This course aims to introduce students to practices of argumentation, critical analysis, and evaluation. Such skills in critical thinking are integral to the discipline of philosophy. They are also tremendously useful in other academic domains, in theworkplace, and in everyday life. The course aims to help students to understand and develop the skills required for critical thinking, and to encourage them to explore the ways in which these skills can further the pursuit of both their academic andnonacademic projects. Topics covered may include: inductive and deductive reasoning, common fallacies, the use of rhetoric, and elementary logic.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1 . Critically analyse beliefs, including their own beliefs, to identify underlying assumptions and unforeseen consequences (especially assumptions or consequences that are open to objections the original belief did not appear susceptible to).
2. Analyse others’ arguments - especially the arguments of philosophers - presented in both written and oral forms, and identify ( 1) where they have committed informal fallacies and (2) where their arguments are vulnerable to particular critical strategies identified in the course, such as counterexamples or questioning the use of a definite description.
3. Analyse others’ arguments and identify where they have successfully used the strategies and techniques from the course.
4. Formulate arguments that appropriately incorporate techniques from the course.
5. Communicate these arguments clearly in both written form, and Oral form - drawing where relevant on strategies for clear written and oral communication from the course.
6. Use elementary formal logic to represent arguments and determine whether they are deductively valid or invalid.
7. Reflect on their own set of strategies for philosophical analysis and argument, and identify the improvement and growth that has taken place during the course.
Indicative Assessment
Portfolio of short assignments equivalent to 2000 words (50%)(Learning outcomes 1-5 and 7).
2 exams (20% each) (Learning outcome 6)
Tutorial participation (10%) (Learning outcomes 1-7).
Students will also receive unassessed feedback in tutorials and lectures from tutors and peers.
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
Two lectures per week (2 hours) and one tutorial per week (1 hour), plus 7 hours per week of reading, completing exercises, and preparing assessment tasks. Lecture notes and assessment questions will be posted on Wattle.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Required readings will be posted on Wattle
Preliminary Reading
Majors
Minors
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Students continuing in their current program of study will have their tuition fees indexed annually from the year in which you commenced your program. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1994-2003 | $1164 | |
| 2014 | $2478 | |
| 2013 | $2472 | |
| 2012 | $2472 | |
| 2011 | $2424 | |
| 2010 | $2358 | |
| 2009 | $2286 | |
| 2008 | $2286 | |
| 2007 | $2286 | |
| 2006 | $2286 | |
| 2005 | $2286 | |
| 2004 | $1926 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1994-2003 | $2574 |
| 2014 | $3246 |
| 2013 | $3240 |
| 2012 | $3240 |
| 2011 | $3240 |
| 2010 | $3240 |
| 2009 | $3240 |
| 2008 | $3240 |
| 2007 | $3132 |
| 2006 | $3132 |
| 2005 | $3132 |
| 2004 | $2916 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
Second Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7584 | 21 Jul 2014 | 01 Aug 2014 | 31 Aug 2014 | 30 Oct 2014 | In Person | N/A |