単位 
  
  
11002192

In societies where values and opinions are varied and diversified, thinking through and arguing controversial issues are important steps for you to constructively engage in controversies. This course is designed to develop your critical thinking skills and disposition through reading, writing, and discussing contemporary controversial issues in English. The skills and disposition include:

1. analytic skills--skills to analyze reasoning and arguments so that you can display the claim and support of the given discourse
2. evaluative skills--skills to assess the overall cogency (strengths and weaknesses) of the reasoning/arguments
3. organizational skills--skills to arrange your thoughts in such a manner that you can write an extensive critique of the discourse
4. adequate attitudes and behaviors--disposition to handle controversial situations in a constructive manner

As a course to develop your critical thinking skills, this course starts with a short overview of argumentation studies based upon recent scholarly research and pedagogical approaches. After familiarizing yourselves with basic concepts on argument, we will think through actual controversial topics: environmental issues, sports and arts, and health. On each of the topics, we will start with reading extended arguments to have common sense on the topic. Then we will have in-class discussion/presentation to 'think through' the topic.

評価方法: The final grade will be based on the course requirements. These requirements will be assigned the following values:

1. In-presentation and discussion (30%)
2. Writing assignment (40%)
3. Quizzes (10%)
4. Final (20%)

授業計画――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――
1. course overview, self-assessment survey
2. Argument and non-argument
3. Argument 1: claim and support
4. Argument 2: Visual argument
5. Finding arguments in the societies
6. Argument evaluation: General criteria (relevance, strength, and acceptability)
7. Argument evaluation: analogy, causality, and sampling
8. Argument evaluation: sidetracking arguments
9. Contemporary issues 1--the environment: duties to future generations
10. Contemporary issues 2--sports and arts: performance and the market
11. Contemporary issues 3--health issues: talking or not talking about health and life
12. Final Exam