HY8002: Logic and Critical Thinking
Assistant Professor Preston Greene
Office: HSS 06-01
Tel: 6592 7836
Email: iampreston@gmail.com
Time: Thursday 14:30 to 17:30
Venue: LT4
Office Hours: Monday 10:00 to 11:00,
and by appointment
..............................................
COURSE DESCRIPTION
The ability to think critically and to identify the logical structure of arguments is important
in every field of inquiry. Training in logic and critical thinking is therefore a necessary
condition for a well-rounded education. It may also have a significant impact on one’s life,
by imparting the ability to reason well in everyday situations. Good reasoners are able to
construct good arguments and evaluate the arguments of others, they are better able to
self-assess and learn from their mistakes, and they are skilled at forming sound beliefs and
judgments about the world.
Among other things, this course will enable you to recognize arguments and the parts of
arguments, identify the logical structures of arguments, differentiate between necessary and
sufficient conditions, evaluate the persuasiveness of arguments, criticize common fallacies in
reasoning, identify and avoid common psychological biases that affect reasoning, and assess
the formal validity of deductive arguments. No prior familiarity with logic or philosophy is
assumed.
BOOKS AND COURSE SITE
The books for the course are Hurley, A Concise Introduction to Logic (11th Edition) and
Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow. Both can be purchased at Yunnan Bookstore, South
Spine, Blk S4, B5A-01. Go early to secure your book as they may run out and have to
order more.
I will upload any handouts and other assignments to the course site on edveNTUre.
CLICKERS
Clickers are required for in-class quizzes. If you do not have a clicker please go to the help
desk at CELT, Blk N2.1, B1 (below McDonald’s) to pick one up.
ASSESSMENT
Final Exam
75%
December 5th at 17:00 (check the timetable)
Quizzes
15%
5 Sep, 19 Sep, 17 Oct, 7 Nov (lowest score dropped)
Participation
10%
QUIZZES
It is your responsibility to make sure you are present with a working clicker for the quizzes.
Since the lowest quiz is dropped, you are able to miss one without penalty.
OFFICE HOURS
Come to office hours to talk about anything. It is not necessary to have an appointment to
attend office hours, but you can email me to schedule an appointment if you cannot visit
during the allotted time.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Please make sure that you are familiar with the academic honesty policies at NTU (http://
academicintegrity.ntu.edu.sg/for-everyone/policy/).
READING LIST AND ASSIGNMENT DATES*
August 15
Introduction
August 22
Argument Basics
Read: 1.1 - 1.6
August 29
Definitions
Read: 2.1 - 2.5
September 5
Fallacies + Prop. Logic, Pt. 1 (Quiz 1)
Read: 3.1 - 3.4, 6.1
September 12
Propositional Logic, Pt. 2
Read: 6.1 - 6.4
September 19
Propositional Logic, Pt. 3 (Quiz 2)
Read: 6.5 - 6.6
September 26
Causes
Read: 10.1-10.3
October 10
Probability
Read: 11.1-11.2
October 17
Statistical Reasoning + Biases (Quiz 3)
Read: 12.1-12.6, Kah. TBA
October 24
Psychological Biases Pt. 2
Read: Kahneman TBA
October 31
Psychological Biases Pt. 3
Read: Kahneman TBA
November 7
Decision Theory (Quiz 4)
Read: TBA
November 14
Review
*The syllabus may be change depending on the pace of the class. Unless otherwise noted,
readings refer to sections in Hurley.