Professor: Dr. Leonard O’Brian
Scottsdale Community College
Office: SB 120
Office hours: To be determined
Office: 480.423.6212
Cell: 480.231.4471
Email: leonard.obrian@sccmail.maricopa.edu
Website: leonardobrian.com

Introduction to Logic

Syllabus

The course seeks to improve your ability to think logically or critically. The course pursues this fundamental purpose through several subordinate purposes: (1) by improving your ability to understand the meaning of claims; (2) by improving your ability to evaluate the adequacy of support for claims; and (3) by improving your ability to apply your logical insights to your own writing. The course receives L1 credit, that is Literacy and Critical Inquiry credit, at ASU. Consistently with that credit, it provides an opportunity to improve your writing skill.

All of us have engaged to some degree in logical or critical thinking long before we have taken a course in logic. As human beings, we must think logically. If we did not, we would be continually confused; we would function inefficiently; our very lives would be jeopardized. That we are alive today is evidence that—to some degree—we are capable of thinking critically. Thus, the purpose of this course is not precisely to help you think critically, but to help you to think more critically.

Virtually all aspects of our lives require critical thinking. Moreover, many aspects of our lives require that we express the results of our critical thinking, often in writing. This course should assist you whatever may be your academic, occupational, and personal aspirations.

The course will place at your disposal logical concepts and principles that have been developed during the last two thousand years by some of the major figures in Western philosophy. Through a careful reading of our textbook, through performance of numerous exercises, through class discussion, and through several essays that you will write, you will develop an understanding of these concepts and principles, and the capacity to apply them.

Required Books

Our textbook is The Art of Reasoning, by David Kelley (Norton, third edition). We will also use the companion reader, Readings for Logical Analysis, by Stephen R. C. Hicks and David Kelley (Norton, second edition). I will make assignments in these books, both reading assignments and exercise assignments. I expect you to come to class prepared to discuss these assignments. Almost inevitably, -if you are doing the assignments carefully, you will have doubts and confusions. It will help you to identify these doubts and confusions, formulate them as questions, and bring these questions to class so that we can discuss them and I can answer them.

Classes

I expect your involvement in our class, your presence in mind as well as in body.

Class sessions will conform to the principles of decency and courtesy that are generally observed by the academic community and our larger society, e.g., deference toward others when they are speaking, tolerance of viewpoints that differ from our own, and respect for the questions and thinkers under discussion. It is impossible to reduce observance of these principles to formulas: Each of us must exercise a bit of wisdom in determining how to interact with her or his colleagues in an academic setting. Nevertheless, six points will help.

  1. Arrive at class on time.
  2. Before entering the classroom, turn off your cell phone and beeper.
  3. When I enter the room, direct your attention to me.
  4. When someone is speaking, direct your attention to him or her.
  5. Remain in the room for the entire period.
  6. Maintain a demeanor of attention until I have dismissed class. While I expect of my students an attentive demeanor throughout the class period, I also require it toward the end of the period. To illustrate, I ask that, before I adjourn our meeting, you refrain from closing of books and notebooks; refrain from opening of book bags; refrain from reaching for purses and backpacks; refrain from pocketing pencils and pens; and, in other words, refrain from any behavior that symbolizes psychological withdrawal from the classroom.

These points are guidelines, not dogmas. I can’t imagine that there is any principle of etiquette that should never be broken. For example, regarding point 2, a loved one might be at the hospital in critical care, and you want to keep your cell phone on in case there are changes in her condition. It would be thoughtful to mention to me before class what you are doing and why. Regarding point 5, you might be ill and suddenly need to go to the bathroom. The courteous response would be to explain to me later the reason for the departure. If you anticipate having a frequent problem with any of the guidelines, please consult with me as soon as possible.

This class will be conducted according to the ideal of academic freedom. In general, the ideal of academic freedom entails that essentially any belief or question about any aspect of human experience that bears on the discipline in question may serve as the topic of examination. The discipline of logic seeks to strengthen our skills for pursuing the truth in all areas of human inquiry, in all disciplines. We will frequently need to illustrate logical concepts and principles. Given the broad applicability of logic, these illustrative materials may be derived from virtually any aspect of human experience. Thus, on occasion, we will mention—and sometimes discuss—ideas concerning religion, politics, sex, or other ideas associated with strong feelings and controversy. Because a clear understanding of the meaning of words is crucial to logical thought and expression, we will mention and discuss words that are used to express ideas about religion, politics, sex, and so on. (The expression, ‘mentioning words’ is, itself, technical terminology within logic, the meaning of which we will discuss.) This course, in principle, excludes no aspect of human experience. It is a course for adults, for people who subscribe to the ideal of academic freedom, for students who seek the truth wherever it may be found.

Order of Topics, Papers, Tests

We will examine topics more or less in the order in which Professor Kelley presents them. That is, we will start with chapter one, proceed to chapter two, then chapter three. There may be some variations in this order of proceeding, and, if there are, these will be announced in class. At the end of each chapter, with one exception, I will give you an objective examination. The exception concerns the first examination: It will cover material from both chapter one and chapter two. I anticipate your taking something like five or six examinations. I will give you three paper assignments that allow you to apply your critical and expressive skills. The three essays will be about 2 pages long, typed, double-spaced. They will consist of critical discussions of written materials from the reader. The due dates follow.

Intellectual honesty is a fundamental academic virtue; plagiarism is a serious academic offense. Papers must result from your own work; the ideas must be expressed in your own words, except when you cite the work of others. When you use the language of another author, you must (1) quote the author exactly, (2) set off the quoted material with quotation marks, and (3) identify the author, the publication and page(s) wherein the material appeared. If you use the distinctive ideas of another, even though not his or her exact words, the person must be given credit by, again, identifying the person, the publication wherein his or her ideas appeared, including the page(s). See the discussion of plagiarism and paraphrase under “Student Misconduct,” in the General Catalog and Student Handbook.

Examinations will be given only at the times for which they have been scheduled. There will be no makeup examinations. When determining grades, I will drop your lowest examination score. If you have missed an examination, it will, as your lowest score, be dropped. I will announce examination dates in class; you will be responsible for being aware of these announcements.

Grades

Approximately half of your grade will be based on the average of your test scores, excluding your lowest score; approximately half will be based on the average of the three essay grades. I make a subjective judgment regarding your class attendance and participation, and take these factors into account in the case of borderline grades.

Attendance

I expect attendance in the fullest sense of the word, ‘attendance.’ As students and professors, we belong to a learning community; we are citizens of a scholarly society. We need one another; we need one another’s confusions, questions, and ideas. Granted, for reading, writing, and reflecting, we also need solitude. But the very existence of a college or university, and of classes within such an institution, presuppose that we stimulate one another, that discussion enhances learning. Thus, I expect attendance in mind as well as in body.

As a bureaucratic matter, if you accumulate more unofficial absences than the number of times our class meets per week on a standard semester schedule of three 50-minute meetings, I may—though not necessarily will—withdraw you from the class. In other words, I may withdraw you if you miss more than about 150 minutes of class. I will not withdraw you from the course, even if you accumulate absences totaling more than 150 minutes, provided that it is clear to me, based on your communications with me, that you are taking your work in the course seriously and are thereby performing adequately. Absences are calculated from the first date of scheduled class meetings, not the first date of your enrollment or attendance. I am open to discussing attendance policy with you, and accommodating your individual needs, provided that you are taking your work in the course seriously and communicating with me.

Conferences

My office is SB 120. I invite you to drop by during my office hours to discuss your work in this class, or any related academic or occupational concerns. In addition, we can get together by appointment or talk by phone. My email address is given at the top of the syllabus.