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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 |
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| Academic unit | Philosophy |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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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 ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Semester 2 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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