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Unit of study_
OLET2148: Thinking Critically
2025 unit information
In this unit students will develop their intellectual autonomy: their ability to think for themselves. By learning how to distinguish rational argument from mere rhetoric, how to seek evidence and test hypotheses, how to use analogies, and how to detect fallacies, students will gain skill and confidence in critical thinking.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Arts and Social Sciences
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Philosophy |
| Credit points | 2 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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None |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. distinguish rational argument from mere rhetoric
- LO2. distinguish arguments from explanations
- LO3. assess the strength of causal arguments
- LO4. generate and test alternative causal hypotheses
- LO5. use analogies in scientific, moral, and legal contexts
- LO6. detect and critique a range of fallacies
- LO7. employ all of these skills in the critical evaluation of novel arguments from a range of disciplines
- LO8. communicate evaluation of arguments clearly and succinctly using philosophical terminology used in class.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Intensive March - April 2024
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Online | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney | |
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Intensive August - September 2024
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Online | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Intensive April 2025
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Online | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Intensive August - September 2025
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Online | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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