Course

Critical Thinking

Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Department
Philosophy
Course code
PHIL 1101
Credits
3.00
Semester length
15
Max class size
25
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Typically offered
To be determined

Overview

Course description
This course examines the basic nature of reasoning and the fallacies which prevent good reasoning. Emphasis will be on understanding the logical structure of argument and on recognizing the influence of emotional and rhetorical persuasion in media presentations, political discussions, advertisements, general academic writings and one’s own arguments. Students may also have the opportunity for their own arguments to be assessed by others. Both the theory and practice of critical thinking are covered. There is a greater emphasis upon the popular presentation of oral and written arguments than in PHIL 2201. Critical Thinking is highly recommended to all students in occupational and academic programs, and provides an important foundation for further work in Philosophy.
Course content
  1. The nature of sound reasoning as differentiated from unsound reasoning, the examination of proposition and inference, of inductive and deductive argument.
  2. The analysis and evaluation of basic argument forms both spoken a written, as in, for example, current newspapers, magazines, articles, excerpts from books, and on the web.
  3. The nature of the development of a philosophical understanding and the role of arguments in that development.
  4. Practice in various specific forms of reasoning such as analogy, causal inference, and inference from authority.
  5. Practice in the dialogical formulation of arguments, by means of formal and informal debate and of the assumption of argument roles.
  6. Practice in composing brief written arguments on selected subjects.
  7. Practice in the detection and recognition of natural language fallacies.
Learning activities
  1. Lecture and seminar.  The class may be divided into small sections for the seminars.
  2. Regular practice/exercises, based on lectures and seminars.
  3. Examination of written and oral arguments to detect fallacies and illustrate sound thinking.
  4. May also include regular on-line, in-class, or take-home practices or exercises, based on lectures, seminars, or on-line content.
Means of assessment

Evaluation will be based upon course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College policy. The instructor will provide a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester.

Any possible combination of the following which equals 100%:

  Percent Range       Example  
Tests, Quizzes, Short Written Assignments   30% – 60% Five 10% Tests  50%
Written Class Presentations, Argument  Analyses, Exams   20% – 50% Two 20% Analyses  40%
Instructor’s General Evaluation 
(may include attendance class participation,
group work, homework, etc.)		    0% – 20% Attendance/
Participation		  10%
      100%

(No one evaluation component within each category may exceed 40%)

Learning outcomes

The successful student will be able to appreciate and engage in the following practices:

  1. Participation in dialogue in a way that enables the students to experience and reflect upon their own thinking as it is expressed in communication with others.
  2. Examination from newspapers, magazines, articles and books, the web, and other instances of contemporary expression so as to discern genuine thinking from the spurious.
  3. Thinking for themselves, and the development of confidence in their own thinking.
  4. The recognition that much, if not most, of what passes for thinking actually prevents thinking and substitutes for it other things such as force, rhetoric, propaganda, etc.
  5. The discovery of those elements which militate against thinking. 
  6. The cultivation of a deeper understanding of the world.
Textbook materials

Textbooks will be updated periodically. Typical examples are:

  • Govier, T. A Practical Study of Argument, 7th ed.  Belmont, CA:  Wadsworth-Thompson, 2010.
  • Groarke, L. and Indale, C.W., Good Reasoning Matters, 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
  • Hughs, W.; Lavery, J. Critical Thinking: An Introduction to the Basic Skills, 5th ed. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press, 2008.

 

Requisites

Prerequisites

No prerequisite courses.

Corequisites

No corequisite courses.

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

(Current)

Course Transfers to Other Institutions

Below are current transfer agreements from Douglas College to other institutions for the current course guidelines only. For a full list of transfer details and archived courses, please see the BC Transfer Guide.

Institution Transfer details for PHIL 1101
Alexander College (ALEX) ALEX PHIL 120 (3)
Athabasca University (AU) AU PHIL 252 (3)
Camosun College (CAMO) CAMO PHIL 110 (3)
Capilano University (CAPU) CAPU PHIL 110 (3)
College of the Rockies (COTR) COTR PHIL 1XX (3)
Columbia College (COLU) COLU PHIL 113 (3)
Coquitlam College (COQU) COQU PHIL 101 (3)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) KPU PHIL 1145 (3)
Langara College (LANG) LANG PHIL 1104 (3)
LaSalle College Vancouver (LCV) LCV GE 121 (3)
North Island College (NIC) NIC PHI 150 (3)
Okanagan College (OC) OC PHIL 1XX (3)
Selkirk College (SELK) SELK PHIL 1XX (3)
Simon Fraser University (SFU) SFU PHIL 105 (3)
Thompson Rivers University (TRU) TRU PHIL 1XXX (3)
Trinity Western University (TWU) TWU PHIL 109 (3)
University Canada West (UCW) UCW PHIL 1XX (3)
University of British Columbia - Okanagan (UBCO) UBCO PHIL_O 120 (3)
University of British Columbia - Vancouver (UBCV) UBCV PHIL_V 120 (3)
University of Northern BC (UNBC) UNBC PHIL 200 (3)
University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) UFV PHIL 100 (3)
University of Victoria (UVIC) UVIC PHIL 201 (1.5)
Vancouver Island University (VIU) VIU PHIL 100 (3)

Course Offerings

Fall 2025

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
1
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3406
Times:
Start Time
14:30
-
End Time
16:20
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3417
Times:
Start Time
14:30
-
End Time
16:20
CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
13
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3406
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3417
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
14:20
CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
1
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3406
Times:
Start Time
16:30
-
End Time
18:20
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3417
Times:
Start Time
16:30
-
End Time
18:20
CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
15
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3417
Times:
Start Time
9:30
-
End Time
12:20
CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
11
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3417
Times:
Start Time
15:30
-
End Time
18:20
CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
24
Remaining seats:
1
On waitlist
6
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3417
Times:
Start Time
8:30
-
End Time
10:20
Section notes

This section is offered in hybrid format. The class will meet in person for 2 hours per week, and students will complete additional course activities online.

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
24
Building
Online
Room
ONLINE
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
15:20
Section notes

This course will include synchronous on-line activities. Students should plan to be available on-line at scheduled course times.

CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
1
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. C
Room
C1007
Times:
Start Time
14:30
-
End Time
16:20
CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
0
Building
Coquitlam - Bldg. C
Room
C1007
Times:
Start Time
16:30
-
End Time
18:20
CRN Days Instructor Status
Maximum seats
25
Currently enrolled
25
Remaining seats:
0
On waitlist
5
Building
New Westminster - North Bldg.
Room
N3417
Times:
Start Time
12:30
-
End Time
15:20