St. Cloud State University
General Education Goal Area 2
Critical Reasoning
Academic Affairs Use Only:
Response Date:
Effective Date:
1.
Proposal Number:
Prepared by:Jason Lindsey
Phone: 8-2163
Email:jrlindsey@stcloudstate.edu
2.
Requesting Unit:Political Science
3.
Department, Course Number, Title:Political Science, POL 361, Western Political Thought
4.
New Course
5.
Will this course be flagged as a diversity course?
No
Already Designated as Diversity
Diversity Proposal Accompanying This Form
6.
Will this course also satisfy another General Education Goal Area?
If “Yes” specify which goal area.
Existing Course
No
Yes
7.
Coursebulletin description, including credits and semesters to be offered:
Evolution of western political thought with a particular emphasis on the modern liberalconservative mainstream and on the attacks on this mainstream from the left and right extremes.
3 Cr. ALT.
8.
Indicate the clientele for whom this course is designed. Is the course for general education only, or
does it fulfill general education and other program needs for this or another department? Obtain
signatures from any affected departments.
The department thinks this course would be a good fit with the general education goal area. Currently,
this course is currently an elective for Political Science Majors and Minors.
9.
Indicate any changes that must be made in offerings or resources in your department or other
departments by offering this course.
The department always offers the course at lest once a year but has also offered a section of
this course every semester in several of the past academic years. If demand were high enough,
one of the 2 current instructors might offer an additional section of this course rather than the
department's POL 195 offering.
10.
For new courses or courses not yet approved for General Education, indicate any other SCSU departments
or units offering instruction that relates to the content of the proposed course.
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11.
Courses designated as General Education are included in the assessment plan for the Goal Area(s) for
which they are approved. Courses for which assessment is not included in the annual GE assessment
report for two years will be removed from the General Education Program.
The Requesting Unit understands and recognizes the above conditions.
12.
Provide a concise explanation of how the following goal is a “significant focus” of the proposed course.
Goal Area 2: Critical Reasoning
Identify, analyze, and critically evaluate reasoning in a variety of domains in order to develop well founded
beliefs and engage in rational and effective action.
This course introduces students to the major concepts and thinkers of Western political thought.
The greatest challenge in this class is that we cover a very long period of history. We start the
semester with the philosophers of ancient Greece, and end the term discussing theory from the
turn of the 20th century. To aid our understanding of all these thinkers, I will emphasize the
historical context of their work. By the end of this course, students will be able to identify the
major schools and themes within the development of western political theory.In addition, the
larger objective of this class is for students to develop a critical understanding of the origins of
Western political ideas including the fact that these ideas are rooted in a contestable historical
framework.
13. In order for a course to be designated as fulfilling Goal Area 2, it must address at least 5 of the 6 student learning
outcomes (SLOs) below. Check the SLOs below that are focused on in the proposed general education course.
1. Distinguish between discourse that contains reasoning and that which does not.
2. Distinguish between different types of reasoning.
3. Analyze arguments, distinguishing premises and conclusions.
4. Evaluate inductive and deductive reasoning.
5. Apply basic logical techniques.
6. Identify and avoid fallacies.
14.
Discuss how each Student Learning Outcome checked above is achieved in this course. (Note: Although
descriptions of typical assignments or types of assignments may be part of this discussion, it is not
appropriate to submit copies of actual assignments.)
1. A major theme of the course is how one may escape an ideological perspective for a
philosophical one in politics. One essay assignment from the course on this topic is to discuss
Marx's description of what an ideology is and how he thinks his philosophical framework is
different. A short answer question on one of our exams asks students to explain why Didotus (in
an incident from Thucydides' _Peloponnesian War_) must conceal the reason behind what he
says to get the Athenians to do the just thing.In our examination of Augustine and Aquinas
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different exam questions have students distinguish between parts of their argument that draw on
observations of human nature compared to parts of their argument which rely on religious
conviction.
2. In their analysis of why some philosophical arguments about politics seem convincing (at
least at first) students must distinguish between different forms of reasoning. For example,
one essay choice from the course is to explain why Hobbes' _Leviathan_ is an example of
deductive reasoning. Another essay choice has students discuss why Machiavelli is an
example of instrumental reasoning. An exam short answer question has students explain why
Aristotlethinks Plato's criticism of democracy relies on a false analogy.
3.In their analysis of philosophical arguments about politics, students must distinguish between
the initial premises of various philosophers and the conclusions they reach. For example, one
essay choice asks students to compare Artistotle's conclusions at the end of his politics with
his initial premise of the polis being a natural entity. An exam short answer question target's
Machiavelli's premise that the preservation of the state is the first and foremost objective of
politics.
4. In their comparison of different philosophical arguments aobut politics, the students must
explain the basis for finding some more convincing than others. As mentioned under #2, one
essay choice from the course is to explain why Hobbes'_Leviathan_ is an example of
deductive reasoning. Another essay choice from late in the course is for students to criticize
Marx's (inductive) conclusions given the economic data he examined in his time. Another
essay choice is to talk about the examples Machiavelli cites in _The Prince_ for his maxims.
An example of an exam question on this point is one asking students to comment on the
"gap" between the (deductive) conclusions of Plato's _Republic_ and the statements of
(supposed) fact they rest upon.
6.In their comparison of different philosophical arguments about politics, the students must
criticize the weaknesses prevalent in many arguments. For example, an exam question
targets identifying the fallacies in some of Plato's analogies. Another exam question targets
Aristotle's philosophical justification for slavery (specifically his claims that it is "natural").A
later exam question has students explain the problem of Rousseau relying on categories like
"nature" as uncontestably positive.
15.
List or attach the Course Outline (adequately described and including percentage of time to be allocated
to each topic). Curriculum Committees may request additional information. Topics larger than 20% need
to be broken down further. Indicate in your course outline where the Student Learning Outcomes
checked above are being met.
5 % Thucydides, _The Peloponnesian War_ /Meets SLO 1 and 4
10%Plato, excerpts from _The Apology_ and _Republic_ /Meets SLO's 2, 4, 6
10%Aristotle, excerpts from _The Politics_ /Meets SLO's 2, 3, 6
10% Medieval developments excerpts from Augustine and Aquinas/ Meets SLO's 1 and 3
5% Reformation developments excerpts from Luther, Calvin and Bodin/ Meets SLO's 1 and 6
10% Thomas Hobbes and origins of Social Contract Theory /Meets SLO's 2, 3, and 4
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10%John Locke and further refinements of Social Contract Theory /Meets SLO's 2, 3, and4
10%Rousseau, end of Social Contract Theory, new alternatives/Meets SLO's 2, 3, 4, and 6.
10%Utilitarianism and origins for Marx/Meets SLO's 1, 2, and 4
10% Marx and developments in socialism/Meets SLO's 1, 2, 4, and 6.
10%Origins of the decline of traditional, metaphyscial political philosophy, excerpts from
Nietzsche and Freud. /Meets SLO's 1, 2, and 3.
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St. Cloud State University
General Education Transmittal Form
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12/11/2009
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