Annexure – XVI

Critical Thinking and Argumentative

Skills
Version1.1 Date of Approval:
Pre-requisites//Exposure
co-requisites

Course Objectives

The course is designed to achieve Following Objectives:

 To underscore the realization and importance of Critical thinking in academics;

 To conduct various Practical exercises to inculcate skills and faculties so that they
think logically and analytically.

 To develop the Skills in students so that they can examine research and analyse
evidence in order to organize, deliver and critique effective arguments and
rebuttals.

 Course Outcomes
On completion of this course, the students will be able to

 Identify the differences between fact and opinion.

 Identify, compose and refute propositions of fact, value and policy.
 To understand the methods of analysing evidences in order to organize, deliver
and critique effective arguments and rebuttals.
 Analyse and utilize formal and informal logic to construct arguments which
advocate or defend position(s).
 Utilize ethical communication when developing arguments while
simultaneously taking into consideration diverse audiences.
 Design and present impromptu, extemporaneous and prepared arguments.

Catalog Description

The purpose of this course is to develop thinking skills. We live in a society that mass-
produces information. Not all of it is true or well-grounded in fact. The key challenge in
an information age is to know how to judge the quality of the information, opinions, and
arguments that we are exposed to on a daily basis. This includes the ideas, arguments
and assertions that we see, hear or read in the news, in coursework, on the job and in all
human relations. Critical thinking is a fundamental leadership competency. Leaders are
often presented with information from a variety of sources and about areas where they
have no expertise. They must know how to make good judgments about people,
information, and arguments. Leaders also have to know how to present persuasive
arguments. Some people become leaders because of their personality, desire, or “people
 Annexure – XVI

skills.” Others become leaders because of their ideas and ability to create a vision, plan
for the future, and anticipate and solve problems. Critical thinking is the foundational
skill for of the Jepson School curriculum. It is not an end in itself, but a first step towards
creative thinking and problem solving. The ability to think critically and solve problems
is not only important for leadership, but for a life-long learning.

Text Books
1. Alec Fisher, Critical Thinking – An Introduction, Cambridge University Press, 2001.
2. Madhucchanda Sen, An Introduction to Critical Thinking, Pearson India, 2010.
3. Gregory Bassham, Critical Thinking – A Student’s Introduction, Mc Graw Hill, 2010.
4. Howard Kahane & Nancy Cavender, Logic and Contemporary Rhetoric, 10th edition,
(Wadsworth Publishing, 2006).

Reference Books
1. 1. John Stuart Mill, A system of logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive, University of
Toronto Press, 1853. Available at:
http://oll.libertyfund.org/?option=com_staticxt&staticfile=show.php%3Ftitle=2
46
2. Nick Morgan, Give Your Speech, Change the World: How to Move Your Audience to
Action, Harvard Business School Press, 2003.
3. Andrea Gardner, Change your words, change your world, Hay House Publishers,
2012.
4. Karyn C. Rybacki & Donald J. Rybacki, Advocacy and Oppostion: An Introduction to
Argumentation, Pe

Course Content

Session Topic

Module I Introduction
 What is Critical Thinking?
 Intellectual Standards to Critical thinking.
 Benefits of Critical thinking.
 Barrier to Critical thinking.
 Characteristic of Critical thinkers
Module II Evaluating Arguments
 Argument and Non-arguments
 Refuting Arguments
 Premises and Conclusions
Module III Basic Logical Concepts
 Inductive and Deductive Arguments
 Legal Reasoning – Inductive and Deductive
Module IV Logical Fallacies
 Annexure – XVI

 Fallacious Arguments.
 Fallacies of Relevance.
 Fallacies of Insufficient evidence.
Module V Inductive Reasoning
i) Inductive Generalizations.
ii) Induction and Analogy.
iii) Induction and Causal Arguments.
Module VI Evaluating Inferences
i. Deductive validity.
ii. Assumptions and other relevant arguments.
Module VII Information and its Evaluation
i. Judging the credibility of source.
ii. Sources of Information.
iii. Testimony as a source of Information.
Module Decision Making
VIII i. Common flaws in our thinking about decisions.
ii. A model for good decision making.
iii. Decision procedures and making the right decisions.
Module IX Critical Thinking, Law and Logic
i. Western and Indian traditions of epistemology.
ii. The Indian System of Nyaya.

Mode of Evaluation:

Theory

Components Internal Term End Examination (TEE)

Marks 40 60
Total 100