Cael Cohen, PhD

Email: cmcohen@yorku.ca.

Telephone or Text: 647-880-1237.

In-Person Office Hours:  Monday, 9 am – 11 am.

Room 447, South Ross Building.

Online Zoom Office Hours: Tuesday, 10:00 am – 11:00 am.

https://yorku.zoom.us/j/94764996419?pwd=TnVySlFVNzhCRmh2UDdqWUlFZWdMQT09

Meeting ID: 947 6499 6419 ▪ Passcode: 120217.

Office hours begin on Monday, September 11, 2023.

This fully online, skills-based course teaches learners how to read, write and think independently, critically, and for meaning, about morality and values through:

• A collection of critical skills, practices, techniques, attitudes, and principles that can be used every day to systematically evaluate your own and others’ reasoning about social problems.
• An approach to ethical disagreements and controversial social issues using rational standards and mindfulness awareness.
• Critical assessment and formulation of social issues and problems, arguments, and concepts based on relevant, acceptable, and sufficient grounds, rather than passive acceptance.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• A stable, higher-speed internet connection.

Laptop, personal computer, tablet, or cell phone that can access EClass on the internet

• Title: Thinking 101: How to reason better, to live better - the pre-req for life. Author: Ahn, Woo-Kyoung. Publisher: Flatiron Books, New York. Copyright: 2022. ISBN: 9781250805959.
• Title: On Bullshit. Author: Frankfurt, Harry G. Publisher: Princeton University Press, New Jersey. Copyright: 2005. ISBN: 9780691122946.

Test – FULLY ONLINE ▪ TAKE HOME

Worth 20% of final mark

November 27 – December 4

Article Analysis Assignment - Part 1

Worth 25% of final mark

Due: February 26, 11:59 pm

Article Analysis Assignment - Part 2

Worth 25% of final mark

Due: Course end date April 1, 11:59 pm

Homework

20%

Lesson Participation Assignments (LPAs)

10%

COURSE FORMAT:

• This is an asynchronous, fully online course consisting of 3 Modules containing 21 Lessons:
  • Module 1: Argument and Argumentation – Lessons 1 - 13
  • Module 2: Concepts – Lessons 14 and 15
  • Module 3: Passages and Articles – Lessons 16 - 21
• The course content is delivered via:
  • EClass
• To access the EClass course site, you need to log in with your passport York @ eclass.yorku.ca.
• Each lesson is composed of required readings, sometimes podcast listening, mini-lesson recordings, coaching and mentoring videos, and lesson resources, all posted to the EClass course website.
• The lesson requirements and course assessments are delivered in EClass.

• Increase ability to assess situations and act in a way that reflects reasoned assessment and choices.
• Understand the world more clearly.
• Clarify confusing ideas.
• Analyze reasons and claims.
• Evaluate the quality of claims and arguments.
• Gain a better understanding of who you are by enhancing your autonomy, what you believe, and who you can become.
• Give you more control of your life by grounding your understanding, decisions, and actions on reason rather than merely on a gut feeling, habit, or social convention.
• Read for meaning better and systematically assess what is read.
• Think more independently.
• Formulate stronger, more convincing arguments that depend on relevant, sufficient, and acceptable reasons.

General Education course. There are course credit exclusions on MODR1730, 1760, and 1770 as a set.  Students cannot take two Modes of Reasoning courses for credit.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, if you apply yourself, do all the readings, attend classes, and fully participate, you can expect to see improvement in your reading, writing, critical reasoning, and critical thinking skills about morality and values in the following areas:

Reading Comprehension:

• You will become a more critical and active reader, which includes learning how to read between the lines and how to ask critical questions.

Writing:

• You will learn how to write an argumentative essay. Your essay planning, organization, and editing should also improve.

Critical Reasoning Skills:

• You will learn to identify and evaluate arguments to distinguish strong from weak arguments. This will include learning how to evaluate evidence and sources used in arguments and those you use in your own research.

