Nov 22, 2024
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2024-25

PHIL 1200L - Support for Logic and Critical Thinking


This course reinforces and extends the logic and critical thinking skills taught in PHIL 1200 (Principles of Reasoning). These skills include facility with i) the techniques and terminology of both formal and informal logic, ii) analytical reasoning, iii) reading critically, and iv) the careful use of language.

Requisites: PHIL 1200 concurrent
Credit Hours: 1
Repeat/Retake Information: May be retaken two times excluding withdrawals, but only last course taken counts.
Lecture/Lab Hours: 2.0 laboratory
Grades: Eligible Grades: A-F,WP,WF,WN,FN,AU,I
Learning Outcomes:
  • Students will be able to identify arguments and distinguish argumentative passages from non-argumentative ones.
  • Students will be able to distinguish premises from conclusions and explain the inferential relationship that obtains between them.
  • Students will be able to differentiate between inductive and deductive arguments and will be able to recognize arguments of both types.
  • Students will be able to explain the significance of an argument being valid or invalid, strong or weak, sound or unsound, and cogent or uncogent, will be able to appropriately classify arguments in each of these evaluative categories.
  • Students will be able to use appropriately the evaluative terminology for the assessment of both inductive and deductive arguments.
  • Students will be able to define common fallacies.
  • Students will be able to identify fallacies in real life situations such as in politics or advertising.
  • Students will be able to express the notion of validity through the pictorial representation of categorical syllogisms with Venn diagrams.
  • Students will be able to use truth tables to determine consistency or inconsistency and validity or invalidity.
  • Students will be able to express propositions and arguments using symbolic notation.
  • Students will be able to construct valid symbolized arguments by means of the rules of natural deduction.
  • Students will be able to translate ordinary language statements into well-formed formulae of quantified predicate logic.


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