Phil 110: Critical Thinking and Composition
Spring 2015
Schedule# 22456
COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Jake Borcher
Class Days: T/TH
Class Times: 11 - 12:15
Class Location: NE 175
Office Hours: Tuesdays 2-4 PM
Office Hours Location: AL 430 or AL 441
Email: jakeborcher@yahoo.com
Cell Phone: (530) 218-5329
Course Overview

From the SDSU General Catalog 2013-2014: “Introduction to critical thinking and writing.
Evaluation and development of correct reasoning and effective style and organization in
argumentative writing. Correct deductive and inductive reasoning. Fallacies. Critical appraisal
of evidence. Construction of rebuttals and counter-arguments.”

Objectives and Outcomes: This philosophy course will help students to develop the critical
thinking and writing skills that will allow them to identify, assess and construct well-reasoned
arguments. This course will teach students how to better synthesize data, identify evidence,
draw conclusions, and evaluate inferences. Critical reasoning will be applied to a variety of
situations such as making sound decisions, evaluating claims and assertions, avoiding fallacious
reasoning, etc. Students’ performance will be measured with written assignments, essays,
quizzes, and in-class exams. Specific course goals include:
o Distinguish the difference between argument and other kinds of discourse
o Identify the differences between reasoned and unreasoned opinions
o Apply the basic criteria used to evaluate claims and arguments
o Recognize assumptions and identify common informal fallacies in human reasoning
o Analyze and critique both inductive and deductive arguments using formal methods
o Improve the clarity, precision, and organization in writing and rational persuasion
o Recognize and evaluate arguments involved in analogical and causal reasoning
o Analyze the structure of deductive arguments
Grading
Table 1: Raw Score, Percentage, and Grade
Raw Score
1. 465 - 500
Percentage
93 - 100
Grade
A
Raw Score
2. 450 - 464
3. 435 - 449
4. 415 - 434
5. 400 - 414
6. 385 - 399
7. 365 - 384
8. 350 - 364
9. 335 – 349
10. 315 - 334
11. 300 - 314
12. 0 - 299
Percentage
90 - 92
87 - 89
83 - 86
80 - 82
77 - 79
73 - 76
70 - 72
67 - 69
63 - 66
60 - 62
0 - 59
Grade
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
There will be five scores that will determine a student's grade: classwork (100 points / 20%), exam 1
(100 points / 20%), a shorter essay (100 points / 20%), a longer essay (150 points / 30%) and a final
exam (50 points / 10%). In borderline cases class attendance, participation, and improvement may be
considered to bump the student up into the next grade level.
Classwork
Throughout the semester there will be many short assignments and quizzes that will generally be
done in-class. Each will usually be worth 5 points and cannot be made up if the student is absent that
day. Students will not know whether or not any given day will have any quiz or assignment. Two
exceptions are Tuesday, March 24 and Tuesday, April 28 when we will have in-class peer review
sessions worth 10 or 15 points each. Students will need to bring a draft of at least half of their essay
for other students to provide comments on.
This class fulfills a writing requirement for general education, so any quizzes or assignments that
include writing are meant to evaluate a student’s writing skills. Therefore these quizzes or assignments
are expected to be well-written and will be graded in terms of spelling, punctuation, clarity, writing
style, etc.
Attendance
Attendance will be taken each class period. Although attendance does not directly count for or against
a student’s grade, it counts indirectly in that students who are not present when an assignment or quiz
is given will not be able to get credit for it; it is expected that students attend class regularly. It is the
student’s responsibility to know all information presented in class. For example, if a student is absent
and the instructor announces that the deadline for an assignment or exam changes it is the student’s
responsibility to be ready on time.
By university policy, students who must be absent for religious reasons or some official SDSU activity
(e.g., to participate in athletics, cheerleading, marching band, etc.) are required to inform their
instructors of their foreseen absences within the first two weeks of classes. Doing so does excuse the
student from turning in work on time (but not from turning in work); not informing the instructor
within the first two weeks forfeits this possibility.
Exams
The first exam will be a combination of multiple choice, matching, and short answer questions
covering all the chapters we've gone over up to that point. The final exam will be an in-class
argumentative essay. On test days each student will need to bring a small blue book.
Essays
Students will write two argumentative papers for this class. Students can write on any topic of their
own choosing as long as the topic provides an adequate opportunity to demonstrate understanding
and application of the critical thinking skills learned in class. The first paper will be 3-5 pages doublespaced while the second will be 6-8 pages. If the two papers are going to be on the same topic then
the second paper must argue for the opposite position that was argued for in the first paper.
Required Texts
Morrow, David R. and Weston, Anthony, A Workbook for Arguments (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing,
Indianapolis, 2011). We will be reading almost all of this book. We will also be reading Rene Descartes’
Meditations on First Philosophy, but students do not need to purchase a copy since free electronic
editions are readily available. In addition, there will be reading packets and sample essays posted on
Blackboard for the students to read.
Classroom Etiquette
Cell phones off. Laptops allowed but only for the purpose of taking notes. No recording devices.
General Education
Passing this course (with a C or better) satisfies the Intermediate Composition and Critical Thinking
requirement for general education. You may find more information regarding this requirement in the
San Diego State University general catalog, under the Communication and Critical
Thinking requirements. See: http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/catalog/2013-14/086-098_GradReq.pdf.
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your
responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay in the
receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible.
Please note that accommodations are not retroactive, and that accommodations based upon disability
cannot be provided until you have presented your instructor with an accommodation letter from
Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
If you think that something might prevent you from doing well in this course, please meet with me
outside of class time (during office hours or by appointment) so that I may make the necessary
accommodations
Academic Honesty
The University adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism. These activities will not be
tolerated in this class. Become familiar with the policy (http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html).
Any cheating or plagiarism will result in failing this class and a disciplinary review by Student Affairs.
Examples of Plagiarism include but are not limited to:
 Using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can include
phrases, sentences, paragraphs and/or pages of work)

Copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it your own

Using information you find from an online or offline source without giving the author credit

Replacing words or phrases from another source and inserting your own words or phrases

Submitting a piece of work you did for one class to another class
If you have questions on what is plagiarism, please consult the policy
(http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html) and this helpful guide from the Library:(
http://infodome.sdsu.edu/infolit/exploratorium/Standard_5/plagiarism.pdf)
Schedule (subject to change) (Assigned readings to be completed before the start of the week listed.)
Table 2: Week, Reading
Week
1. 1/21 – 1/25
2. 1/26 – 2/1
3. 2/2 – 2/8
4. 2/9 – 2/15
5. 2/16 – 2/22
6. 2.23 – 3/1
7. 3/2 – 3/8
8. 3/9 – 3/15
9. 3/16 – 3/22
10. 3/23 – 3/29
11. 3/30 – 4/5
12. 4/6 – 4/12
13. 4/13 – 4/19
14. 4/20 – 4/26
15. 4/27 – 5/3
Reading
Read Introduction
Read Chapter 1: Short Arguments and Chapter 2: Generalizations.
Read Chapter 3: Arguments by Analogy and Chapter 5: Arguments about
Causes.
Read Chapter 6: Deductive Arguments.
Read Appendix 1: Fallacies and Appendix 2: Definitions.
Exam 1 Tuesday, February 24.
Read Chapter 7: Extended Arguments.
Read Chapter 8: Argumentative Essays.
Read Chapter 4: Sources, 'Sample Essays', and 'Guide to Writing a Philosophy
Paper' (found online on Blackboard).
Tuesday, March 24 peer review in-class assignment. Paper 1 due Friday, March
27 (on Blackboard by 5 PM).
Spring Break!
Read 'Reading Packet 1' (Blackboard).
Read Meditations on First Philosophy (Sections 1-3).
Read Meditations on First Philosophy (Sections 4-6).
Tuesday, April 28 peer review in-class assignment. Paper 2 due Friday, May 1
Week
16. 5/4 – 5/7
14. 5/8 – 5/12
Reading
(on Blackboard by 5 PM).
Review and prepare for Final Exam.
Final Exam Tuesday May 12, 10:30 – 12:30.