Critical Thinking Skills:

• Ideally, you will learn to become a 'reasonable skeptic' and become able to identify and discuss the weaknesses and strengths in claims and arguments you encounter in the media, academic texts, and everyday conversation.

 Ethical Disagreement Skills:

• Recognize and develop necessary skills for ethical disagreement.

COURSE POLICIES

Hot Moments: We will take care in this course to create an environment where everyone feels brave to share their thoughts. This course cannot provide a “Safe Space,” rather it can provide a “Brave Space.” Safety does not mean protection from discomfort or vulnerability; rather, it signals a supportive and welcoming environment where students are invited to take risks with their contributions. We cannot take risks without trust, and everyone shares the responsibility of establishing and maintaining trust. In accordance with university policy, this classroom is not a space where sexist, racist, xenophobic, homophobic, ableist, transphobic, classist or otherwise discriminatory language will go unchallenged or unaddressed.

Accommodations for Religious Observances: It is the policy of York University to arrange reasonable accommodation of the needs of students who observe religious holy days other than those already accommodated by ordinary scheduling and statutory holidays. Students have a responsibility to alert instructors in a timely fashion to upcoming religious observances and anticipated absences. You may review the policy, guidelines, and procedures for Religious Observances at this website: https://rights.info.yorku.ca/accommodating-creed-religion-a-guide-for-students-faculty-and-staff/

Email Policy: The Instructor tries to respond to emails promptly, usually within 24 hours. However, emails sent on a Friday afternoon may not be answered until the following Monday morning. Questions sent by email should be concise and should require an answer of a few sentences only. If you wish to discuss a question or problem in greater detail, please make an appointment for a Zoom or telephone meeting or attend in-person office hours.

Late Assignments and Extensions: In the absence of Academic Accommodations, extensions can only be granted in extraordinary circumstances and with prior approval by the instructor or Teaching Assistant. Please inform the instructor or your Teaching Assistant immediately when circumstances keep you from submitting an assignment as scheduled. You are responsible for providing official documentation during the term that prevent you from completing your course work. Your Registrar may be able to provide a letter documenting your situation in case of non-medical emergencies. Late penalties are as follows:

• 5% for first day late, including weekends and holidays.
• 1% for each day late after the first day, including weekends and holidays, up to a total of 10%. Once more than 10% of the total mark has been deducted, the assignment will not be accepted.
• Late or missed LPAs cannot be made up under any circumstances.
• Extensions will not be granted for LPAs or homework, except for Academic Accommodations.

If you request an extension for good reasons, then you must request the extension in more than 24 hours before the assignment due date. In other words, extensions will not be granted when asked within 24 hours of the due date.

COPYRIGHT: Course materials, including the syllabus, lectures, and summaries reflective of course content, are made available for the personal use of students and may not be commercially distributed or reproduced without the instructor’s express written consent. The educational materials developed for this course, including, but not limited to, lecture notes and slides, handout materials, examinations and assignments, and any materials posted to EClass, are the intellectual property of the course director. These materials have been developed for student use only and they are not intended for wider dissemination and/or communication outside of a given course. Posting or providing unauthorized audio, video, or textual material of lecture content to third-party websites violates an instructor’s intellectual property rights, and the Canadian Copyright Act. Failure to follow these instructions may be in contravention of the university’s Code of Student Conduct and/or Code of Academic Conduct and will result in appropriate penalties. Participation in this course constitutes an agreement by all parties to abide by the relevant University Policies, and to respect the intellectual property of others during and after their association with York University.

ChatGPT Artificial Intelligence: In this course, all work must be completed by you and you alone. As such, you are not allowed to use generative artificial intelligence (AI), such as ChatGPT, to help you complete any of your work in this course (e.g., tests, papers, assignments, presentations, etc.). If you do not know whether an online resource or tool can be used in this course, please contact the instructor for guidance. Any use of generative AI in this course will be considered a breach of the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty.