Critical Thinking and Argumentation
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
By the end of the course, students are expected to:
1. Clearly understand and explain the concepts of logical arguments and fallacies.
2. Identify and analyze formal and informal logical fallacies in various texts.
3. Recognize cognitive biases and understand their impact on reasoning and decision-making.
4. Apply strategies to reduce noise and improve the quality of judgments and decisions.
5. Develop critical thinking skills that enable them to challenge assumptions and approach complex issues independently.
1. Clearly understand and explain the concepts of logical arguments and fallacies.
2. Identify and analyze formal and informal logical fallacies in various texts.
3. Recognize cognitive biases and understand their impact on reasoning and decision-making.
4. Apply strategies to reduce noise and improve the quality of judgments and decisions.
5. Develop critical thinking skills that enable them to challenge assumptions and approach complex issues independently.
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 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 important issues.
Lesson period: Second 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
Second trimester
Course syllabus
This course aims to equip students with the skills necessary to identify formal and informal logical fallacies, recognize cognitive biases, and understand the impact of noise on decision-making processes. The course is structured into two main parts:
1. Logical Fallacies: Each lesson includes a theoretical component and a practical session where students engage in detecting informal logical fallacies in argumentative texts.
2. Cognitive Biases and Noise: Focuses on the main cognitive biases that affect reasoning, with a particular emphasis on noise in the decision-making process.
Part 1: Formal and Informal Logical Fallacies
● Lesson 1: What is an argument
● Lesson 2: Linguistic Fallacies
● Lesson 3: Fallacies of Omission
● Lesson 4: Fallacies of Intrusion
● Lesson 5: Causal Fallacies
Part 2: Cognitive Biases and Noise in Decision-Making
● Lesson 6: Confirmation Bias
● Lesson 7: Base Rate Fallacy
● Lesson 8: Illusory Correlation
● Lesson 9: Noise in Decisions (Part 1)
● Lesson 10: Noise in Decisions (Part 2)
1. Logical Fallacies: Each lesson includes a theoretical component and a practical session where students engage in detecting informal logical fallacies in argumentative texts.
2. Cognitive Biases and Noise: Focuses on the main cognitive biases that affect reasoning, with a particular emphasis on noise in the decision-making process.
Part 1: Formal and Informal Logical Fallacies
● Lesson 1: What is an argument
● Lesson 2: Linguistic Fallacies
● Lesson 3: Fallacies of Omission
● Lesson 4: Fallacies of Intrusion
● Lesson 5: Causal Fallacies
Part 2: Cognitive Biases and Noise in Decision-Making
● Lesson 6: Confirmation Bias
● Lesson 7: Base Rate Fallacy
● Lesson 8: Illusory Correlation
● Lesson 9: Noise in Decisions (Part 1)
● Lesson 10: Noise in Decisions (Part 2)
Prerequisites for admission
No formal prerequisites are required.
Teaching methods
The course combines lectures with interactive activities. Each lesson includes:
● Theoretical Component: Introduction to concepts and principles.
● Practical Exercises: Hands-on activities where students apply the concepts learned by analyzing texts and scenarios to identify fallacies and biases.
● Theoretical Component: Introduction to concepts and principles.
● Practical Exercises: Hands-on activities where students apply the concepts learned by analyzing texts and scenarios to identify fallacies and biases.
Teaching Resources
● Van Vleet, J. E. (2021). Informal Logical Fallacies: A Brief Guide. Rowman & Littlefield.
● Rüdiger, F. P. (2016). Cognitive Illusions: Intriguing Phenomena in Judgment, Thinking, and Memory.
● Kahneman, D., Sibony, O., & Sunstein, C. R. (2021). Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment.
● Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux
● Rüdiger, F. P. (2016). Cognitive Illusions: Intriguing Phenomena in Judgment, Thinking, and Memory.
● Kahneman, D., Sibony, O., & Sunstein, C. R. (2021). Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment.
● Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Assessment methods and Criteria
● Partial Evaluations: At the end of each lesson, students will receive a partial evaluation based on their performance in practical exercises. These marks will be averaged to form a cumulative score.
● Final Paper: One week before the examination, each student is required to submit a 1000-word paper on a course-related topic of their choice.
● For Non-Attending Students: The teacher will send exercises similar to those carried out in class. In addition, non-attending students must submit a 1000-word essay.
● Final Grade: The final grade will be calculated by averaging the cumulative score from the exercises and the final paper grade.
● Final Paper: One week before the examination, each student is required to submit a 1000-word paper on a course-related topic of their choice.
● For Non-Attending Students: The teacher will send exercises similar to those carried out in class. In addition, non-attending students must submit a 1000-word essay.
● Final Grade: The final grade will be calculated by averaging the cumulative score from the exercises and the final paper grade.
- University credits: 3
Laboratories: 20 hours
Professor:
Floris Mara
Shifts:
Turno
Professor:
Floris Mara