Critical thinking II

Summary

Critical Thinking II (HUM 484) builds on concepts acquired in Critical Thinking I (HUM 425). Please read HUM 425 for Critical Thinking I & Critical Thinking II course contents, transversal skills, learning outcomes, and course methodologies. These two courses are offered together only.

Content

Teaching methods

The course is divided into two interconnected semesters, emphasizing different teaching methods.

Fall Semester: During the fall semester, our focus will be on acquiring a solid foundation in argument diagramming and other reasoning concepts. Class time will involve a combination of theory-based interactive lectures, concept applications, small group activities, and case discussions.

Spring Semester: In the spring semester, we will build upon the knowledge gained in the Fall term through more targeted case study and coaching sessions. These activities will provide valuable guidance as you develop and present your final project, allowing for deeper exploration and practical application of concepts learned in the fall semester.

Expected student activities

Due to the highly interactive nature of the course and its pedagogical requirements, the number of participants in this course is limited to 35 students.

Spring Semester:   Building on the knowledge acquired in the fall semester, you will develop your final team project in the spring term. In the initial three weeks, you will apply argumentation and reasoning principles to specific cases, gaining confidence for your project. Throughout the rest of the semester, you will collaborate in teams with increased autonomy, receiving intermittent coaching to guide your project's development. For the final project, you will have several topics to choose from.

More information on what to expect from the course will be given on the first day of class.

Assessment methods

Spring Semester

Final Team Project: 100%

The final project will be broken down into three different deliverables over the spring term, which will be discussed in class.

Supervision

Resources

Moodle Link

• https://go.epfl.ch/HUM-484