SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES & LANGUAGES

ARTS1362

PHILOSOPHY:
THINKING ABOUT REASONING

Semester 2, 2013
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

COURSE STAFF .......................................... 3  

COURSE DETAILS ......................................... 3  
COURSE AIMS ........................................... 3  
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES .............................. 4  
LEARNING AND TEACHING RATIONALE ......................... 4  
TEACHING STRATEGIES .................................... 4  
COURSE SCHEDULE ....................................... 5  
COURSE EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENT ...................... 6  
TEXTS ................................................. 6  
ASSESSMENT ........................................... 7  
ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION ....................................................................................................................................... 8  
ASSIGNMENT COLLECTION ........................................................................................................................................ 8  
ASSIGNMENT EXTENSIONS ........................................................................................................................................ 8  
ATTENDANCE ........................................... 8  
ACADEMIC HONESTY AND PLAGIARISM ......................... 8  
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY .................... 9  
STUDENT EQUITY AND DIVERSITY ............................. 9  
OTHER STUDENT INFORMATION .............................. 9  

Page 2 of 9
COURSE STAFF
Course Coordinator Details:
Name: Dr Anthony Corones
Room: MB320
Phone: 9385 2357
Email: a.corones@unsw.edu.au
Consultation Times: Monday 2-3 pm; Wednesday 2-3 pm.
Lecturer Details:
Name: Assoc Prof Peter Slezak
Room: MB315
Phone: 9385 2422
Email: p.slezak@unsw.edu.au
Consultation Times: Please email or ring to make an appointment
Tutor Details:
Note: both Anthony Corones and Peter Slezak will be taking the tutorials for this course.

COURSE DETAILS
Course Description
Focuses on thinking clearly, reasoning productively and arguing well. These are essential skills
in life and work. The course investigates reasoning and argumentative strategies, good
reasoning, as well as poorly-formed arguments. Philosophy has a lot to say about these
practices, and also about the whole nature of human reason.
Lectures
Wed 3-5 pm Biomed Theatre D
Students must also enrol in a tutorial.
Students are expected to attend at least 80% of classes in this course (this includes lectures
as well as tutorials). Those who do not meet this requirement may receive an Unsatisfactory
Fail (UF) grade even if they have attained more than 50 in the course mark.

COURSE AIMS
The course aims to introduce to students knowledge and understanding of the following:
• a number of major philosophical issues including arguments for or against proposed
solutions;
• the wide range of application of techniques of philosophical reasoning;
• the place of philosophy, its ideas and techniques, in contemporary debates;
• cogent arguments supported by evidence.

It also aims to assist in the development of the following skills:

• ability to recognise the strengths and weaknesses of arguments on both sides of a

philosophical question;
• ability to identify common persuasive stratagems that cannot withstand philosophical
scrutiny;

Page 3 of 9
 • ability to evaluate the success of standard arguments using a variety of techniques of
formal and informal methods of reasoning as appropriate, together with an ability to
recognise any relevant fallacies;
• ability to evaluate the relevance and quality of sources of information in relation to
particular arguments;
• ability to formulate a coherent argument using a range of argumentative methods and
drawing on plausible evidence.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the completion of this course students:
1. Will understand the nature of reasoning both theoretical and practical, decision-
making and the nature of rationality;
2. Will have familiarity with a range of argumentation strategies (This should enhance
students' capacity for analytical and critical thinking);
3. Will understand poor argumentation including basic fallacies in reasoning,
unwarranted assumptions and faulty inference;
4. Will be able to engage in independent and reflective learning through assessing and
responding to ideas;
5. Would have developed written and oral communication skills through participation in
class discussions and working at assignments;
6. Will be able to appreciate and manifest respect for ethical practice and social
responsibility through understanding the fundamental role of good reasoning in
society.
The graduate attributes this course seeks to help students develop are:
1. Ability to read and interpret texts sensitively and carefully, especially appreciating the
importance of intellectual tradition;
2. Ability to evaluate and critically analyse beliefs, ideas and information using a range
of techniques of philosophical reasoning;
3. Appreciation of the importance of reasoned enquiry and an ability to apply tools of
philosophical analysis to a range of issues including those in contemporary debates;
4. Ability to present coherent and persuasive arguments;
5. Skills of effective communication;
6. Appreciation of, and respect for, diversity;
7. Respect for ethical practice and social responsibility.

LEARNING AND TEACHING RATIONALE

This course aims both to introduce students to key ideas and strategies in good reasoning, and
to equip students with the tools and strategies for application in thinking and writing.
Therefore, you will get the most out of this course if you ensure:
(a) that you understand the lectures each week;
(b) that you prepare well for tutorials.
In brief, this course encourages and expects that students are active learners, engaging with
the materials and thinking about how they can benefit from the course right through the
duration of the course.

