Program Overview

Subject Information

Introduction

This subject is an introduction to informal logic and the nature of argument, especially as it relates to real-life settings. It is designed to develop the intellectual virtues of clear thinking and rational decision-making. Students will learn to accurately interpret the many types of arguments they encounter on a day-to-day basis, from the mundane to exotic. They will learn not only to distinguish good arguments from bad, but also to consistently construct good arguments for themselves. From common sense to abstract reasoning, this subject promises to help each student develop the tools necessary for all other rational pursuits.

Subject Outlines

Current subject outlines and assessment tasks are updated each session. Where differences exist between the Handbook and the subject outline, the subject outline should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Details

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:

• be able to show that particular arguments are unsound, or have unnoticed or unwanted implications
• be equipped to diagnose fallacies in reasoning and to avoid fallacies in their own writing
• be able to demonstrate some familiarity with the scope and content of modern applied logic

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:

• What is an argument?
• Pinning down argument structure
• When is an argument a good one?
• Looking at language
• Premises: What to accept and why
• Working on relevance
• Deductions: categorical logic
• An introduction to inductive arguments
• Causal inductive arguments
• Analogies: Reasoning from case to case