Philosophy and Critical Thinking from edX

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to think with clarity and rigour
How to identify, analyse and construct cogent arguments

How to think of solutions tothe central problems of philosophy
How to engage in philosophical conversationswith others about topics that matter

How to think with clarity and rigour
How to identify, analyse and construct cogent arguments
How to think of solutions tothe central problems of philosophy
How to engage in philosophical conversationswith others about topics that matter

Syllabus

About The Course

Philosophy and Critical Thinking is an online introductory course in Philosophical and Critical Thinking.

This course introduces principles of philosophical inquiry and critical thinking that will help us tackle the BIG questions like 'how do we know things?', 'What is there?', and 'how should we line?'

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores the construction and evaluation of arguments, which are essential skills applicable across various academic disciplines and professional fields

Offers a special certificate for educators who complete journal activities, potentially contributing towards professional development requirements

Introduces principles of philosophical inquiry and critical thinking, providing a foundational understanding of these concepts

Examines ancient problems in philosophy concerning the relationship between religion and morality, offering insights into this complex area

Considers contributions philosophers have made to our understanding of moral and political dilemmas, which is relevant to ethics

Examines what makes an argument compelling and how to evaluate arguments, which is relevant to the study of knowledge

Reviews summary

Foundational critical thinking and philosophy

Learners say this course offers a largely positive introduction to philosophical inquiry and critical thinking. Many highlight the clarity and rigor with which complex ideas are presented, finding the lectures engaging and informative. The course structure, including videos and accompanying text, is considered effective for reinforcing learning. While most find the assessments helpful for consolidating knowledge, some note that the content can be challenging, particularly as topics progress. The approach is seen as providing a strong foundation in evaluating arguments and tackling fundamental philosophical questions.

Topics can be complex and require effort.

"Some of the later modules were quite challenging and required significant thought and re-reading."

"Be prepared to spend time wrestling with some complex ideas, it's not a light course."

"While clear, the depth requires you to really engage and think hard about the concepts presented."

Modules and resources aid comprehension.

"The combination of videos and the 'Let's Philosophise!' text sections was perfect for me to grasp the material."

"Modules are well-organized and build complexity nicely, which helps understanding."

"Assessments reinforced the learning effectively without being overly difficult."

Teaches practical thinking and argument skills.

"This course genuinely improved my ability to identify and evaluate arguments in everyday life and work."

"I feel much more confident in my critical thinking skills after completing this."

"Learning to think more clearly and rigorously was a major takeaway for me."

Lecturer highly knowledgeable and effective.

"The instructor was fantastic – knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about the subject matter."

"He knows his stuff and explains it brilliantly, making the lectures enjoyable."

"The lecturer's style kept me motivated and interested in the material."

Concepts explained clearly and rigourously.

"The way the philosophical concepts were explained was incredibly clear, making complex ideas accessible, even for a beginner."

"I really appreciated the clarity and rigor used to break down arguments throughout the modules."

"The explanations were easy to follow and understand, which is crucial for this subject."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Philosophy and Critical Thinking with these activities:

Review 'Think Smarter: Critical Thinking to Improve Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Skills'

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Reinforce critical thinking skills by studying practical techniques for problem-solving and decision-making.

View Think Smarter on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'Think Smarter'.
Read the chapters on argument analysis.
Practice applying the techniques to examples.
Reflect on how to apply these skills.

Review Basic Logic Concepts

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Strengthen your understanding of fundamental logic concepts to better grasp argument analysis.

Browse courses on Propositional Logic

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Review notes from previous logic courses.
Complete online quizzes on logic concepts.
Practice constructing truth tables.

Participate in Argument Analysis Study Group

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Improve argument analysis skills through collaborative practice and discussion with peers.

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Form a study group with classmates.
Select articles or essays to analyze.
Independently analyze the arguments.
Meet to discuss and compare analyses.

Three other activities

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Create a Blog Post on a Philosophical Problem

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Solidify your understanding of philosophical problems by explaining them in your own words.

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Choose a philosophical problem from the course.
Research different perspectives on the problem.
Write a blog post explaining the problem.
Solicit feedback from peers.
Revise and publish the blog post.

Review 'The Problems of Philosophy' by Bertrand Russell

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Deepen your understanding of core philosophical problems by reading a classic text.

View Melania on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of 'The Problems of Philosophy'.
Read the chapters relevant to the course topics.
Take notes on key arguments and concepts.
Reflect on how Russell's ideas relate to the course.

Develop a Debate on a Current Ethical Dilemma

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Apply critical thinking skills to a real-world ethical dilemma by preparing and participating in a debate.

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Choose a current ethical dilemma.
Research different perspectives on the issue.
Prepare arguments for both sides of the debate.
Participate in a debate with classmates.
Reflect on the strengths and weaknesses.

Career center

Learners who complete Philosophy and Critical Thinking will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Mediator

Mediators facilitate communication and negotiation between parties in conflict to reach mutually agreeable resolutions. This course is beneficial for a mediator. The course's focus on clarity and rigor in thinking helps you to analyze complex disputes into simpler and achievable tasks. The course's modules on inductive reasoning assist a mediator in drawing sound conclusions from statements. Additionally, the course helps you engage in philosophical conversations, which is an important skill for a mediator.

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Technical Writer

Technical writers create clear and concise documentation for technical products and services. The course helps you construct and evaluate arguments. This course emphasizes clarity and rigor in thinking, which is vital for communicating complex information accurately and effectively. The course helps technical writers to think of solutions to problems and gives one the ability to improve the way a written document persuades the reader.

