class discussion.

Details regarding the assessment criteria are available on the course website. Late assignments will be accepted only if the instructor is given notice prior to the due date.

Assignment	Due date and time	Point value
Midterm exam	10/20 in class	100pts
Final exam	12/16 12p-3p	100pts
Homework	Various	6 @ 20pts = 120pts

Attendance

Students are expected to attend all classes; if you expect to miss one or two classes, please use the University’s Absence Reporting Website to indicate the date and reason for your absence. An email is automatically sent to me.  

While attendance and participation are not formally used in calculating the final grade, the content of the exams will draw heavily on the lecture material. In addition, one of the best ways to develop an understanding of the material is to actively engage in class discussion.

Academic integrity

You must abide by the University’s Academic Integrity Policy. The basic guideline is that credit should be given where credit is due. If you have any uncertainty regarding an issue of academic integrity please contact me about it.

Course schedule

The following is a tentative schedule for the course; adjustments will likely take place as the semester progresses.

	H 09/04	Syllabus
	M 09/08	Varieties of reasons	H: §§1.1-1.2, LN: reasons
	H 09/11	Arguments	H: §§1.3-1.4
	M 09/15	Language & translations	H: §§2.1-2.2
	H 09/18	Mood & content
	M 09/22	Informal fallacies 1	H: §§3.1-3.3
	H 09/25	Informal fallacies 2	§§3.4-3.5
	M 09/29	Buffer session
	H 10/02	Categorical propositions	H: §§4.1-4.2,
	M 10/06	Venn diagrams and syllogisms	H: Ch. 5
	H 10/09	Truth functions and connectives	H: §§6.1-6.3
	M 10/13	Rules of inference 1	H: Ch. 7
	H 10/16	Review session
	M 10/20
	H 10/23	Rules of inference 2	H: Ch. 7
	M 10/27	Buffer session
	H 10/30	Ampliative reasoning
	M 11/03	Analogy	H: Ch. 9
	H 11/06	Probability	H: Ch. 11
	M 11/10	Statistical reasoning	H: Ch. 12
	H 11/13	Decision theory
	M 11/17	Applications
	H 11/20	Buffer session
	M 11/24	Scientific reasoning	H: Ch. 13
	H 11/27		No class
	M 12/01	The problem of induction
	H 12/04	Science and pseudoscience	H: Ch. 14
	M 12/08	Applications
	T 12/16