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Study information

Evidence and Argument 1

Module titleEvidence and Argument 1
Module codePHL1005A
Academic year2024/5
Credits15
Module staff

Dr Edward Skidelsky (Convenor)

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

11

Number students taking module (anticipated)

140

Module description

Philosophers try to think rationally about the most general and abstract questions; for this reason, they spend a lot of time constructing and criticising arguments. This module introduces you to the basic principles of argumentative reasoning; you will investigate what makes a good or a bad argument, and how to distinguish one from the other. This is an essential skill not only in science and philosophy, but also in politics and everyday life.

Consisting of a mixture of theory and practical exercises, this module will teach you the tools and skills necessary for analysing, evaluating and constructing arguments. You will learn to analyse texts taken from philosophy and the social sciences, assess the validity of arguments, identify the most common forms of pseudo-reasoning and evaluate the use of evidence in empirical science.

This module is suitable for all students in philosophy and other social science disciplines. No prior knowledge is required.

Module aims - intentions of the module

Philosophers try to think rationally about the most general and abstract questions; for this reason, they spend a lot of time constructing and criticising arguments. In this course, you will investigate what makes a good or a bad argument, and how to distinguish one from the other. This is a skill essential not only in science and philosophy, but also in politics and everyday life.

This module will teach you the tools and skills necessary for analysing, evaluating and constructing arguments. It consists of a mixture of theory and practical exercises. We will examine the general principles of reasoning, and then apply them to particular arguments from philosophical and other texts.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. demonstrate knowledge of some basic principles of formal and inductive reasoning, essay writing and rhetoric;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 2. develop the ability to analyse arguments, to apply simple rules of inference, to criticise brief texts, and to write well-argued essays;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 3. develop the ability to argue clearly and effectively in speech and writing, to use the library and internet resources, and to evaluate different sources of evidence;

Syllabus plan

Essay writing technique; identifying and reconstructing arguments; arguments vs. explanations; deductive reasoning; inductive reasoning; argumentative strategies and fallacies.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
27.5122.50

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity 16.5 11 x 1.5 hour lectures
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity 11 1 hour tutorial every week. A great part of the course will be devoted to practical exercises in the construction, analysis and evaluation of arguments. This format allows for a good deal of discussion between students and lecturer, both in lectures and tutorials.
Guided Independent study22.5Short exercises in logic and critical thinking; readings. The exercises do not come with a minimum word count, but they should take no more than a couple of hours every two weeks.
Guided Independent study100Private study

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Short exercises in logic and critical thinking; readings. The exercises do not come with a minimum word count, but they should take no more than a couple of hours every two weeks.1-3Written and verbal

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
01000

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Examination 1001 hour 45 minutes1-3Written
0
0
0
0
0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Examination Examination (1 hour 45 minutes)1-3August/September reassessment period

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

A. Martinich, Philosophical Writing, Blackwell, 1997.
I. Hacking, An Introduction to Probability and Inductive Logic, CUP, 2
B.Moore and R. Parker, Critical Thinking, 6th edition, London, Mayfield Publishing Co., 1997.
T. Bowell and G. Kemp, Critical Thinking, London, Routledge 2002.
M.Salmon, Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking, London, Wadsworth, 2002.
M. Scriven, Reasoning, New York, McGraw-Hill, 1976.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Key words search

Evidence and Argument Philosophical Inductive reasoning

Credit value15
Module ECTS

7.5

Module pre-requisites

None

Module co-requisites

None

NQF level (module)

4

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

01/10/2006

Last revision date

29/04/2022