| Statuss(Aktīvs) | Izdruka | Arhīvs(0) | Studiju plāns Vecais plāns | Kursu katalogs | Vēsture |
| Course title | Critical Thinking and Argumentation |
| Course code | FilzM002 |
| Credit points (ECTS) | 5 |
| Total Hours in Course | 135 |
| Number of hours for lectures | 24 |
| Number of hours for seminars and practical classes | 16 |
| Number of hours for laboratory classes | 0 |
| Independent study hours | 95 |
| Date of course confirmation | 28/03/2025 |
| Responsible Unit | Institute of Social Sciences and Humanities |
| Course developers | |
| Dr. phil., doc. Juris Vuguls |
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| There is no prerequisite knowledge required for this course | |
| Course abstract | |
| The study course identifies the context of the era in cognitive activity, the communicative and cognitive relations of man and society with reality, problems in the information and mass communication space, such as so-called fake news and conspiracy theories, as well as the causes of one-sided or distorted message flows and incorrect argumentation techniques.
The course identifies and develops the main tools and techniques of critical and honest and evaluative thinking, logic, philosophy, argumentation and rhetoric, thus acquiring and developing critical thinking and argumentation knowledge and skills. Goal: to form critical, independent, rational, disciplined and self-guided thinking, which can be used in the conscious inhabitation of real reality in changing external conditions, as well as in the detection of distorted messages and in a comprehensive analysis of facts. |
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| Learning outcomes and their assessment | |
| Knowledge. Knows the essence of critical thinking and argumentation, its main elements, methods, the cognitive context of the era, (test, 1st independent work) in-depth knowledge of the cognitive relations of man and society with reality, topics of formal logic; concepts, conclusions, knows the problems of argumentation and polemics, their causes: bias in thinking and fallacies and their solutions, (test, discussions) in-depth knowledge of the integrity of critical thinking and argumentation in various scientific disciplines, as well as their connection with practice and the art of living (exam)
Professional skills. Knows how to evaluate and practically apply theoretical approaches and methods of critical thinking and argumentation in the processes of cognition and transformation of self and external reality, as well as communication and rhetoric (test, exam); is able to plan and complete assigned tasks, argue one's opinion in group discussions, participate in group work (seminars, 1st independent work, discussions); is able to independently search databases and critically evaluate information on some of the interdisciplinary and communicative aspects of critical thinking (seminars, exam). General skills. Is able to responsibly, within the time limit, complete tasks, as well as to substantiate, critically and argue one's opinion (1st independent work, discussions). Competence. Ability to critically, comprehensively and extensively analyze various types of messages, and to orient oneself in the rhetorical, polemical and communicative process with arguments (1st independent work, discussions); ability to apply knowledge about the definitions of everyday thinking and critical thinking, increasing awareness, the level of personal freedom and judgment; (seminars, discussion 2) the ability to understand in depth the application of critical thinking and argumentation in the practical improvement of one's quality of life, (seminars) as well as to comprehensively apply it in scientific work and independently develop research on some of the interdisciplinary aspects of critical thinking and argumentation, to notice uncriticality and a poorly reasoned message, to understand and analyze its causes. (exam) |
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| Course Content(Calendar) | |
| Full-time in-person studies:
Lecture topics (24 hours) 1. The essence of critical thinking and argumentation, the context of the era. (1 hour) 2. The limitations of everyday thinking and the possibilities of its transcendence - critical thinking and philosophical thinking, description and analysis of the method. (2 hours) 3. Mental processes of critical thinking: awareness, presence, independence and thinking effort, the need and possibilities of their cultivation (2 hours) 4. Objects of philosophical and critical thinking and their peculiarities. (1 hour) 5. The question of the limits of human cognitive ability. Knowledge and wisdom. Objectivity and subjectivity. Reality and actuality. Criteria and landmarks of the truth of knowledge (2 hours) 6. Characterization of the human thinking situation. Filters of consciousness, limitations and communication barriers. (2 hours) 7. Formal logic. Concepts. Classification. Definition. Sophisms. (1 hour) 8. Formal logic. Proposition. Basic laws of logic. (1 hour) 9. Formal logic. Syllogism. Premises and conclusions. (1 hour) 10. Unfair argumentation techniques. Fallacies and possible solutions (1 hour) 11. Peculiarities and biases of thinking. (1 hour) 12. Critical thinking and rhetoric. (2 hours) 13. Critical thinking and psychology. The importance of self-knowledge in the rhetorical process. Mental defense mechanisms. (1 hour) 14. Critical thinking and ethics. (2 hours) 15. Critical thinking and the art of living. (1 hour) 16. Different methodological approaches to describing reality - phenomenology, hermeneutics, Discourse analysis. (1 hour) 17. Discussion ethics, other. Prerequisites for successful communication and dialogue (2 hours) Practical work and seminars (16 hours) 1. Stereotypes, everyday thinking habits and limitations. Creating and presenting your own stereotype map. (1 hour) 2. 1. independent work: “Critical thinking in the context of the era (post-truth era - fake news and conspiracy theories) and analysis of examples”. (2 hours) 3. Communication barriers and their causes. (1 hour) 4. 