Specific Skills Achieved

Upon completion of this course, all students should be able to

1. demonstrate basic skills of Internet browsing,
2. explain the difference between an argument and a disagreement,
3. identify premisses and conclusions in complex arguments,
4. explain the difference between deduction and induction,
5. analyze the interrelation between arguments and explanations,
6. understand the differences among truth, validity, and soundness,
7. identify the differences between factual significance and emotive significance,
8. list major uses of language,
9. identify and explain the common fallacies which occur in everyday discourse,
10. be aware of common methods of persuasion and propaganda,
11. evaluate one premiss deductive inferences,
12. refute arguments by devising logical analogies,
13. evaluate two premiss deductive inferences, and
14. diagram and evaluate complex arguments.

In this course you will learn the difference between an argument and an explanation, the difference between deduction and induction, and the differences among truth, validity, and soundness in argumentation. You will learn effective methods of analysis and criticism in the evaluation of argumentative discourse.