Prof. Julie A. Allen, PhD

allenj@yorku.ca

Regular Office hours: Rm 445S Ross,  Mondays 1pm-2pm &

Wednesdays 10am-11am

Virtual Office hours:  TBA

Times and locations:  Wednesdays, 11:30 – 2:30    DB 1005

IN PERSON CLASS

(Lecture materials will be delivered in person)

This is a skills-based course focusing on critical thinking, critical writing, and logical and linguistic analysis. The course uses examples drawn from areas in the humanities where value judgments are made. The first two thirds of the course will focus on arguments — their structure, type, construction and evaluation.  This portion of the course will also include an emphasis on the identification of fallacious forms of arguments. The final portion of the course will focus on passage analysis and applying the analytical skills to a range of writings drawn from philosophy, literature, history, politics, and various forms of media.  Students will learn a set of techniques for tackling vague and ambiguous concepts and students will develop their own writing and argumentation skills.    We will consider questions such as, Is self-interest always selfish? Should marijuana use and possession be criminalized again?  Should homosexual marriage have been sanctioned?   What is the basis of religious valuations? How is morality connected with judgments regarding humans in relation to the environment?  Is pleasure the only valuable thing in life?  What value judgments should we make regarding animals and nutrition?  Are values subjective or objective?  Should an agent always follow the dictates of her conscience?  Do we always act on the basis of egoistic desires?

• The overall purpose of this and all Modes of Reasoning (MODR) courses is to teach students to reason correctly and to express themselves clearly and

precisely in verbal and written form.  These critical thinking skills will help students not only with the remainder of their academic studies, but also in their professional and personal lives in general.

• This course (MODR 1760) will introduce important critical thinking and analytical skills by focusing on the evaluation of various forms of argument, and the application of good reasoning skills to issues concerning value and morality. In addition to evaluating the arguments of others, you will learn to develop arguments of your own. Throughout the course we will analyze various media forms such as the news and popular press, feature films, advertising and

political speech and advertising, blogs and websites, as well as academic writing and philosophical arguments in the field of applied ethics.

• Although this course focuses primarily on the development of practical critical thinking skills it will also provide a brief introduction to some normative accounts of morality and some more general issues regarding value judgments, such as objectivism versus subjectivism, and egoism versus altruism.

• This is an approved LAPS General Education course for Humanities.

Technical requirements for taking the course:

To participate in the eClass portions of this course, students will require a computer and/or smart device and an internet connection.  To participate in the recurring synchronous Zoom Virtual office hours, held weekly (Day & Time to be announced) you will need a computer or smart device with microphone and a stable internet connection.  Zoom can be downloaded as an app on most smart phones.  Be sure to use Zoom@york.  You are not required to turn on your camera to participate in the Office hour discussions.

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

Student Guide to Moodle

Zoom@YorkU Best Practices 

Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide

Computing for Students Website

Student Guide to eLearning at York University

Each week’s readings and activities should be completed each week before moving on to the next Chapter/Topic.  Homework assignments, and forum discussion posts, and any group work will also be due on a weekly basis.

The Power of Critical Thinking

Fifth Canadian Edition  (available in Print or as an eText)

By: Chris MacDonald; Lewis Vaughn

• Publisher: Oxford University Press Canada

·         Print ISBN: 9780199030439, 019903043X

Print ISBN: 9780199030439, 019903043X

·         eText ISBN: 9780199030484, 0199030480

  This text is absolutely required for success in the course.  It may be purchased either through the York Bookstore or directly from Oxford University Press.

Additional topical articles and materials may be posted on the course Moodle page

• Test One                                                                                            15%
• Test Two                                                                                           15%
• Test Three                                                                                        15%
• Essay outline + Short essay                                                       15%
• Class Participation, Homework, group discussion, &

                        specific participation assignments                             15%   

• Final Writing assignment                                                             25%

Summary of Coursework Deadlines:

• Online Test One                                          Wednesday Oct. 27^th  
• Online Test Two                                         Wednesday   1^st      
• Online Test Three                                       Wednesday Feb. 2^nd  
• Essay outline + Short essay                        Wednesday March 2^nd                                     

                        Class Participation                                      Ongoing & T.B.A.

            Final Writing assignment                          Wednesday April 6^th              

Times and locations:  Wednesdays, 11:30 – 2:30    DB 1005