Philosophy 12
Logic and Decision Making
| Professor: | William Bechtel | Fall 2003 |
| Office: | HSS 8076 | TuTh: 5:00-6:20pm |
| Telephone: | 822-4461 | Email: phil12@mechanism.ucsd.edu |
| Office Hours: | Tuesday 2:30-4:30 | Website: inquiry.ucsd.edu |
| Section | TA | Office | Office Hours | |
| Wednesday, 2pm | Anna Alexandrova | HSS8029 | aaalexan@ucsd.edu | Wednesday, 3:00-5:00 |
| Wednesday, 3pm | John Jacobson | HSS8088 | jacobson@salk.edu | Thursday, 12:00-2:00 |
| Friday, 9am | Evan Moreno-Davis | HSS8073 | emorenod@ucsd.edu | Tuesday 4:00-5:00 |
1. Course Description
Here are some of the questions we will be addressing in this course:
This course provides an introduction to logical reasoning and decision making by focusing on the sciences. We will emphasize active engagement in the kinds of reasoning and decision making which scientists us in testing hypotheses, especially through on-line exercises and demonstrations. The goals of the course are for students to understand the logical and statistical principles by which scientific claims are created and evaluated and to develop a critical appreciation for the methods by which knowledge is acquired in science. You should leave this course with a better ability to distinguish good from poor reasoning and decision making.
2. Course Materials
All course materials are on the course website at inquiry.ucsd.edu. The modules found there include text, animation, and interactive exercises. There are also questions attached to various of the modules. All activity on the site is recorded and logged, including answers to question sets attached to the modules. Completion of the on-line exercises is a requirement of the courses.
3. Course Requirements
Students are expected to complete all the assigned modules, including questions attached to various modules, before attending classes. Attendance in class and sections is required. Final grades will be based 30% on the mid-term, 35% on the final exam, 20% on two-short (1-2 pages) written assignments, 10% for participation and activities (including quizzes) in sections, and 5% for timely completion of the web-based exercises and questions.
4. Schedule of Classes and Web Assignments
Note: This schedule of reading assignments is tentative and subject to revision. Items in column three are modules on the course website. You should complete these, including any attached questions, before the assigned class (although subsequent review is certainly encouraged).
| September 25 | Introduction: An example of good reasoning |
|
| September 30 | Statements, arguments, and justification |
Introduction to Scientific Reasoning, Statements: the atoms of reasoning, Justification and argument |
| October 2 | Basic valid argument forms |
Some basic valid argument forms |
| October 7 | Confirmation, falsification, and fallibility | Evidential relations The fallible character of human knowledge |
| October 9 | Observation, categories, and taxonomy |
Observation and learning to see Categories and taxonomy |
| October 14 | Observational research | Observational research |
| October 16 | Variables and measurement | Variables and measurement |
| October 21 | Midterm Exam | |
| October 23 | Relationships between variables | Predicting Relations between variables |
| October 28 | Establishing correlations | When variables are correlated |
| October 30 | Establishing differences between means | When variables are not correlated When groups differ |
| November 4 | Correlation and causation | Correlational studies as tests of causal claims |
| November 6 | Causal explanation |
Causal explanation |
| November 13 | Reasoning about and graphing causes | Reasoning about causation and Causal reasoning with directed graphs |
| November 18 | Testing causal claims experimentally | Testing causal claims experimentally |
| November 20 | Testing causal claims non-experimentally | When randomized experiments are not possible |
| November 25 | Mechanism and mechanistic explanation Second 1-2 page written assignment due |
Entities and activities organized to produce a phenomenon |
| December 2 | Moving between levels of organization | Levels of mechanisms Describing and portraying mechanisms |
| December 4 | Discovering and modeling mechanisms | Discovering and testing mechanisms Denying phenomena when mechanisms cannot be conceived Modeling strategies |