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Unit of study_

PHIL1014: Critical Thinking

2025 unit information

An introduction to critical thinking and the analysis of argument. We will examine arguments drawn from diverse sources including journalism, advertising, science, medicine, history, economics, and politics. In doing so, we will learn how to distinguish good arguments from bad, and how to construct rationally persuasive arguments of our own. Along the way we will grapple with scepticism, conspiracy theories, pseudoscience, and fallacies.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Arts and Social Sciences

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit Philosophy
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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None
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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PHIL2642
Assumed knowledge:
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None

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. 1) demonstrate comprehension of the differences between various forms of argument, including deduction, induction, abduction, causal arguments, scientific arguments, probabilistic arguments, and arguments by analogy
  • LO2. 2) assess the strengths and weaknesses of arguments of these various forms
  • LO3. 3) detect deductive validity and soundness
  • LO4. 4) detect and label a broad range of common fallacies
  • LO5. 5) develop stronger arguments, and to revise and/or defend those arguments in the face of criticism
  • LO6. 6) identify and evaluate arguments as they appear in a range of contexts including advertising, journalism, politics, activism, and academic writing
  • LO7. 7) construct, analyse, defend, and revise arguments of their own and present arguments to others clearly and persuasively
  • LO8. 8) use clear reasoning to solve practical problems and resolve real-life disputes

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Semester 2 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 2 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

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