PP1RA: Reason and Argument

Module code: PP1RA

Module provider: Philosophy; School of Philosophy, Politics and Economics

Credits: 20

Level: Level 1 (Certificate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr George Mason, email: g.p.mason@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Argumentative and reasoning skills are at the heart of how we come to understand the world: from basic decision-making, to political debates, all the way through to philosophical inquiry into difficult and abstract questions. And yet when we scratch the surface of what it takes for one claim to follow from another, we find that it is surprisingly easy to make a mistake.  

This module introduces you to the basic concepts and methods of critical thinking, basic logic, and the psychology of reasoning. You will be introduced to a range of techniques for evaluating claims and arguments, ranging from informal analogical reasoning and fallacy identification, all the way through to basic formal logic. You will explore argument structures as they appear in a range of different contexts, including newspaper opinions, twitter spats, and philosophical treatises. You will learn to differentiate between different types of argument (e.g. deductive, inductive, abductive etc.), and also different types of responses to arguments. These skills are essential to further study in philosophy and also to other areas of academic work.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Identify what logical reasoning is and why it matters.  
2. Differentiate between various types of argument 
3. Convert arguments into a standard form (premise/conclusion) format 
4. Respond effectively to arguments using a range of different techniques. 
5. Identify the formal structure of an argument 
6. Use propositional logic to prove the validity of an argument structure 

Module content

The module begins with a focus on argument structure, as we learn how to differentiate between premises, sub-conclusions, and main conclusions. We then turn our focus to argument evaluation. In considering the plausibility of premises, we consider how to evaluate a claim for its truth, and how this differs across different circumstances of evaluation. We then turn to the issue of whether a given conclusion is supported by its premises. In doing so, we learn about common fallacies (and how to avoid them) and also effective ways of responding to arguments (e.g. posing a counter-example, constructing a reductio, etc.). Our focus then turns to formal methods, where we evaluate the validity of an argument in terms of its structure. To do that, we learn how to use propositional logic.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The contact hours each week are divided into a two-hour lecture session and a one-hour seminar. The lectures are an opportunity to be introduced to a topic for the first time and also complete exercises and ask questions in class. The seminars are primarily based around the weekly exercises that the student has to complete each week. The seminars are an opportunity to go through the answers and use that as a basis of further discussion. The module also has a dedicated free textbook available as a pdf that contains the required reading for each week and the weekly exercises. Using these in conjunction with the lecture activities ensures that you learn in an active way, as we acquire the skills that are essential for reasoning and debate.  

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

The weekly exercises are the primary form of formative assessment. There is also further discussion in both lectures and seminars, and the use of class discussion boards.  

Reassessment

Additional costs