Intro to Critical Thinking

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Course Outline and Reading

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INTRODUCTION

Wed., Sept. 3

Introduction to the Course

Frii, Sept. 5

"What Happened in the Woods and How Do You Know?"

1. THE CONTEXT OF CRITICAL THINKING

Wed., Sept. 10-Fri., Sept. 12

Who Are You? (Society, Individual Identity and Thought)
      Ruggiero, ch. 1
What Is Critical Thinking?
      Ruggiero, ch. 2

Wed., Sept. 17-Fri., Sept. 19

What is Truth?
      Ruggiero, ch. 3
What Does it Mean to Know?
      Ruggiero, ch. 4
How Good are Your Opinions?
      Ruggiero, ch. 5

2. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED IN THE QUEST FOR CRITICAL THOUGHT

Wed., Sept. 24-Fri., Sept. 26

The Basic Problem: "Mine is Better"
      Ruggiero, ch. 6
Resistance to Change
      Ruggiero, ch. 7
Conformity
      Ruggiero, ch. 8
Face Saving
      Ruggiero, ch. 9

Wed., Oct. 1-Fri., Oct. 3

Stereotyping
      Ruggiero, ch. 10
Oversimplification
      Ruggiero, ch. 11
Hasty Conclusion
      Ruggiero, ch. 12
Unwarranted Assumption
      Ruggiero, ch. 13

Wed., Oct. 8-Fri., Oct. 10

Logical Fallacies
      Ruggiero, ch. 14; Shick 285-291
The Problems in Combination
      Ruggiero, ch. 15

3. STRATEGY FOR PRACTICING CRITICAL THINKING

Wed., Oct. 15-Fri., Oct. 17

Knowing Yourself
      Ruggiero, ch. 16
Being Observant
      Ruggiero, ch. 17
Clarifying Issues
      Ruggiero, ch. 18

Wed., Oct. 22

Conducting Inquiry
      Ruggiero, ch. 19
Forming a Judgment
      Ruggiero, ch. 20

4. APPLICATION AND PRACTICE: CRITICAL THINKING AND THE EXTRAORDINARY
      (Readings from Schick)

Fri., Oct. 24-Wed., Oct. 29

Chapter One: Introduction; Close Encounters with the Strange
Chapter Two: The Possibility of the Impossible

Fri., Oct. 31-Wed., Nov. 5

Chapter Three: Looking for Truth in Personal Experience

Fri., Nov. 7-Wed., Nov. 12

Chapter Four: Relativism, Truth and Reality

Fri., Nov. 14-Wed., Nov. 19

Chapter Five: Knowledge, Belief and Evidence/I>

Fri., Nov. 21-Wed., Nov. 26

Chapter Six: Mystical Knowing

Wed., Dec. 3- Fri., Dec. 5

Chapter Seven: How to Assess a "Miracle Cure"

Wed., Dec. 10

Chapter Eight: Science and Its Pretenders

Fri., Dec. 12 and During the Final Exam Period

Chapter Nine: Case Studies in the Extraordinary
Course Summary

Note: There will be no Final Exam for this course. However we will meet during the the exam period (in compliance with the policy of the university) and spend the time finishing up our discussion of ch. 9 as well as drawing some conclusions for the course as a whole. Attendance at this final session is required.

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Last Updated Sept. 28, 1997
Kenneth J. Banner
banner@jupiter.rowan.edu

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