Short course
Critical Reasoning: A Romp through the Foothills of Logic
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Location:
Online
Dates:
13/01/2027 - 26/03/2027
Study format:
Online - flexible
Fees:
£430.00
Reasoning enables us to acquire knowledge, to persuade others and to evaluate their arguments. But only if we reason well. We shall be learning how to recognise, evaluate, construct and analyse arguments, and how to recognise common fallacies (bad arguments that look like good arguments). This will give you confidence in your ability to reason well.
Reasoning is central to the life of a human being. Without it we would be restricted to learning through our senses and immediate experiences. Reasoning can take us, literally, to the moon and back. Reasoning enables us to theorise about our world, to persuade others of our theories and to evaluate theirs. But reasoning can do this only if we do it well. Bad reasoning takes us nowhere. In this course, we shall be looking at how to recognise and evaluate arguments, how to construct and analyse arguments and how to recognise common fallacies (bad arguments that look like good arguments).
By the end, you should be more confident about your everyday reasoning, your ability to present a good case to others, and your ability to distinguish a good argument from a bad one.
To get more of an insight, listen to the author, Marianne Talbot, talking about the course:
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The course is broken down into 10 units over 10 weeks, each requiring approximately 10 hours of study time. The following topics are covered:
1. The Nature of Argument
In this unit we’ learn how to recognize arguments and distinguish them from other sets of sentences, and from assertions, especially conditional assertions.
2. Analysing Arguments
In this unit, we look at how to analyse arguments and set them out ‘logic-book style’. This makes it much easier to see the structure of the argument (which in turn makes it much easier to evaluate the argument).
3. Deduction and Induction
This is the unit in which we learn how to distinguish deductive arguments from inductive arguments. Deduction and induction are two quite different types of argument. All arguments fall into one category or the other. The two types of argument are evaluated quite differently.
4. Induction, Popper and the Paradoxes of Confirmation
In this unit, we will be stepping back from critical reasoning to consider the philosophy of critical reasoning. In particular, we will be considering the nature of induction and some problems endemic to inductive reasoning.
5. Types Of Induction
Having got to grips with the problems endemic to inductive reasoning, we shall now consider the different types of inductive reasoning and look at how to evaluate them.
6. Deduction, Validity, and Truth
In this unit, we will consider how to evaluate deductive arguments. We will start by reflecting on the notions of validity, entailment and truth. Then we will look at the process by which all deductive arguments are evaluated.
7. The Rudiments, Purpose and Limits of Formalisation
In this unit and the next, we shall be looking at the rudiments of formalisation. Why do logicians use symbols? How do they help? In unit seven, we shall ourselves learn how to formalise simple arguments.
8. The Rules of Propositional Logic
Having learned in the last unit how to formalise simple arguments, we shall now learn how to apply a set of mechanical rules by which to test these formalised arguments.
9. Fallacies
The last two units have been tough. This unit will be a bit of relaxation. In this unit, we will learn about fallacies. These are bad arguments that look like, and can easily be mistaken for, good arguments. You will do some research of your own into particular types of fallacy.
10. Analysing Complex Arguments
In this, our final unit, you will be set the task of analysing a complex argument. Half of you will analyse a complex inductive argument, the other half a complex deductive argument.
We strongly recommend that you try to find a little time each week to engage in the online conversations (at times that are convenient to you) as the forums are an integral and very rewarding part of the course and the online learning experience.
Course aims
- Introduce participants to the nature of arguments and the different types of arguments.
- Help participants learn how to evaluate arguments of different types.
- Encourage participants to acquire the ‘language of logic’.
- Enhance participants’ confidence in everyday reasoning and argument.
Course objectives
-
Understand what an argument is
- Recognise arguments
- Analyse arguments
- Distinguish deductive arguments from inductive arguments
- Evaluate inductive and deductive arguments
- Understand formal and informal fallacies
- Understand the rudiments of formalisation
- Apply the rules of propositional logic
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course students will be expected to understand:
- How to recognise arguments, distinguish them from conditional sentences and sets of sentences that are not arguments, and set them out ‘logic-book-style’.
- Understand the difference between deduction and induction, and the different types of each argument-type and how they are distinguished from each other.
- Evaluate arguments by testing them for validity or inductive strength, and checking the truth of their premises.
- Understand and recognise common fallacies.
By the end of this course students will have gained the following skills:
- Confidence in everyday reasoning and argument.
- The ability to distinguish deduction and induction and recognise the strengths and weaknesses of each.
- The skills involved in analysing arguments and setting them out logic-book-style.
- An understanding of how to evaluate arguments of different types.
Level and demands
This course is open to all, and no prior knowledge is required.
This course is offered at FHEQ level 4 (first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours.
English Language Requirements
We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but we warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements, please see here.
IT requirements
This course is delivered online; to participate, you must be familiar with using a computer for purposes such as sending email and searching the Internet. You will also need regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification.
Teaching methods
- Guided reading of texts
- Group discussions of particular issues
- Questions to be answered in personal folders
- Debating from positions given rather than from personal belief (to hone skills of debate)
Assessment methods
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first 500 words are due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome, but preparing for it and the feedback you are given will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Dr Andrea Lechler
Andrea Lechler holds a degree in Computational Linguistics, an MSc in Artificial Intelligence, and an MA and PhD in Philosophy. She has extensive experience of teaching philosophy for OUDCE and other institutions.
Credit Application Transfer Scheme (CATS) points
Coursework is an integral part of all online courses and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework. All those enrolled on an online courses are registered for credit and will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard.
See more information on CATS points
Digital credentials
All students who pass their final assignment will be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course Fee | £430.00 |
Funding
If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses
Textbooks
To participate in the course you will need to have regular access to the Internet and you will need to buy the following e-book:
Talbot, Marianne Critical Reasoning: A romp through the foothills of logic
This is available as an e-book, or as a paperback:
- Talbot, M., 2013 Critical Reasoning: A Romp through the Foothills of Logic
- ibooks: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/critical-reasoning/id900680424?mt=11
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Critical-Reasoning-through-Foothills-Complete/dp/1512066028/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1514998630&sr=1-2&keywords=romp+logic
Please ensure that you can access copies of any required textbooks before enrolling on a course. While cancellations are uncommon, courses may not run if enrolment is too low. The Department accepts no responsibility for books purchased in anticipation of a course running.
Module code: O26P386PHV
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page.