Critical Thinking introduces students to the systematic evaluation and formulation of beliefs or viewpoints by rational standards. The course is intended to enhance the student’s reasoning and analytical skills, and to inculcate in the student a critical disposition in both his/her academic and non-academic life. This is not a discipline-specific course. Students from all academic disciplines stand to benefit equally from the skills developed in this course. Students will be introduced to the variety of modes by which people try to persuade others to accept any particular position or point of view. The course provides students the tools to analyze claims, views and beliefs – particularly, the arguments that support such claims. We shall study the principles of argument formulation and evaluation.

Course Outline [1]