CRTW 201 (Fall 2008), Dr. Fike

 Key:  PHF = Our Posthuman Future; N = Learning To Think Things Through.  A-E, F-J, K-O, P-T, and U-Z

are last initials.  On the indicated days, you will be called on to answer questions about the reading material.

 

Day

Date

Reading

Assignments

M

Jan. 12

Introduction to the course 

Activity:  Should WU have a football team?

Question:  What is CRTW 201 about?

Handout:  Dr. Bird's "How To Read Critically" (print and read)

 

W Jan. 14

Turn in a signed copy of the Student Contract

Read: “What Is Critical Thinking” (N 1-48)

Activity:  Intellectual, psychological, and practical impediments to this course (cf. Ex. 1.7)

 
M Jan. 19 MLK day--no class  

W

Jan. 21

Introduction to SEEI journal assignment.

Read and bring:  http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/blkidney.htm

Exercise One 

Question:  What have you learned so far about yourselves as thinkers?

 

M

Jan. 26

Read:  “The Elements of Reasoning” (N 49-88)

Activity:  Fitting the elements to the classical argument

Note:  "How To Write the College Essay" will be activated after class.

 

W

Jan. 28

UFO Exercise

 

M

Feb. 2

Film:  What the Bleep?

 Paper One/ SEEI journal

W

Feb. 4

Introduction to Paper Two assignment

Read:  “Standards of Critical Thinking” (N 139-74) and "The Correct Use of Borrowed Information"

Read and bring Wolfe, “Sorry, but Your Soul Just Died”:  http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles/WolfeSoulDied.php

Bring:  "The Logic of an Article" and "Wolfe Exercise"

Activite before class:  "Wolfe by the Elements"

A-E

M

Feb. 9

Read:  “A Tale of Two Dystopias” (PHF 3-17)

Activity:   http://youtube.com/watch?v=WuiaT0nX9ls&feature=related 

 F-J

W

Feb. 11

Read:  “Sciences of the Brain” (PHF 18-40)

Activity on multiple intelligences:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLLVYx0IPPU&feature=related

 K-O

M

Feb. 16

Read:  “Neuropharmacology and the Control of Behavior” (PHF 41-56)

Activity:  Matt Lauer's interview with Tom Cruise:  http://youtube.com/watch?v=HwAaHbmF5S4; and Don McLean:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dipFMJckZOM

 P-T

W

Feb. 18

Read:  “The Prolongation of Life” (PHF 57-71)

Activity:  Jack Kevorkian, http://youtube.com/watch?v=rrHIS9gi1UQ

 U-Z

M

Feb. 23

Read:  “Genetic Engineering” (PHF 72-83)

Activity:  Craig Venter, http://youtube.com/watch?v=iQ1VNEgcWE8;

Gattaca, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr1IB9RVE_U&feature=related

 A-E

W

Feb. 25

In-class self-assessment paper

 S-A paper

M

Mar. 2

Film:Who Killed the Electric Car?

Paper Two

W

Mar. 4

Activity:   Who Killed the Electric Car? by the elements

 

M

Mar. 9

Introduction to Paper Three assignment

Read:  “What is Critical Thinking Within a Field or Discipline”? (N 89-138)

Exercise on thinking in a discipline

F-J

W

Mar. 11

Read:  “Why We Should Worry” (PHF 84-102)

Activity:  David Reimer, http://youtube.com/watch?v=QeSvkE9ZtHk

K-O
M Mar. 17 Spring Break  
W Mar. 19 Spring Break  

M

Mar. 23

Read:  “Human Rights” (PHF 105-28)

Activity:  Roe v. Wade, http://youtube.com/watch?v=50HgZx8VvfY

Bring this handout.

P-T

W

Mar. 25

Read:  “Human Nature” (PHF 129-47)

Activity:  Hurricane Katrina aftermath, http://youtube.com/watch?v=bTgg20aQpBk

U-Z

M

Mar. 30

Workshop on Paper Three—bring a copy of your complete draft.  You must contribute a paper in order to participate.  See Student Contract.

 Peer editing

W

Apr. 1

Read:  “Putting It All Together: Answering Critical-Thinking Questions” (N 175-213)

Exercises selected from this chapter

 

M

Apr. 6

Activity:  Fallacy exercise:  Read and bring copies of http://web.cn.edu/kwheeler/fallacies_list.html and http://www.winthrop.edu/wcenter/handoutsandlinks/fallacies.pdf. Handout: "The mad, mad world of liberal logic"

 Paper Three

W

Apr. 8

Internet Site Activity

 

M

Apr. 13

Read:  “Human Dignity” (PHF 148-77)

Activity:  Star Trek, http://youtube.com/watch?v=H26_LL4jZgI&feature=related

 A-E

W

Apr. 15

Read:  “The Political Control of Biotechnology” (PHF 181-94)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZuTnx-dkKM&feature=related

You will need to bring this handout and this chart.

F-J

M

Apr. 20

Read:  “How Biotechnology Is Regulated Today” (PHF 195-202) and

“Policies for the Future” (PHF 203-218)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtaMVmhXxt8

You will need to bring this handout.

 I-O

W

Apr. 22

Paper Four workshop—bring a copy of your complete draft.  You must contribute a paper in order to receive credit.  See Student Contract.

Peer editing

M

Apr. 27

Last day of class:  Course evaluation.  Turn in your previous three papers and my comments (or photocopies of these documents).  This includes your SEEI journal and your midterm assessment (bluebook) essay. 

Paper Four

 

 

http://www.winthrop.edu/recandreg/pdf/exams/S09exam.pdf. Travel plans or work schedules are not valid reasons for rescheduling exams. Do NOT expect me to switch your exam time because your parents bought you an airline ticket!

 Final Examination

 

January 16:  Last day to add/drop

January 26:  Last day to S/U a class

March 11:  Last day to withdraw with an "N"

March 25:  Advising begins.

April 8:  Registration begins.

April 28:  Study day