Jason Robinson

jasonro@yorku.ca

Format: Lecture

(face-to-face meetings)

Mondays 4pm-7pm (HNE 038)

Wednesdays 4pm-7pm (ACW 006)

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.

Our other goal is to foster a basic understanding of moral argumentation. Our systematic study of moral reasoning will include several major moral theories. As you no doubt already know, life is full of many moral dilemmas. Are you able to effectively navigate your way through them? Do you have basic critical thinking skills needed to sort between good moral arguments and bad? Many people live life without ever asking themselves why they believe what they believe or how they might justify their actions. Thinking rationally about moral issues is no easy task but it is nevertheless an incredibly important ability, indeed responsibility, for each of us. What is right? What is wrong? Why? This course is not about giving you final answers to moral questions. Rather, it is about facilitating your own critical interaction with such questions.

There are two main parts or themes in this course. It introduces students to: (1) the rules and the application of those rules that govern critical thinking and (2) to controversial debates, i.e., “hot topics” of the day, e.g., political propaganda, legal and social debates on issues such as war, terrorism, animal rights, pornography. This course is designed to encourage student application of critical-rational thinking through interaction with highly debated issues, i.e., to become more persuasive about specific positions.

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

• The Power of Critical Thinking, 5^th edition. Chris MacDonald and Lewis Vaughn. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 2019. ISBN-13: 9780199030439
• Contemporary Moral Arguments: Readings in Ethical Issues. Lewis Vaughn. New York: Oxford University Press. (any edition) ISBN: 9780199922260

Evaluation

The is a lecture-based and in-class course, with an additional emphasis on online learning as well, including online quizzes/exams, assignment submissions (essays), and additional lecture content relevant to the course. We will rely heavily on eClass.

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.

Additional Information: Be sure to review syllabus available in eClass on the first day of classes.