Cael Cohen, PhD

Email: cmcohen@yorku.ca

Telephone or Text: 647-880-1237

In-Person Office Hours: Tuesday, 9:00 am – 11:00 am, 447 South Ross Building.

Online Zoom Office Hour: Thursday, 9:00 am – 10:00 am, in Zoom.

Optional Online Skills Incubator Session in Zoom: Thursday, 10:00 am – 11:00 am, in Zoom.

This fully online, skills-based course teaches learners how to read, write and think independently, critically, and for meaning, through:

• A collection of critical skills, practices, techniques, attitudes, and principles that can be used every day to systematically evaluate your own and others’ reasoning about morality and values.
• An approach to ethical disagreements and controversial moral issues using rational standards and mindfulness awareness.
• Critical assessment and formulation of ethical beliefs, arguments, and concepts based on relevant, acceptable, and sufficient grounds, rather than passive acceptance.

Why should learners bother taking this course?

• Increase ability to assess situations and act in a way that reflects reasoned assessment and choices.
• Understand the world more clearly.
• Clarify confusing ideas.
• Analyze reasons and claims.
• Evaluate the quality of claims and arguments.
• Gain a better understanding of who you are by enhancing your autonomy, what you believe, and who you can become.
• Give you more control of your life by grounding your understanding, decisions, and actions on reason rather than merely on a gut feeling, habit, or social convention.
• Read for meaning better and systematically assess what is read.
• Think more independently.
• Formulate stronger, more convincing arguments that depend on relevant, sufficient, and acceptable reasons.

 General Education course. There are course credit exclusions on MODR1730, 1760, and 1770 as a set.  Students cannot take two Modes of Reasoning courses for credit.

 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR TAKING THE COURSE

• A stable, higher-speed, internet connection.

• There is one textbook for this course.
• ISBN for Critical Thinking: Argument & Argumentation (2e) in Top Hat is 9781774126004.
• Digital codes can be ordered from https://bookstore.tophat.com/s/

Price: $59.99 (no additional subscription fee)

TOP HAT

We will be using Top Hat (www.tophat.com) to access the digital interactive textbook, Critical Thinking: Argument & Argumentation, that we will be using in this class. For instructions on how to create a Top Hat account and enroll in our Top Hat course, please refer to the invitation sent to your school email address or consult Top Hat's Getting Started Guide (https://bit.ly/31TGMlw).

If you already have a Top Hat account, go to https://app.tophat.com/e/150202 to be taken directly to our course. If you are new to Top Hat, follow the link in the email invitation you received or...

• Go to https://app.tophat.com/register/student
• Click "Search by school" and input the name of our school
• Search for our course with the following join code: 150202

The cost of the textbook is $59.99 (no additional subscription fee) and will be applied at checkout when enrolling in our Top Hat course. Bear in mind that textbook material will be made available in our course throughout the semester, so do not panic if you do not see any in the course upon entry.

Should you require assistance with Top Hat at any time please contact their Support Team directly by way of email (support@tophat.com), the in-app support button, or by calling 1-888-663-5491. Specific user information may be required by their technical support team when troubleshooting issues.

Summary of Assignments and Evaluation

COURSE FORMAT:

• This is a fully online, condensed, accelerated course.
• To access the course site, you need to log in with your passport York @ eclass.yorku.ca.
• The course work consists of 5 Modules containing a total of 22 lessons over the entire course:
  • Module 1: Foundations of Argument and Argumentation
  • Module 2: Three Common Kinds of Arguments
  • Module 3: Constructing an Argument
  • Module 4: Identifying and Assessing Concepts
  • Module 5: Identifying and Assessing Extended Arguments
• Each lesson is composed of mini-lectures, coaching videos, and participation worksheets.

Class Participation → What it takes to succeed in online Modules:

• You should be completing all coursework by the deadlines posted.
• If you are accessing this course from a different time zone please be aware that all deadlines and launch times are Eastern Standard Time.  You are responsible for meeting all deadlines even if you are in a different time zone.
• This course aims at providing active and deep learning experiences.
• It is important that you have finished required readings before beginning each lesson.
• In the online modules, you will be asked to access the lesson materials and interact with these materials by viewing brief recordings, completing optional learning activities, quizzes, and other optional lesson participation assignments or mandatory homework.
• Everyone in this course is expected to treat each other with respect. In the online environment, without the visual cues and shared understanding of acceptable behavior in face-to-face situations, it can be helpful to agree on basic ‘netiquette’ (online etiquette). Please refer to the “Netiquette” document posted to the EClass course site for a summary of expected online behavior.
• This course is skills-based, consequently, this course requires the completion of mandatory homework and optional learning activities to learn and practice the skills. You do NEED to keep up. To become strong at any skill, practice is needed. Accordingly, there is an emphasis on continuous engagement in the Modules. If you anticipate not viewing lesson video recordings due to conflicts with work, your other classes, or personal commitments, you are strongly urged to rethink whether you should enroll in this course.

By the end of this course, if you apply yourself, do all the readings, attend all classes, and fully participate, you can expect to see improvement in your reading, writing, critical reasoning and critical thinking skills in the following areas:

• Clarify meaning in arguments and passages.
• Recognize and avoid prejudicial and emotional rhetoric in arguments.
• Analyze, identify, portray, and assess non-deductive arguments.
• Identify, neutralize, and avoid common errors in reasoning, specifically informal logical fallacies.
• Analyze, practice, and assess dynamic processes of verbal argumentation with others, including constructing and presenting arguments, and challenging and responding to those challenges in an ongoing dialogue.
• Recognize and identify some core patterns that help define the key features of an ideal argumentation encounter.
• Identify, analyze, and assess concepts or abstract ideas in ordinary contexts.
• Use the techniques of reasoning by cases, similarities and differences, and conjectures and refutations to analyze cases and develop criteria for the meaning of concepts or ideas.
• Determine the meaning of abstract ideas using reasoning by cases.
• Develop skills required to read and listen for meaning.
• Recognize and develop necessary skills for ethical disagreement.

