Critical Thinking and Argumentation
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
By the end of the course, students are expected to:
1. Clearly understand and explain the concepts of arguments, premises and conclusions.
2. Identify and analyze deductive and inductive arguments.
3. Recognize formal and informal logical fallacies.
4. Recognize rhetorical moves and understand their impact on reasoning and decision-making.
These skills form a critical thinking toolkit that enables students to recognize, evaluate, refute, and build arguments.
1. Clearly understand and explain the concepts of arguments, premises and conclusions.
2. Identify and analyze deductive and inductive arguments.
3. Recognize formal and informal logical fallacies.
4. Recognize rhetorical moves and understand their impact on reasoning and decision-making.
These skills form a critical thinking toolkit that enables students to recognize, evaluate, refute, and build arguments.
Expected learning outcomes
● Analytical Skills: Enhance your ability to critically assess arguments and evidence.
● Practical Application: Apply theoretical knowledge through practical exercises and real-world examples.
● Independent Thinking: Gain the confidence to challenge assumptions and think independently on complex and important issues.
● Practical Application: Apply theoretical knowledge through practical exercises and real-world examples.
● Independent Thinking: Gain the confidence to challenge assumptions and think independently on complex and important issues.
Lesson period: Third trimester
Assessment methods: Giudizio di approvazione
Assessment result: superato/non superato
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Lesson period
Third trimester
Course syllabus
The class material is based on these texts:
Bowell, Tracy, and Gary Kemp. Critical thinking: A concise guide. Routledge, 2014. [Chapter 1-7]
Fosl, Peter S., and Julian Baggini. The philosopher's toolkit: a compendium of philosophical concepts and methods. John Wiley & Sons, 2020. [Chapters 1-3]
McKay, Thomas (2000), Reasons, Explanations and Decisions: Guidelines for Critical Thinking. Wadsworth. [Chapters 1-5, 8] (Hard to find: the material provided in the slides will be enough)
Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter. Think again: how to reason and argue. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018. [Chapters 5-10]
Slides are part of the program.
Bowell, Tracy, and Gary Kemp. Critical thinking: A concise guide. Routledge, 2014. [Chapter 1-7]
Fosl, Peter S., and Julian Baggini. The philosopher's toolkit: a compendium of philosophical concepts and methods. John Wiley & Sons, 2020. [Chapters 1-3]
McKay, Thomas (2000), Reasons, Explanations and Decisions: Guidelines for Critical Thinking. Wadsworth. [Chapters 1-5, 8] (Hard to find: the material provided in the slides will be enough)
Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter. Think again: how to reason and argue. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018. [Chapters 5-10]
Slides are part of the program.
Prerequisites for admission
No prior requirements are needed; on the contrary, the course provides a foundation for rigorous reasoning, as well as for the construction and refutation of arguments.
Teaching methods
The course is organized in frontal lectures. Each lecture is divided into two parts: the first (longer) part presents a theoretical problem and illustrates methods and solutions to address it, while the second (shorter) part is devoted to exercises that allow students to apply the theory introduced during the session. At the end of each class, additional exercises are assigned for the following week and are corrected together at the beginning of the next class. Particular attention to the exercises is strongly recommended, as they are essential for preparing and successfully passing the final exam.
Teaching Resources
Bowell, Tracy, and Gary Kemp. Critical thinking: A concise guide. Routledge, 2014.
Fosl, Peter S., and Julian Baggini. The philosopher's toolkit: a compendium of philosophical concepts and methods. John Wiley & Sons, 2020.
Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter. Think again: how to reason and argue. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018.
Fosl, Peter S., and Julian Baggini. The philosopher's toolkit: a compendium of philosophical concepts and methods. John Wiley & Sons, 2020.
Sinnott-Armstrong, Walter. Think again: how to reason and argue. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The final assessment consists of an in-person written exam with 5 or 6 exercises on any of the main topics of the course, similar to those practiced together in class and those done individually at home each week and subsequently reviewed in class. That's why extensive practice with the exercises typically ensures that one successfully passes the exam. Each exercise can be awarded up to 5 or 6 points, for a total of 30 points. The assessment uses a pass/fail system. The exam is considered passed when the total score reaches or exceeds 18 points.
M-FIL/02 - LOGIC AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE - University credits: 3
Laboratories: 20 hours
Professor:
Cepollaro Biancamaria
Educational website(s)