Professor Jason Robinson

jasonro@yorku.ca

This course emphasizes critical reasoning skills. These critical-rational skills are then applied to texts and issues on a variety of topics with the goal of gaining clarity of insight as well as formulating our own “reasoned” positions. We shall be taking an inter- and multi-disciplinary approach that draws on numerous disciplinary insights, theories, methods, and forms of research.
Developing techniques of persuasion is “not” about emotional manipulation, propaganda, simple appeals to tradition or power and authority, or about naïve acceptance (a person showing a lack of judgment) of ideologies (popular ideas about politics, laws, the good life, etc.). Techniques of persuasion are skills related to thinking, writing, and otherwise communicating rationally/logically and critically/reflectively. In this course students will learn about the importance of being persuasive by providing good reasons for thoughts, actions, and beliefs. Being persuasive in a rational manner is of profound practical relevance. As social creatures we want people to listen to us and to believe what we say. This course will help you on both counts.

Technical requirements for taking the course: Students will need a computer and reliable internet connection to access course content on Moodle and to complete assignments (quizzes/exams/submission of written work).

Here are some useful links for computing information, resources and help:

Student Guide to Moodle https://lthelp.yorku.ca/student-guide-to-moodle

Computing for Students Website https://student.computing.yorku.ca/

Student Guide to eLearning at York University http://elearning-guide.apps01.yorku.ca/

Thinking Clearly: A Guide to Critical Reasoning. Jill LeBlanc. New York: W. W. Norton, 1998.

Contemporary Moral Arguments: Readings in Ethical Issues. Lewis Vaughn. New York: Oxford University Press.

Times and locations: Please note that this is a course that depends on remote teaching and learning. There will be no in-person interactions or activities on campus despite the “blended” listing of the course. This section is fully online (ignore any posted “in-class” time listings given by the university course catalogue).

Organization of the Course: Fully Online

The entire course, including the submission of assignments and test-taking, will take place on the course’s Moodle. Although we are technically scheduled to meet at particular times and days of the week, this course has no live meetings. Please ignore any posted “in-person” times/locations. Just like an online course, you can learn the course material at your own pace, following the schedule of readings and activities in the syllabus. Be sure to pay close attention to assignment due dates.

The ultimate objective of this course is practical—to provide students the opportunity to develop useful tools for reasoning (being persuasive) in any context. To that end, students will be shown important critical reading, writing, thinking, and problem solving skills needed to successfully navigate different knowledge claims. In addition to critical reading, thinking, and writing skills, there will be an emphasis on personal development, including the creation of competencies in fields/areas of research that are currently unfamiliar—thereby encouraging the ability to rationally consider others’ views on major issues as well as to challenge one’s own.

Times and locations: Please note that this is a course that depends on remote teaching and learning. There will be no in-person interactions or activities on campus despite the “blended” listing of the course. This section is fully online (ignore any posted “in-class” time listings given by the university course catalogue).