1. Discussion: The essence of critical thinking and the main elements in the text “Critical thinking: Education, media literacy, judgment”. (1 hour) 5. Self-knowledge. Mental defense mechanisms. (1 hour) 6. Test: The essence of critical thinking, formal logic and argumentation. (1 hour) 7. Fallacies, thinking biases and unfair techniques and the possibility of their prevention in the rhetorical process (2 hours) 8. Definition and classification rules. (1 hour) 9. Formal logic. Tasks on the basic laws of logic (1 hour) 10. Explicit and implicit. Analysis of the implicit content included in the message. (1 hour) 11. 2. Discussion: Social, political, psychological and economic aspects of critical thinking in the text “Escape from Freedom” (1 hour) 12. Application of phenomenological methods, hermeneutics or discourse analysis in the discovery of reality. (1 hour) 13. Dialogicism, otherness, ethics of discussion. (1 hours) 14. The role of rhetoric in counterargumentation and the creation of an alternative story. (1 hours) Part-time distance learning: All topics specified for full-time studies are covered, but the number of contact hours is reduced to half of the number specified for full-time studies. |
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| Requirements for awarding credit points | |
| Exam. The final assessment is cumulative on the following topics and tasks:
1) The essence of critical thinking, formal logic and argumentation. (test) - 15%; 2) Critical thinking in the context of the era (post-truth era - fake news and conspiracy theories) and analysis of examples (independent work) -15%; 3) The essence of critical thinking and the main elements in the text “Critical thinking: Education media literacy judgment” (discussion) - 15%; 4) Social, political, psychological and economic aspects of critical thinking in the text “Escape from freedom” (discussion) - 15%; 5) Research on one of the interdisciplinary aspects of critical thinking and argumentation, analysis of an example (exam) - 40% The study process in part-time distance learning is organised in accordance with Order of the Vice-Rector for Studies No. 2.4-8/54 on distance learning procedures at LBTU. Study courses are scheduled for each semester according to the study plan. Students acquire the topics covered in each course independently, using the materials prepared and uploaded by the lecturer in the e-studies environment (Moodle). Feedback on the learning of lecture and seminar topics is provided through self-assessment tests, discussion forums, and individual tasks, as well as during face-to-face or online consultations, lectures, and final examinations, according to the timetable. |
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| Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work | |
| Literature studies for preparation of independent work (15 hours), preparation for discussions (30 hours), preparation for tests (20 hours) and exams (30 hours). | |
| Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes | |
| Master students must prepare an independent work (15%), successfully pass a test (15%) (40% of 100% of the test passed), prepare for and participate in two discussions (30%), the minimum requirements are to participate in a discussion and formulate at least 5 reasoned conclusions and present a research developed during the semester on one of the interdisciplinary aspects of critical thinking and argumentation, an example analysis (40%). 10% corresponds to one point on a 10-point study results assessment scale. | |
| Compulsory reading | |
| 1. Daniel Fasko, j.; Frank Fair. Critical Thinking and Reasoning : Theory, Development, Instruction, and Assessment. Leiden: Brill, 2021. Disponível em: https://research-ebsco-com.ezproxy.llu.lv/linkprocessor/plink?id=5f75c274-a72d-338a-94e8-808e7727d940.
2. Kritiskā domāšana: Izglītība medijpratība spriestspēja, LU Filozofijas un socioloģijas institūts, 2018. – 60 lpp. https://dspace.lu.lv/dspace/bitstream/handle/7/45982/Euro_Kritiska_domasanas.pdf 3. Rubene Z. Kritiskā domāšana studiju procesā. LU Akadēmiskais apgāds, 2008, - 223 lpp. 4. Vedins I. Loģika. R.: Avots, 2000. – 519 lpp. |
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| Further reading | |
| 1.Sauk Newman; Maximillian Conrad Post-Truth Populism : A New Political Paradigm. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2024. pieejams: https://research-ebsco-com.ezproxy.llu.lv/linkprocessor/plink?id=00c7baf6-2527-3e0c-b0a6-c8b628fd0288.
2.Kakutani M. The Death of Truth. Notes on falsehood in the age of trump. Tim Duggan Books, 2019., 208 p. 2. Kraģis I. Radošums un kritiskā domāšana. Mansards, 2019., - 109 lpp. 3. Norbert Schwarz, Eryn Newman, William Leach: Making The Truth Stick and The Myths Fade: Lessons from Cognitive Psychology: http://bit.ly/Making-The-Truth-Stick 4. Bēgšana no brīvības? Ērihs Fromms un Latvija. Dr. phil. profesora Igora Šuvajeva zinātniskajā redakcijā. 2014. – 234 lpp. https://dspace-dev.lu.lv/server/api/core/bitstreams/576eae69-fb5f-4e86-b8f0-23f1414943e1/content |
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| Periodicals and other sources | |
| 1. Critical Thinking. https://teaching.uwo.ca/teaching/learning/critical-thinking.html
2. Fallacies. https://iep.utm.edu/fallacy/ 3. Rīgas laiks. www.rigaslaiks.lv 4. Shaheen N. (2016) “International students” critical thinking–related problem areas: UK university teachers” perspectives”, Journal of Research in International Education, 15 (1): 18–31. doi:10.1177/1475240916635895 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1475240916635895 5. Huber, C.R. and Kuncel, N.R. (2016) ‘Does college teach critical thinking? A meta-analysis’, Review of Educational Research, 86 (2):431–68. doi:10.3102/0034654315605917 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.3102/0034654315605917 6. McVey, R.S. (1995) ‘Critical thinking skills for leadership development’, Journal of Leadership Studies, 2 (4): 86–97. doi:10.1177/107179199500200407 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/107179199500200407 |
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| Notes | |
| Limited elective course in the ESAF academic master's study program "Sociology of Organizations and Public Administration" | |