PHIL 105.002 – How to Reason and Argue: An Introduction to Critical Thinking

Instructor: Yan Chen. This course meets TR 8:00 – 9:15 a.m. in PE 2080.

This course is about how to reason well with evidence. We will hone our reasoning skills with tools from logic, probability and decision theories, and examine the nature of various forms of reasoning including scientific, statistical, and causal reasoning. We will also identify how, as non-ideal reasoners, we are prone to various reasoning errors. Along the way, we will draw on empirical findings from other disciplines like cognitive science and social psychology, and discuss ways to avoid reasoning errors in our everyday practices.