Characteristic topics are values, knowledge, human nature, and society. Introduction to methods of evaluating arguments. Simple valid argument forms are given which can be joined together to produce the logical form of virtually any argument. Informal fallacies may also be considered. Philosophical consideration of the nature of ethics, basic ethical issues, and problems and modes of ethical reasoning.
Question is pursued throughout the semester with active student involvement.
Questions may vary from semester to semester. Exploration of the responsibilities leaders have to those who are being led, to those on whose behalf they are leading, to those affected by leadership decisions and actions. Focuses on the relationship between responsibility and authority and the role of judgment in the exercise of leadership. Examines applications and misapplications of inductive reasoning and causal inference in scientific explanation and everyday discourse. Topics include correlation and confirmation, natural laws, natural kinds, scientific explanation, causal inference and experimental methods.