Logic is a discipline that examines the rules of thinking and drawing conclusions, or in other words, constructing and evaluating arguments. In our daily lives, both personal and academic, we are surrounded by arguments. These arguments might appear on television, or they might appear within academic research. Because of the ubiquity of arguments, it is important to be able to analyze arguments, avoid faulty conclusions in reasoning, understand levels of meaning and kinds of arguments, avoid verbal pitfalls, understand the steps of scientific methods, and identify value assumptions. Through an understanding and practice of logic, or for many, the concept of critical thinking, students will be able to better handle these challenges.

To help students to achieve this, the purpose of this course is to introduce students to basic logical concepts and rules for logical and ultimately critical thinking. Through the process of developing logical thinking and critical thinking skills, this class will utilize a variety of texts for students to analyze and critique. Reading, specifically reading critically, is an essential part of developing logic and critical thinking skills. Because of this, critical reading is embedded as a foundational component in this class. Class reading materials will serve a variety of specific uses, beginning by illustrating specific examples and facets of logic in both academic and popular settings, and ultimately being used as material for students to analyze and critique. The nature of logic, critical thinking, and debate, mean that students will be developing critical reading skills through this process.

This five-week course will focus on some of the most salient aspects of informal logic. Students can be expected to develop a better awareness of the logical structure of thinking, which can be applied to every field of knowledge.