Logic & Critical Reasoning
Spring, 2026
MWF 10 and 11
Bowman 206
Professor: Dr. David K. Braden-Johnson
Department: English & Philosophy
Office: 60 Porter Street, Office #109
Office Hours: MW 3:30-4:30; F 2-3
Email: d.johnson@mcla.edu
Blog: http://www.critojazz.blogspot.com
Online Texts:
Matthew Van Cleeve, Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking - Open Textbook Library
Patrick Hurley, “Fallacies”
Focus of Course
This course is designed to improve your ability to understand, construct, and criticize both informal (natural language) and formal (categorical and propositional) "arguments" or claims presented as reasons/evidence for accepting some further claim. Our every effort to communicate (including our efforts to teach and learn) involves the use (and, quite frequently, misuse) of logical argumentation. Consider, for example, the following syllogism (an argument consisting of three statements (two premises and one conclusion) relating three terms (nothing, logic, and eternal happiness):
Nothing is better than finding eternal happiness.
Taking a course in logic is better than nothing.
Therefore, taking a course in logic is better than finding eternal happiness!
The argument has a superficially valid form (a>b, c>a, therefore, c>b) which produces a rather unbelievable result. It is clear that something in our reasoning has gone wrong -- but what exactly? (It turns out that the premises equivocate on the meaning of the two phrases "better than nothing" and "nothing is better than.") Our most general task is to avoid all such logical mistakes (especially in more serious contexts). To this end we will consider in some detail the very notion of argument, argument structure, and the criteria for constructing good arguments; distinguish arguments supported by evidence and reason from mere opinion or belief; learn about a constructive form of induction and the limits of deduction; assess the nature and scope of “critical thinking”; and, most generally, apply these logical concepts to our writing, thinking, and acting.
I assume as well that our primary, collaborative and improvisational task is to provide an inclusive and effective environment for learning -- one that promotes careful, thoughtful, and critical thinking.
In my view, critical thinking is the educational counterpart of rationality: A critical thinker is one who appreciates (has the correct emotional and dispositional response to) and accepts the importance, the convicting force, of reasons; one who, when assessing claims, making judgments, or contemplating alternative actions, seeks reasons on which to base those assessments, judgments, and actions. (There are, of course, other, marginally different yet often compelling, interpretations of critical thinking.) We will frequently supplement our philosophical discussions with a consideration of the nature and value of teaching and learning (see also my extended description of “good students” in handout CPE). In fact, we may spend as much time discussing the general topics of pedagogy (theories of teaching and learning) and critical thinking as we devote to the more traditional concerns of logic.
Online Activities
My blog listed above contains links to all ancillary University services, course handouts, and assignments, including a noninteractive page that lists weekly assignments for this course (“Assignments: Logic and CR”). Since I prefer to devote class-time to the exposition and analysis of student and textual positions, I typically reserve my own views for this online medium.
Class Policies and Expectations
Carefully review Handout CPE.
Cancellations. I will attempt to email the entire class to warn of any unanticipated cancellations.
Laptop Policy
Like a concert hall or theater, our classroom is reserved for face-to-face interaction. Thus, barring special needs or circumstances, you may bring but not use your laptop during class. The same policy applies to cell phones and all other distracting gadgets. Please print out in advance any electronic material required for class.
Examinations
There will be several exams, most likely 4, spaced roughly evenly throughout the semester. They will be modeled after the exercises of the text and designed to test your attendance and note-taking skills, basic grasp of the issues, ability to study for cumulative exams, and attention to the details of all reading assignments and problem sets.
My grading policy is, therefore, transparent and simple, based solely on the scores of your exams (See Handout CPE, “grading”).
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Art and Philosophy
Spring, 2026
MWF 1-1:50
Bowman 201
Professor:
David K. Braden-Johnson
Department:
English and Philosophy
Office: 60 Porter Street, Office #109
Office
Hours: MW 3:30-4:30; F 2-3; and by appt.
Email: d.johnson@mcla.edu
Blog: http://www.critojazz.blogspot.com
Online Text: Aesthetic Theory and Practice, Vino, Ed.
Focus of Class
This is an
introductory yet rigorous seminar in the philosophy of art (often
called “aesthetics”). In the context of a philosophical (essentially
theoretical, rather than a more narrowly historical, psychological, or
sociological, etc.) approach to the products and processes of human artistic
efforts, this course surveys and employs a variety of traditional and
contemporary concepts for describing accurately our experience, understanding,
and appreciation of all forms of art.
Our
philosophical inquiries will engage two central questions of aesthetics:
“What is art/the aesthetic?” and “What is the source of art’s unique
value to humans?” We will also take up several related,
domain-specific or applied questions such as:
What are the significant connections between artists and their audiences, society, history, politics, and the so-called “art-world”? What is the nature of artistic innovation, creativity, improvisation, and interpretation? How are emotions/feelings, knowledge, truth, morality, taste, beauty, experience, and interpretation related to the arts? What is modern, or conceptual, art? Is music a type of language? How ought we aesthetically to appreciate the natural environment?
Online
Activities
My blog listed
above contains links to all supporting course handouts (DKBJs Handouts) and assignments,
including a non-interactive page that lists weekly reading assignments for this
course (Assignments: Art and Philosophy).
Class Policies
and Expectations
Carefully review Handout CPE
Cancellations
I will attempt
to email the entire class to warn of any unanticipated cancellations.
Laptop Policy
Like a concert
hall or theater, our classroom is reserved for face-to-face interaction. Thus,
barring special needs or circumstances, you may bring but not use your
laptop during class. The same policy applies to cell phones, IPods, and all
other distracting gadgets. Please print out in advance any material required
for class.
Exams
Every three weeks, students will assist in composing and then complete in
class short exams covering the content of all discussions and
readings.
My grading policy is transparent and simple, based solely on the scores of your exams. (See Handout CPE, “grading”).
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Epistemology and Metaphysics
Spring, 2026
MW 2-3:15
Bowman 205
Professor: Dr. David K. Braden-Johnson
Department: English & Philosophy
Office: 60 Porter Street, Office #109
Office Hours: MW 3:30-4:30; F 2-3; and by appt.
Phone: (413)
662-5448
Email: d.johnson@mcla.edu
Blog: http://www.critojazz.blogspot.com
Text (online) Braden-Johnson & Silliman, Bridges to the World
Focus of Course
This course takes up the twin questions of the nature of our knowledge (its very possibility, scope, limits, and justification) and the nature of reality (in its most general or abstract terms, in contrast to the descriptions proper to the sciences), with a primary focus on the relationship between the two.
Online Activities
My blog listed above
contains links (“DKBJ’s Handouts”) to all supporting course handouts and
assignments, including a noninteractive page that lists weekly writing
assignments/notifications for this course (“Assignments: E&M”). Since
I prefer to devote class-time to the exposition and analysis of student and
textual positions, I typically reserve my own views for this online medium.
Class
Carefully review Handout CPE.
Cancellations
I will attempt to email the
entire class to warn of any unanticipated cancellations.
Laptop Policy
Like a concert hall or
theater, our classroom is reserved for face-to-face interaction. Thus, barring
special needs or circumstances, you may bring but not use your laptop
during class. The same policy applies to cell phones, iPods, and all other
distracting gadgets. Please print out in advance any electronic material
required for class.
Examinations
There will be no examinations in this course.
Book Review
See Handout BR
Multi-Stage Critical Research Essay
See Handout M-SCRE
