PHIL 203

Critical Thinking

Division of Distance Education

Dr. Jeff Johnson

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

What follows is so self-evident to me that I have never stated explicitly in words.  But there seems to be a persistent misunderstanding, so here goes.  There are video-lectures that go with this course.  Viewing them is essential to doing well in the course.  They are a formal requirement.  Just as though you could hardly expect to do well in a course you never attended, trying to take this course without watching the video-lectures is just as foolhardy.

The video-lectures are only available by rental through the Eastern Oregon University Bookstore.  This means that even if you use other resources to find the assigned texts for the course, you will still need to contact the Bookstore to get the video-lectures.  Here is a link to the Bookstore:

http://www.eoubookstore.com/

PHIL 203 is a course on evidence evaluation.  We will be exploring the practical and theoretical applications of a particular model of good evidence -- inference to the best explanation, in practical, scientific, literary, and even theological contexts.  I intend the skills developed in this course to be of value, not only in other Philosophy courses, but in your general academic and professional lives, as well.

The primary text for this course will be a book manuscript that I have recently revised during my sabbatical.  Inferring and Explaining is ultimately designed for use in my course PHIL 101 -- Self, World, & God, but we will take this opportunity to explore some issues in much greater depth than will be possible when the book is used for only one section in the more general into course.  We will also be viewing a remarkable PPS documentary, Evolution (My hope is that you will be able to rent this documentary, or get it from the library.  If this proves impossible,  you will need to purchase and read Origin of Species -- I will place an excellent abridgement by Philip Appleman in the Eastern Bookstore.   There are a number of short accessible treatments of the evidence for natural selection and descent with modification, feel free to read any of these in place of the original text.) and Mel Gibson's Hollywood version of Hamlet (You will need to rent any movie version of Hamlet, or read the play.  This is a link to the play).  Finally well be reading and discussing a few of my professional articles and conference papers dealing with philosophical theology.

UWR Writing Intensive Outcomes:

• Students will produce at least 3,000 words (including drafts, in-class writing, informal papers, and polished papers); 1,000 words of this total should be in polished papers which students have revised after receiving feedback and criticism.

• Students will be introduced to the discourse forms appropriate to the discipline the course represents.

• Students will write at least one paper integrating information from at least one source, employing the appropriate documentation style for the discipline represented by the course.

• Students will draft, revise, and edit their formal written work.
  Students will seek assistance from a Writing Tutor in the Writing Lab when needed and when referred by the instructor.

Additional Outcomes:

• Understand selected philosophical, theological, literary and scientific controversies. 

• Use the method of inference to the best explanation as an analytical tool for assessing the quality of evidence

• Read philosophical, theological, literary and scientific texts critically and with understanding.

• Write effectively about philosophical, theological, literary and scientific controversies.

Means of Assessment and Grading:

• Four take-home quizzes (10% course grade each) (outcomes1,2,3, and 4)

• Three formal papers (20% course grade each) (outcomes1,2,3, and 4)

• Please note: a grade of at least C- is required in order for this course to count toward the University Writing Requirement 

Quizzes are to be taken in Blackboard

And here is a link to the formal papers

ACADEMIC HONESTY

I am including below Eastern's Academic Honesty Code.  It is vitally important that you carefully read it, and that you understand that it is my intention to follow this code to the letter.  I really can't think of a better way to ruin your experience with this course, than to disregard this code.  Obviously, if you have any questions, I can't urge you too strongly to ask me.

ACADEMIC HONESTY CODE

All members of the Eastern Oregon University academic community are responsible for compliance with its Academic Honesty Code. Students are required to report violations to the respective faculty member of a course. Provisions of the Academic Honesty Code are:

1. Collaboration while taking any quizzes, in-class examinations, or take home examinations without the instructor's written approval is forbidden. The faculty member is responsible for defining limits for other collaborative learning activities for each course.
2. Plagiarism or representation of the work of others as one's own is forbidden. The faculty member will make clear the format for properly citing sources of information not original by the student.
3. Explicit approval by all instructors is required if the same work is to be submitted to more than one course, even if is not within the same term.

Violations of the Academic Honesty Code may result in both academic and behavioral penalties including possible suspension or expulsion from the University.

An automatic grade of zero for any work which is a violation of the Academic Honesty Code will be assigned by the instructor. The instructor may also assign a grade of F for the course after discussion with the respective School Dean. Students may appeal the course grade to the respective School Dean, who is the final level of appeal on the matter of course grade penalties for academic dishonesty.

The faculty member is also required to file a disciplinary complaint to the Vice President for Student Affairs about any student believed to have violated the Academic Honesty Code. If deemed appropriate, hearing procedures will be implemented by a University Hearing Officer as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct. Possible sanctions considered by the Student Conduct Committee include probation, suspension, and expulsion.

CALENDAR

The calendar below is based on the on-campus version from Fall of 2003.  It is intended as a guide to those students who must complete the course in one term for financial aid purposes.  There are no formal deadlines for the DDE course, other than those that apply to all DDE courses.  Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this.