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Modes of Reasoning


Humanities is offered by the Faculties of Glendon and Liberal Arts and Professional Studies.

Glendon College

Students should consult:

  • The Glendon mathematics departmental mini-calendar (329 York Hall, Tel.: 416-487-6731 for a complete list of modes of reasoning courses offered by the Mathematics Department.
  • The Glendon philosophy departmental mini-calendar (C221 York Hall, Tel.: 416-487-6733 for a complete list of modes of reasoning courses offered by the Philosophy Department. Modes of reasoning courses which have 17 as the first two numbers, e.g. GL/MODR 1710 6.00 are offered by the Philosophy Department.

Les étudiant(e)s doivent consulter le mini-annuaire du :

  • Département de mathématiques (Pavillon York, 329, tél. : 416-487-6731) pour une liste complète des cours de logique offerts par le Département de mathématiques.
  • Département de philosophie (Pavillon York, C221, tél. : 416-487-6733) pour une liste complète des cours de logique offerts par le Département de philosophie. Les cours de logique commençant par les chiffres 17, par ex : GL/MODR 1710 6.00 sont offerts par le Département de philosophie.

Note: Courses whose numbers have 1 or 2 as the first digit are open to first-year students.

N.B. : Les cours dont le numéro commence par le chiffre 1 ou 2 sont ouverts aux étudiants de première année.

Note: Only one in the GL/MODR 17XX 6.00 series may be taken for credit.


Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies

Location:

Department of Humanities, 262 Vanier College, Tel.: 416-736-5158

Coordinator: J. Keeping
Professor: S.G. Shanker
Professors Emeriti: H. Adelman, S.B. Mallin
Associate Professor: D. Waring
Associate Professor Emeritus: C. Duràn
Assistant Professors: I. Boran, J. Keeping, P. Kazan, D. McArthur, J. Vernon
Sessional Assistant Professors: N. Kompridis, J. Saindon

Note: AP/MODR 1000-level courses are part of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies’ general education requirement. General education courses do not fulfill elective or major requirements.

The overall purpose of all modes of reasoning courses is to enable students to develop critical skills applicable to the analysis of texts, to arguments encountered in every day situations, and to concrete problems. The first half of every course will be devoted to learning analytical techniques. Use and misuse of language will be examined. Conceptual, factual and evaluative issues will be distinguished. The basic forms of reasoning, their uses and limits will be analyzed. Fallacies which are frequently found in ordinary discussion, academic texts, mass media, advertising etc. will be carefully studied. The avoidance of these fallacies and learning techniques of conceptual analysis will be a major concern of this half. The aim is to help students to reason correctly and to express themselves clearly and precisely in verbal and written form. The second half of each course will be concerned with putting into practice the techniques learned from the first half. Students will be given ample opportunity to apply their critical skills on concrete materials and practical issues. For this purpose different modes courses use examples drawn from different areas. The following courses reflect the difference in focus in the second half.

Note: students are advised before registering in a course to consult the detailed course outlines on the Internet (http://www.atkinson.yorku.ca/course/). This is particularly important whenever two or more sections of a course are being offered in any particular session as important differences of emphasis may exist relating both to content and methodology.