Logic: How Do We Make Good Decisions?
Philosophy 215 sec. 5 (LINKS)
Fall 2005
TTh 11:00 am – 12:15 pm
Rex Gilliland
Classroom: Engleman B212
Office: Engleman D210
Phone: 392-6783
Office Hours: MW 3:15 – 4:30 pm, TTh 12:15 – 1:30 pm, and by appointment.
Email: gillilandr1@southernct.edu
Course Description: In this course, we will study the concepts of logic and critical thinking by placing them within the context of decision making: We constantly face decisions, some of them routine and trivial, other difficult and complex, and how we choose to act often has deep consequences for the course of our lives and those of other people. How can we determine what the best decisions are? There is no simple answer to these questions, in part because they require us to grapple with profound philosophical issues about the nature of rationality, knowledge, and value. In addition, logical reasoning is an essential component of good decision making since it provides tools for evaluating the various options that stand before us and to generate new ones. We will spend the majority of our time studying the principles of formal and informal reasoning, including categorical logic, propositional logic, natural deduction, inductive logic, and informal fallacies. Throughout the course of the semester, we will address the connections to the various models of economic decision making that you will discuss in Microeconomics, our linked course, and will also consider examples from other academic disciplines as well as choices we face in everyday life.
Text: Lewis Vaughn, The Power of Critical Thinking (
Student Study Guide Website: http://www.us.oup.com/us/companion.websites/0195161424/studentresources/?view=usa
Grading: Attendance and
Class Participation 15%
Daily Homework 20%
Quizzes (3) 15%
Exams (3) 30%
Papers 20 %
A+ 97-100
A 93-96
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 77-79
C 73-76
C- 70-72
D+ 67-69
D 63-66
D- 60-62
F 59-0
1. Exams and Quizzes: Much of your grade will be based on 3 exams and 3 quizzes, which will include the sorts of problems found in the homework exercises as well as definitions. Each student can only make up one exam or quiz: You must have a valid excuse (e.g., illness or family emergency) and make it up before the next session of class. Contact me as early as possible to make arrangements, prior to the scheduled exam or quiz. (Email or phone messages are acceptable for last minute occurrences.)
2. Homework and Class Participation: There will be a homework assignment due at the beginning of most class sessions that includes a reading assignment and exercises. As in a math class, careful reading and completion of the homework assignment before class is very important because continual practice is essential for mastering logic. Late homework will receive half-credit and will only be accepted up to one week after it was due. You are required to bring your book with you to class. Each student’s active participation in class is encouraged and expected.
3. Papers: I
will assign several short papers as well as one longer paper that will be
written in conjunction with your Microeconomics course. Papers will be
downgraded for poor spelling, grammar, organization, etc. If you have
difficulties in these areas, I recommend taking your papers to the
For guidelines on writing a philosophy paper, see: www.dartmouth.edu/~writing/materials/student/humanities/philosophy.shtml or www.princeton.edu/~jimpryor/general/writing.html.
4. Attendance: Prompt and consistent attendance is expected and is
in your best interest because poor attendance and tardies will inevitably
affect your other grades in the course. Also, attendance is weighed heavily
when determining final grades in borderline cases. Excessive absences will
reduce your grade: If you have more than 2 absences, your final grade will be
reduced one letter grade. You must have less than 5 absences to pass the
course. Tardies and leaving early will be counted as half-absences. Valid
excuses will be accepted, but they only excuse one half of any given absence,
tardy, etc. If you miss a class, I recommend that you make arrangements in
advance to copy the notes of another student.
I strongly encourage students with disabilities, including invisible disabilities like chronic diseases and learning disabilities, to discuss with me after class or during my office hours appropriate accommodations that might be helpful to them.
Tentative Schedule
Click on the quiz or exam to link to the appropriate
study guide.
Date Reading Homework Topic
1. Rationality and Decision Making
T 8/30 Introduction to Course
Th 9/1 Handout What is Rationality?
T 9/6 Handout Can Machines Make Intelligent Decisions?
Option Contract: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Options
Futures Contract: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futures_contract
2. Basic Logical Concepts
Th 9/8 3-17 1.2, 1.4-5 The Idea of Critical Thinking; Video
T 9/13 32-48 2.2-3, 2.5 Obstacles to Critical Thinking
Th 9/15 62-78 3.2-4 Inductive and Deductive Arguments; Validity and Strength
T 9/20 80-102 3.5, 3.8-9 Common Arguments; Diagramming Arguments
3. Evaluating Reasons: Epistemology and Fallacious Arguments
Th 9/22 Quiz 1 115-131 4.2-3 Conflicting Claims; Expertise and Personal Experience
T 9/27 132-141 4.4 Common Errors in Belief; Evaluating the News Media
Th 9/29 155-168 5.2 Fallacies with Irrelevant Premises; Rhetoric vs. Philosophy
T 10/4 169-174 5.3-4 Fallacies with Unacceptable Premises
Th 10/6 Exam 1
4. Propositional Logic
T 10/11 187-197 6.2-4 Connectives and Truth Values; Possible Worlds
Th 10/13 200-207 6.8 Truth Tables as a Test for Validity
T 10/18 Quiz 2 207-210 6.9-10 The Streamlined Method
5. Categorical Logic
Th 10/20 219-234 7.1-2, 7.4-5 Categorical Statements and Venn Diagrams; Universals
T 10/25 235-242 7.6-7 Categorical Syllogisms; Determining Validity
Th 10/27 7.8 cont.
(Withdrawal Deadline F 10/28)
T 11/1 Exam 2
Th 11/3 Links Competition
6. Inductive Logic and Practical Reasoning
T 11/8 250-261 8.1-2, 8.4-5 Inductive Generalization; Problems with Induction
Th 11/10 266-272 8.6-7 Argument from Analogy
T 11/15 275-289 8.8-10 Causal Arguments
Th 11/17 Quiz 3 303-315 9.2, 9.4-5 Explanation and Consistency; Epistemology and Methodology
Long Links Paper Due M 11/21
T 11/22 316-338 9.7-9 Criteria for Good Theories
Th 11/24 Thanksgiving
T 11/29 347-364 10.2-4 Scientific Theories
Th 12/1 369-387 10.8-10 Judging Unusual Theories; Speaker
T 12/6 399-413 11.3-5 Moral and Practical Reasoning
Th 12/8 Handout Paradoxes about Value
Final
Exam T 12/13 10:15 – 12:15