Critical Thinking

Discussion and Development

PHI 1103, Sections 004, 009, and 017

Fall 2003

 

Ms. Merritt

Office: FAO 232

Office Hours: Wednesdays 11:30-12:30

                        Thursdays 11:30-12:30

                        *or by scheduled appointment

Phone: 813-974-5896

Email: phenomphilo1@netscape.net

 

 

Course Description and Objectives

 

This is the discussion portion of PHI 1103 and constitutes 30% of your total grade for the course. The purpose of this section is to attain knowledge of what it means to think critically and to put those practices to work through discussions, thought exercises, and class assignments. We will further develop ideas regarding the primary texts covered in lectures, as well as utilize the Chaffee text to enhance our understanding of the material.

 

Texts

 

We will be utilizing all the same texts on the syllabus provided by Mr. Silver.

 

Grading

 

Scale: 100-90 = A, 89-80 = B, 79-70 = C, 69-60 = D, 59 and below = F

 

Your grade will be based on the number of points you earn out of a possible 200. Points are awarded as follows:

 

Quizzes-80 points

Group Presentation-60 points

Attendance-60 points

 

Quizzes

 

On the attached schedule you will find dates set for the quizzes. Each quiz will be worth 10 points for a total possible 80 points. Questions will cover lecture material discussed in class as well as reading from the Chaffee text. A quiz will typically be 3-5 short answer or fill in the blank questions and will always be at the beginning of the class. Latecomers to class the day of a quiz will miss the quiz and will not be allowed to retake it.

 

Group Presentation

 

The first day of class I will assign groups, topics, and dates for the presentation. The specifics of this assignment will be explained in detail on the handout you will receive. The purpose of the presentation will be to analyze a current controversial issue, develop and evaluate the arguments for each side, and present this information to the class. You are not required to conduct research or statistical analysis for this project. It is meant to be a short presentation showing your group’s overall understanding of the many sides of the issue as well as your own inferences, evaluations and judgments regarding the topic.

 

Attendance and Participation

 

Attendance constitutes a large portion of your grade and should not be taken lightly. Missing class will not only penalize your point earning in this category, but you will also run the risk of missing a quiz, thereby further penalizing your grade. I will grant you one absence, free of charge. Thereafter, each absence will cost you five points deducted from the possible 60.

 

In addition to attending class regularly, participation and contribution to discussion are vital to enhancing our experience as a group. I welcome all carefully constructed comments and questions but will not penalize those who do not wish to speak. There will however, be opportunities to receive extra credit, upon my discretion, for someone who consistently delivers valuable and clever contributions to discussion. 

 

Class Decorum and Plagiarism

 

Please maintain proper and professional behavior at all times during discussion. Turn off cell phones, arrive on time, and show respect for fellow students and your instructor.

 

Plagiarism is unacceptable and is grounds for termination from the course as well as the university.

 

The University of South Florida has an account with an automated plagiarism detection service which allows instructors to submit student assignments to be checked for plagiarism. I reserve the right to submit assignments to this detection service. Assignments are compared with a huge database of journal articles, web articles, and previously submitted papers. The instructor receives a report showing exactly how a student’s paper was plagiarized. Also see www.turnitin.com and http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0304/adadap.htm#plagiarism.

Please inform me of any disabilities or special needs and the University and I will do whatever is necessary to accommodate them.


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Proposed Schedule

PHI 1103, Discussion

Sections 004, 009, and 017

 

Week of:

 

8/26     Introduction, distribution of syllabi and assignments, group presentation topics and dates

            Introduction to Plato

 

9/2       Discussion: Euthyphro and Apology

            (Chaffee, Ch. 1, especially pp 30-38)

 

9/9       Quiz #1

            Discussion: Crito and Phaedo

            (Chaffee, Ch. 2 and 3, especially pp 76-85)

            Introduction to Descartes

 

9/16     Quiz #2

            Discussion: Meditations I-III

            (Chaffee, Ch. 4)

 

