PHI-150 Logic and Critical Reasoning
The goal of this course is to learn how to identify, critique, and form reasons to believe things. We explore the essentials of arguments and logic. Sample topics might include: How do emotions relate to critical reasoning? What is an expert, and who should we believe when experts disagree? What are common fallacies in reasoning? We will use truth tables, valid inferences, and Venn diagrams to prove whether an argument is valid. We also study how to spot an argument in the wild (e.g., in media, entertainment, other venues) in order to evaluate it; and we apply these tools to philosophical topics like: Does God exist? Could you survive teleportation? Should governments surveil their citizens?