TEACHING STRATEGIES
Lectures and Tutorials. This course uses the lecture-and-tutorial teaching mode.
Tutorials. Because this course also aims to help students develop some critical thinking and
good reasoning skills, we have developed tutorials to help students practice and exercise their
skills. Typically, tutorials provide for more in-depth discussions and therefore we envisage

Page 4 of 9
that these tutorials will give students opportunity to further engage in analysis of selected
topics.
Assessments. The assessments for this course have been designed to reflect the student
learning outcomes of this course and a number of the UNSW graduate attributes. For
assessment details, please see the assessment section.
Participation. One important way to manifest your critical thinking skills is to use them.
Therefore, this course emphasises participation. In particular, thoughtful engagement with
others in tutorials is an important vehicle for developing such skills.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Weeks Topics by lecture Date Lecturer Tutorial topics

1 Introduction Wed AC No tutorials in Week 1

31/7

Reason & argument Wed AC

31/7

2 Deductive reasoning Wed AC Reason & argument

7/8

Inductive reasoning Wed AC

7/8

3 Fallacious reasoning Wed AC Deductive & inductive

14/8 reasoning

Analogical reasoning Wed AC

14/8

4 Reason & truth in Classical Wed AC Fallacious & analogical

Greek philosophy 21/8 reasoning

Reason & truth in Classical Wed AC

Chinese philosophy 21/8

5 Reason & wisdom in Classical Wed AC Reason & truth in Classical

Greek philosophy 28/8 Greek & Chinese philosophy

Reason & wisdom in Classical Wed AC

Chinese philosophy 28/8

6 Hume on reason and the Wed AC Reason & wisdom in Classical

passions 4/9 Greek & Chinese philosophy

Hume on reason and the Wed AC

passions 4/9

7 Bacon, Descartes & Hume Wed PS Hume on reason and the

11/9 passions

Bacon, Descartes & Hume Wed PS

11/9

Page 5 of 9
8 Reasoning & rationality in Wed PS Bacon, Descartes & Hume
science 18/9

Reasoning & rationality in Wed PS

science 18/9

9 Rationality & alien cultures Wed PS Reasoning & rationality in

25/9 science

Rationality & alien cultures Wed PS

25/9

10 Individual judgment Wed PS Rationality & alien cultures

9/9

Individual judgment Wed PS

9/9

11 Social choice Wed PS Individual judgment

16/10

Social choice Wed

16/10 PS

12 Risk & rational reasoning Wed PS Social choice

23/10

CLASS TEST (4pm, in the Wed

lecture theatre) 23/10

13 No lectures in Week 13 Risk & rational reasoning

COURSE EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Student evaluative feedback on this course is welcomed and is gathered periodically, using
among other means UNSW’s Course and Teaching Evaluation and Improvement (CATEI)
process.
Student feedback is taken seriously, and continual improvements are made to the course
based in part on such feedback. Significant changes to the course will be communicated to
subsequent cohorts of students taking the course.

TEXTS
The tutorial readings will be available on Moodle. There is no textbook for the course.
Students seeking further resources can also obtain assistance from the UNSW Library.
The library has a good number of books on Critical Thinking, Formal and Informal Reasoning.
One starting point for assistance is the Philosophy subject guide:
http://subjectguides.library.unsw.edu.au/content.php?pid=28808&sid=210422
Further, the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (http://plato.stanford.edu) is good general
resource for topics in philosophy.

Page 6 of 9
ASSESSMENT

Assessment Length Weight Time Learning Graduate Due

task on outcomes attributes date
task assessed assessed
(hrs)

Critical 500 words 15% 12.5 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 1, 2, 4, 5 Thu 22

analysis Aug

Tutorial 1,500 words: 20% 15 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Thu 5

journal 1 that is, about 6 6, 7 Sep
300 words for
each tutorial
topic for
weeks 2-6

Tutorial 1,500 words: 20% 15 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Thu 17

journal 2 that is, about 6 6, 7 Oct
300 words for
each tutorial
topic for
weeks 7-11

Class test Short answer 20% 15 1, 2, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Wed 23

Oct

Essay 1,200 words 25% 24 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Thu 31

6 6, 7 Oct

Critical analysis:
The critical analysis exercise involves short formal academic writing, and is a formative
assessment. It assesses conceptual understanding of course material, capacity for critical and
analytical thinking, and communication skills. Assignments will be returned to students with
written feedback.
This exercise involves critical analyses of a short passage. Details will be posted in Moodle.
The assessment criteria include: (1) demonstrated understanding of the passage in question;
(2) ability to critically review arguments and ideas using the argument tools and strategies
discussed in class; and (3) ability to express yourself clearly.