9/23     Quiz #3

            Discussion: Meditations IV-VI

            (Chaffee, Ch. 4 and 5)

            Introduction to Hume

 

9/30     Discussion: Enquiry I-IV

            (Chaffee, Ch. 5)

            Group Presentation____________________

 

10/7     Quiz #4

            Discussion: Enquiry V-VIII

            (Chaffee, continue with Ch. 5, begin looking at 9)

            Group Presentation_____________________

 

10/14   Quiz #5

            Discussion: Enquiry IX-X, XII

            Midterm Review

(Chaffee, Review Ch. 1-5)

 

10/21   Writing Guidelines Overview

            Introduction to Informal Logic and Arguments

            (Chaffee, Ch. 10)

 

10/28   Quiz #6

            Discussion: Introduction to Kant, Morality and Ethics

            Group Presentation___________________

 

11/4     Discussion: Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, Preface and Section One

            (Chaffee, Ch. 9 and 10)

            Group Presentation___________________

 

11/11   Quiz #7

            Discussion: Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals, Section Two

            (Chaffee, Ch. 9, 10, and begin 11)

            Introduction to Mill and Utilitarianism

 

11/18   Discussion: Utilitarianism, Ch. 1 and 2

            (Chaffee, Ch. 11)

            Group Presentation___________________

 

11/25   Quiz #8

            Discussion: Utilitarianism, Ch. 3-5

            Review for Final


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Group Presentations

PHI 1103, Discussion

Sections 004, 009, and 017

 

  1. You will be assigned to a group of about 5 members and a topic for your presentation. The date will be determined the first day of class. (There are spaces on the syllabus for each date available)

 

  1. You and your group will then be responsible for meeting at mutual times and locations to organize a presentation on the topic. You must present the problem or controversy attached to the issue, and then evaluate the arguments surrounding it. Be creative in your method of presenting the material, but be sure to:

 

a)      State the issue or controversy

b)      Explain the various sides that can be taken on the issue

c)      Evaluate these arguments (evaluate all sides)

d)      Within your group, state your own judgments and inferences

e)      Decide on the strongest argument and discuss why your group came to this conclusion

  1. Each group must submit a short summary of your work (no more than a page) and only one summary per group is required. The summary should include all the main points and arguments covered in your presentation as well as your group’s conclusion regarding resolution of the issue. The summary is also a good place for individual input such as disagreement among group members and reasons for the disagreement, etc. Also, you must provide references if you cite any information form outside sources. However, research is not required for this assignment. It is meant to be an exercise in group collaborative critical thinking and the presentation need only be about ten minutes.

 

 

Ideas for Presentation Originality:

 

  1. A live debate. Split your group into two or more factions and perform a debate regarding your topic. Be sure to exhaust all arguments and possible solutions while debating.
  2. Use Methods from one of the philosophic works we are reading. Perhaps your topic would be interesting presented in the style of the Socratic elenchus, or maybe an interactive question and answer session with the rest of the class. As we proceed through the readings, be on the lookout for a style of argument or analysis that might work well with your topic.
  3. Use handouts to emphasize your main ideas and points.

Or, develop your own unique approach and if you have any questions, feel free to clear your ideas with me. Any method is fine provided you include all the necessary information.

 

 

Topics and Groups for Presentations

 

 

A) Evolution vs. Creationism                                 D) The Drinking Age in the U.S.

 

1._________________________                               1.___________________________

 

2._________________________                               2.___________________________

 

3._________________________                               3.___________________________

 

4._________________________                               4.___________________________

 

5._________________________                               5.___________________________

 

 

B) Human Cloning                                                     E) Legalization of Marijuana

 

1._________________________                               1.___________________________

 

2._________________________                               2.___________________________

 

3._________________________                               3.___________________________

 

4._________________________                               4.___________________________

 

5._________________________                               5.___________________________

 

 

C) Abortion

 

1._________________________

 

2._________________________

 

3._________________________

 

4._________________________

 

5.________________________

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