Course Details

Logic & Reasoning
Camden County College, Blackwood Campus
Philosophy 121, Section 02
Spring 2009
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Noon – 12:50 p.m. in Madison Hall, Room 311

Instructor: Sean Landis
Email: slandis@camdencc.edu
Phone: 609-980-8367
Course Website: http://ccclogic09.blogspot.com

Required Text
Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric, 10th edition (Howard Kahane & Nancy Cavender)

About the Course
We are presented with arguments for all sorts of conclusions all the time, on topics as serious as abortion or the death penalty and as trivial as who the Phillies best player is or whether Letterman is funnier than Leno. How can we tell good arguments from bad ones?

This course focuses on understanding and evaluating arguments. We’ll first learn how to identify the components and structures of arguments. We’ll then learn how to pick apart the bad reasoning found in some arguments by going over logical fallacies, which are the different ways an argument can go wrong. We’ll also discuss psychological impediments that can throw us off. These are the ways most people naturally are led to reason incorrectly.

Armed with these evaluative tools, we’ll then explore our arguments for what we believe, and revise or strengthen them based on proper reasoning. The course’s main goal is to develop a respect for arguments and reasoning as an important, if not the most important, tool toward figuring out the truth.

Grades
90-100% = A
80-89% = B
70-79% = C
60-69% = D
below 60% = F

Midterm: 15%
Final: 25%
Quizzes (2): 7.5% each (15% total)
Oral Report: 15%
Short Paper: 5%
Group Projects (3): 3% each (9% total)
Other Homework (3): 4% each (12% total)
Attendance/Participation: 4%

Exams: The midterm tests everything covered during the first half of the course, and will last the full period (50 minutes). The final exam is cumulative: it tests everything covered throughout the whole course. The final will last 50 minutes and will be held during finals week.

Quizzes: Quizzes aren’t cumulative. Quiz #1 tests everything covered during the first 4 weeks of class, and quiz #2 tests everything covered after exam #1 (weeks 7 through 9). Quizzes will last 20 to 25 minutes, and be held at the beginning of class on the scheduled day.

Oral Report: This will be a group project presented in front of the class at the end of the semester. Each group of 3-5 students will research a topic and present a 10- to 15-minute oral presentation on it to the rest of the class.

Short Paper: There will be a short papers (250-500 words each) on understanding and evaluating an argument.

In-Class Group Projects: In addition to the group project and a lot of informal group work, there are three in-class group projects due at various times throughout the semester.

Other Homework: There will be three total homework assignments. Each one is due at the beginning of class the day they are due.

Attendance/Participation: Most of this will be based on your attendance. If you’re there every class, you’ll get full credit for your attendance grade. In addition, informal group work can impact your grade.

Extra Credit: There will be some optional extra credit assigned throughout the semester.

Classroom Policies
Academic Integrity: Cheating and plagiarism (using someone else’s words or ideas without giving credit to the source) will not be tolerated in the class. Students found guilty of either will definitely fail the exam or assignment—and possibly the entire class.

Excused Absenses: Make-up exams, quizzes, in-class projects, and oral reports will only be rescheduled for any excused absences (excused absences include religious observance, official college business, and illness or injury – with a doctor’s note). An unexcused absence on the day of any assignment or test will result in a zero on that assignment or test.

Important Dates
January 20th: Last day to drop a course & receive a 100% refund.
February 3rd: Last day to drop a course & receive a 50% refund.
February 10th: Last day to sign up to audit a course.
April 23rd: Last day to withdrawal from Fall Classes.