Tutorial journals:

The tutorial journal exercise involves informal writing (that is, writing that is typically
unstructured and does not follow generic academic essay conventions), and is a formative and
evaluative assessment. It requires about 300 words in response to each tutorial topic for the
weeks covered by each submission (see above). It assesses conceptual understanding of
tutorial material, capacity for critical and analytical thinking, and communication skills.
Tutorial journal 1 will be returned to students with written feedback. The assessment criteria
include: (1) demonstrated understanding of the tutorial material; (2) ability to critically review
arguments and ideas using the argument tools and strategies discussed in class; and (3) ability
to express yourself clearly in informal writing.

Page 7 of 9
Class test:
This exercise is designed to test your comprehension of a variety of topics covered in lectures
through the semester. Details will be posted in Moodle. It is a summative and formative
assessment.

Essay:
The essay involves extended formal writing and research on set topics topic details to be
posted in Moodle). It is formative and summative assessment. The assessment criteria include:
(1) clarity and coherence of argument supported by evidence; (2) capacity for originality and
independent research; (3) familiarity with, and understanding of, relevant literature; (4) clarity
and logic of writing in English; (5) demonstrated analytic and critical capacity; (6)
methodological self-awareness; and (7) rectitude in matters of bibliography, citation, and
quotation.

Assignment Submission
• The cut off time for all assignment submissions in the School is 4pm of the stated
due date.
• 2 assignment copies must be submitted for every assessment task - 1 paper copy
and 1 electronic copy.
• All hard/paper copy assessments should be posted into the Assignment Drop Boxes
outside the front counter of the School of Humanities and Languages on level 2,
Morven Brown Building by 4pm on the due date.
• A completed cover sheet must be securely attached to assignments. The School is
not responsible for any missing pages from poorly bound or stapled assignments.
• In addition, a soft copy must be sent through Moodle on Turnitin by 4pm on the due
date.

Assignment Collection
Assignments should be collected from your lecturer/tutor and must be collected by the
owner/author of the assignment. A Stamped Self Addressed Envelope must be provided on
submission if students require their assignment to be posted back to their home address.

Assignment Extensions
A student may apply to the Lecturer/Tutor for an extension to the submission date of an
assignment. Requests for extension must be made via myUNSW before the submission due
date, and must demonstrate exceptional circumstances, which warrant the granting of an
extension. If medical grounds preclude submission of assignment by due date, contact should
be made with subject coordinator as soon as possible. A medical certificate will be required for
late submission and must be appropriate for the extension period.
To apply for an extension please log into myUNSW and go to My Student Profile tab > My
Student Services channel > Online Services > Special Consideration

ATTENDANCE
To successfully complete this unit you are required to attend minimum 80% of classes. If this
requirement is not met you will fail the unit. The Lecturer/Tutor will keep attendance records.

ACADEMIC HONESTY AND PLAGIARISM

Students seeking information on plagiarism should visit the following web site:
http://www.lc.unsw.edu.au/plagiarism/index.html
Page 8 of 9
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
UNSW’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Policy requires each person to work safely and
responsibly, in order to avoid personal injury and to protect the safety of others.

Any OHS concerns should be raised with your immediate supervisor, the School’s OHS representative,
or the Head of School. The OHS guidelines are available at:
http://www.ohs.unsw.edu.au/ohs_policies/index.html

STUDENT EQUITY AND DIVERSITY

Students who have a disability that requires some adjustment in their learning and teaching
environment are encouraged to discuss their study needs with the course convener prior to, or
at the commencement of the course. Alternatively, the Student Equity and Diversity Unit can
be contacted on 9385 4734. Further information is available at:
http://www.studentequity.unsw.edu.au

GRIEVANCES

All students should be treated fairly in the course of their studies at UNSW. Students who feel
they have not been dealt with fairly should in the first instance attempt to resolve any issues
with their tutor or the course convenors. If such an approach fails to resolve the matter, the
School of Humanities and Languages has an academic member of staff who acts as a
Grievance Officer for the School. This staff member is identified on the notice board in the
School of Humanities and Languages. Further information about UNSW grievance procedures
is available at: https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/atoz/Complaints.html

OTHER STUDENT INFORMATION

myUNSW is the single online access point for UNSW services and information, integrating
online services for applicants, commencing & current students and UNSW staff. To visit
myUNSW please visit either of the below links:
https://my.unsw.edu.au
https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/atoz/ABC.html

Page 9 of 9