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Political Consultant

Political consultants advise candidates and organizations on campaign strategy, communications, and voter outreach. This course gives you tools to identify and construct cogent arguments, which is important for crafting persuasive messages. The course explores the construction of knowledge and is valuable for navigating the intricacies of public opinion. The course helps political consultants to engage in philosophical conversations to reach the target demographic. The course also builds a foundation for consultants to engage in philosophical conversations.

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Instructional Designer

Instructional designers create engaging and effective learning experiences. This course helps sharpen the skills to engage in philosophical conversations. The course modules on inductive reasoning and the evaluation of arguments help instructional designers in drawing sound conclusions. The course helps instructional designers think with more clarity and rigor. Being able to craft more engaging and effective learning is key for instructional designers to consider this course.

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Intelligence Analyst

Intelligence analysts gather, analyze, and interpret information to assess threats and provide insights to decision-makers. This course, with its emphasis on critical thinking and rigorous analysis, helps you distill complex information and identify patterns. The course's modules on knowledge construction and verification provide a framework for evaluating the reliability of intelligence sources. Additionally, the course's exploration of inductive reasoning and analogizing helps you make informed inferences from incomplete data. Learning to think with clarity is certainly an important skill for an intelligence analyst.

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Editor

Editors review and revise written material to ensure accuracy, clarity, and consistency. This course, with its emphasis on clarity and rigor in thinking, helps you to identify and correct errors in logic and argumentation. The course is useful for any editor. The course is especially useful since the emphasis on clarity and rigor leads to identifying and correcting errors in logic. Module 1 helps an editor look at what makes an argument compelling.

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Policy Analyst

As a policy analyst, you will research and analyze existing policies and proposed legislation to assess their impact and effectiveness. This course, with its emphasis on clarity and rigor in thinking, helps you construct and evaluate arguments, a crucial skill for dissecting complex policy issues. The course's focus on identifying and analyzing arguments will greatly assist a policy analyst. Understanding the philosophical underpinnings of different viewpoints, as explored in the course, provides a crucial lens for evaluating policy implications. The course's exploration of ethics and social organization helps a policy analyst to appreciate diverse perspectives and formulate equitable recommendations.

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Lobbyist

Lobbyists advocate for specific interests by communicating with policymakers and influencing legislation. This course helps one to construct and evaluate arguments and engage in philosophical conversations. This course gives you the tools to identify and construct cogent arguments. The course builds a foundation for lobbyists to engage in philosophical conversations. The course is valuable for navigating the intricacies of public opinion.

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Content Strategist

Content strategists develop and implement content strategies to achieve specific business goals. This course emphasizes clarity and rigor in thinking, which equips you to create content that is both informative and persuasive. The course is valuable for navigating the intricacies of public opinion. Content strategists need to understand how to engage in philosophical conversations to reach the target demographic. As a content strategist, the course helps you to think of solutions to the central problems of philosophy.

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Public Relations Specialist

Public relations specialists manage an organization's communication with the public, including crafting press releases, managing media relations, and developing communication strategies. This course helps build a foundation for public relations specialists to engage in philosophical conversations. The course gives you tools to identify and construct cogent arguments, which is important for crafting persuasive messages. The course is valuable for navigating the intricacies of public opinion.

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Survey Researcher

Survey researchers design, administer, and analyze surveys to gather data on a variety of topics. This course will be useful for improving the design of the survey and the interpretation of the results. The course gives survey researchers tools to minimize cognitive biases in polling. The course’s exploration of inductive reasoning helps analyze survey data. A survey researcher will find the course's module on constructing and evaluating arguments beneficial as they try to reach valid conclusions from survey data.

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Social Media Manager

Social media managers develop and implement social media strategies to promote brands and engage with audiences. This course gives the tools to identify and construct cogent arguments. The course explores the construction of knowledge and is valuable for navigating the intricacies of public opinion. The course helps understand how to engage in philosophical conversations to reach the target demographic. A social media manager is able to use what they learn to create unique and persuasive campaigns.

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Urban and Regional Planner

Urban and regional planners develop plans and programs for the use of land, and the growth and revitalization of urban, suburban, and rural communities. This course may be useful for understanding the needs of many people in the community. The course emphasizes clarity and rigor in thinking and helps planners construct and evaluate arguments and engage in productive philosophical conversations. The course's material on ethics and social organization helps planners appreciate diverse perspectives and formulate equitable development plans.

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User Experience Researcher

A user experience researcher conducts research to understand user needs and behaviors, informing the design of user-friendly products and interfaces. This course can assist user experience researchers in designing experiments. This course may be useful in thinking of solutions to user issues, as well as interpreting data. The course emphasizes clarity and rigor in thinking, which can aid in gathering user behavior and patterns. The course also builds a foundation for them to engage in philosophical conversations.

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Market Research Analyst

Market research analysts study consumer behavior and market trends to advise companies on product development, marketing strategies, and pricing. This course may be useful for developing the critical thinking skills needed to analyze data and identify patterns. The course's modules on inductive reasoning and the evaluation of arguments can assist a market research analyst in drawing sound conclusions from market data. The course emphasizes clarity and rigor in thinking, which can help you present your research findings with confidence. Additionally, the course's exploration of knowledge construction and verification provides a useful framework for assessing the reliability of market research data. By improving critical thinking skills, you may be able to uncover valuable insights that drive successful marketing campaigns and product launches.

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Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Philosophy and Critical Thinking.

Think Smarter

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Provides practical tools and techniques for improving critical thinking skills. It covers a range of topics including argument analysis, logical fallacies, and decision-making strategies. It valuable resource for students looking to enhance their ability to think clearly and effectively, complementing the course's focus on clarity and rigor. This book is best used as a reference text to improve critical thinking skills.

Philosophy and Critical Thinking

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Foundational critical thinking and philosophy

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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