Description

For introductory courses in Philosophy and Ethics.

Brief and to-the-point, this informal text was created to help students succeed-and excel-in the (Philosophy) classroom and on paper. It contains concise explanations of basic grammar and punctuation rules, guidelines for writing papers, advice about classroom participation, tips for reading philosophy, and suggestions on how students can improve their study habits.

Features

• NEW - Expanded coverage of logic and reasoning.

  • Discusses cheating and academic honesty, and the importance of education in general.

• A relevant look at philosophy as a subject-Examines its nature and its importance.

  • Teaches students how to read, comprehend, evaluate, and write about philosophy.

• Focus on written communication-Features grammar and punctuation rules; citations; and language use.

  • Helps students circumvent writing problems in essays and papers, and improve their retention skills when reading.

• An introduction to informal and formal logic-Covers what is reasoning and why it matters; the nature of arguments; informal fallacies; and deductive logic.

  • Presents students with material that will enhance their critical thinking abilities.

• A practical orientation-Promotes the value of an education and empathizes with the challenges of being a student.

  • Enables students to get as much as possible from their lives inside and out of the classroom during their college years.

• Flexible format.

  • Allows instructors to assign or skip chapters to suit their individual class and student needs.

New to this Edition

• Expanded coverage of logic and reasoning.

  • Discusses cheating and academic honesty, and the importance of education in general.

Table of Contents

I. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF COLLEGE.

 1. The Value of an Education.
 2. Philosophy as a Subject of Study.
 3. How to Succeed in the Classroom.
 4. The Care and Feeding of Professors.
 5. The Tools of the Trade: Logic and Critical Thinking.
 6. How to Read Philosophy (and Understand What You are Reading).
 7. How to Do Well on Exams.
 8. How to Write a Good Philosophy Paper.

II. THE RULES OF THE ROAD.

 9. Cheating and Academic Honesty.
10. Language Use.
11. Grammar.
12. Punctuation.
Appendix I. Additional Resources.
Appendix II. Answers for Chapter 5. Logic and Critical Thinking.
Index.