COURSE POLICIES

Academic Integrity: Students are expected to understand what constitutes academic integrity, and how to submit work that is credible and honest. These are fundamental values shared by students, staff, and faculty at York University. York University treats cheating and plagiarism very seriously. Please review the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty, which outlines the behaviours that constitute academic dishonesty and the processes for addressing academic offences.

Accessibility: Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in this course. If you have a disability/health consideration that may require accommodations, please feel free to approach the instructor and/or Student Accessibility Services as soon as possible. The professor will work with you and Accessibility Services as soon as possible. The instructor will work with you and Accessibility Services to ensure your rights and entitlements are upheld and that you have access to an equitable environment so you can achieve your learning goals in this course. Enquiries are confidential.

Copyright: Course materials, including the syllabus, lectures, and summaries reflective of course content, are made available for the personal use of students and may not be commercially distributed or reproduced without the instructor’s express written consent. The educational materials developed for this course, including, but not limited to, lecture notes and slides, handout materials, examinations and assignments, and any materials posted to EClass, are the intellectual property of the course director. These materials have been developed for student use only and they are not intended for wider dissemination and/or communication outside of a given course. Posting or providing unauthorized audio, video, or textual material of lecture content to third-party websites violates an instructor’s intellectual property rights, and the Canadian Copyright Act. Failure to follow these instructions may be in contravention of the university’s Code of Student Conduct and/or Code of Academic Conduct and will result in appropriate penalties. Participation in this course constitutes an agreement by all parties to abide by the relevant University Policies, and to respect the intellectual property of others during and after their association with York University.

Hot Moments: We will take care in this class to create an environment where everyone feels safe to share their thoughts. Safety does not mean protection from discomfort or vulnerability; rather, it signals a supportive and welcoming environment where students are invited to take risks with their contributions. We cannot take risks without trust, and everyone shares the responsibility of establishing and maintaining trust. In accordance with university policy, this classroom is not a space where sexist, racist, xenophobic, homophobic, ableist, transphobic, classist or otherwise discriminatory language will go unchallenged or unaddressed.

 Accommodations for Religious Observances: It is the policy of York University to arrange reasonable accommodation of the needs of students who observe religious holy days other than those already accommodated by ordinary scheduling and statutory holidays. Students have a responsibility to alert instructors in a timely fashion to upcoming religious observances and anticipated absences. You may review the policy, guidelines, and procedures for Religious Observances at this website: https://rights.info.yorku.ca/accommodating-creed-religion-a-guide-for-students-faculty-and-staff/

Email Policy: The Instructor tries to respond to emails promptly, usually within 24 hours. However, emails sent on a Friday afternoon may not be answered until the following Monday morning. Questions sent by email should be concise and should require an answer of a few sentences only. If you wish to discuss a question or problem in greater detail, please make an appointment for a Zoom or telephone meeting or come to in-person or Zoom office hours.

Late Assignment and Extensions: This class is a condensed, accelerated course, that moves fast. Extensions on discussion activities can only be granted in extraordinary circumstances and with prior approval by the instructor. Extensions of Lesson Participation Activities will incur a 5% reduction in the grade earned, with the weekend counting as one day. Late assignments will be penalized by 5% for the first day late, and 1% per day up to the end of the first week. Assignments will not be accepted after two weeks. Please inform the instructor immediately when circumstances keep you from submitting an assignment as scheduled. You are responsible for providing official documentation during the term that prevent you from completing your course work. Your registrar may be able to provide a letter documenting your situation in case of non-medical emergencies.

Grading Scheme: The grading scheme for the course conforms to the 9-point grading system used in undergraduate programs at York (e.g., A+ = 9, A = 8, B+ = 7. C+ = 5, etc.). Assignments and tests will bear either a letter grade designation or a corresponding number grade (A+ = 90 to 100, A = 80 to 90, B+ = 75 to 79, etc.) For a full description of York grading system see the York University Undergraduate Calendar - http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/2010-2011/academic/index.htm

Definitions of Grading Descriptions:

A+ Exceptional. Thorough knowledge of concepts and/or techniques and exceptional skill or great originality in the use of those concepts/techniques in satisfying the requirements of an assignment or course.

A Excellent. Thorough knowledge of concepts and/or techniques together with a high degree of skill and/or some elements of originality in satisfying the requirements of an assignment or course.

B+ Very Good. Thorough knowledge of concepts and/or techniques together with a fairly high degree of skill in the use of those concepts/techniques in satisfying the requirements of an assignment or course.

B Good. Good level of knowledge of concepts and/or techniques together with considerable skill in using them to satisfy the requirements of an assignment or course.

C+ Competent. Acceptable level of knowledge of concepts and/or techniques together with considerable skill in using them to satisfy the requirements of an assignment or course.

C Fairly Competent. Acceptable level of knowledge of concepts and/or techniques together with some skill in using them to satisfy the requirements of an assignment or course.

D+ Passing. Slightly better than minimal knowledge of required concepts and/or techniques together with some ability to use them in satisfying the requirements of an assignment or course.

D Barely Passing. Minimum knowledge of concepts and/or techniques needed to satisfy the requirements of an assignment or course.

E Marginally Failing.