AP/MODR1760 6.0 C: Reasoning About Morality and Values
Offered by: MODR
Session
Fall 2023
Term
Y
Format
LECT
Instructor
Calendar Description / Prerequisite / Co-Requisite
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 judgements are made. Different sections will stress different topics in ethics, aesthetics, religion or law. Course credit exclusions: AP/MODR 1730 6.00, AP/MODR 1770 6.00.
Course Start Up
Course Websites hosted on York's "eClass" are accessible to students during the first week of the term. It takes two business days from the time of your enrolment to access your course website. Course materials begin to be released on the course website during the first week. To log in to your eClass course visit the York U eClass Portal and login with your Student Passport York Account. If you are creating and participating in Zoom meetings you may also go directly to the York U Zoom Portal.
For further course Start Up details, review the Getting Started webpage.
For IT support, students may contact University Information Technology Client Services via askit@yorku.ca or (416) 736-5800. Please also visit Students Getting Started UIT or the Getting Help - UIT webpages.
Professor Judy Pelham at pelham@yorku.ca
Virtual office hours: Prof. Pelham will hold in-person office hours, and individual meetings via Zoom may be arranged by sending her an email.
In this section we will study the basic elements of arguments, and learn to analyze arguments with examples taken from ethics, environmental studies and other academic sources, as well as other publications such as newspapers, magazines, and online sources.
This is an in-person course meeting once per week for three hours. We will in addition use an eCourse site (Moodle) site for the course. Articles to read, quizzes or other assignments may be accessible mainly through eCourse.
Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:
Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide
Computing for Students Website
To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest, that can be run.]
Trudy Govier, A Practical Study of Argument 7th Ed. United States: Wadsworth, 2010).
Tentatively, to be finalized during the first class:
Writing Assignments: 40%
Quizzes or other in-class tests: 20%
Oral or video work in groups: 20%
Final Exam 20%
Times and locations:
Tuesdays, 11:30 – 2:30 pm. HNE 033
This is an in-person course which meets for one three hour block on Tuesdays each week. The course will involve some lecturing, as well as in-class activities including quizzes, reflection pieces, group discussion, and debates. We will also use an eClass website for some assignments, and for distribution some course materials.
- To identify the components and structure of simple and complex arguments in various contexts and types of writing.
- To be able recognize and to distinguish different types of mistaken or fallacious arguments from different sorts of good arguments in various contexts.
- To be able to understand how to evaluate different types of statements from a variety of sources.
- To be able to criticize and respond to arguments that you do not agree with.
- To develop the student's ability to construct arguments for their views, in discussion, in presentation, and in writing.
- Academic Honesty
- Student Rights and Responsibilities
- Religious Observance
- Grading Scheme and Feedback
- 20% Rule
No examinations or tests collectively worth more than 20% of the final grade in a course will be given during the final 14 calendar days of classes in a term. The exceptions to the rule are classes which regularly meet Friday evenings or on Saturday and/or Sunday at any time, and courses offered in the compressed summer terms. - Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
