Appendix: Content Acknowledgement Details

The content is based mainly and gratefully(!) on Fundamental Methods of Logic, CC-BY 4.0, by Matthew Knachel, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, 2017 https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/fundamental-methods-of-logic .

The original structure of the book is largely maintained, with these alterations:

• The ‘chapter’ structure of the textbook is converted to a module structure.
• Section V of Chapter 1, on “Diagramming Arguments” is not used.
• “Chapter 6 – Inductive Logic II: Probability and Statistics” is not used.
• The textbook’s “Chapter 5 Inductive Logic I: Analogical and  Causal Arguments” is addressed as two modules, one each for analogical and causal reasoning in the Inductive Logic portion of this course text.
• Exercises provided in the source textbook are not included.

The content of the source OER textbook is augmented in this course in several areas with supplementary information and/or to conform with the content requirements described in the  Pima Community College course outline for PHI120.  These are the additions:

• Appendices are added to Module 1 as a reference to provide examples of common deductive argument forms and common inductive reasoning patterns.
• Section 2.1, which addresses some specific characteristics of language, is new content added to Module 2, and the module has an expanded title (Language and Informal  Fallacies).
• The initial textbook segment on fallacies, where the distinction is made between formal and informal fallacies, is augmented with examples of two classic formal fallacies. Still, the lion’s share of  Module 2 (source textbook Chapter 2) is devoted to informal fallacies.
• Section 5.4 on analogical reasoning in legal arguments is new content added to Module (Chapter) 5 on Analogical Reasoning.
• Module 7 on Hypothetical Reasoning is new content added to the Inductive Logic portion for this course.
• Summary information of selected content is added in tabular or list form within module content or as unique pages, as quick-reference resources for students.
• Inline, ungraded H5P exercises are added throughout to allow learners to check their understanding of the material.

Although much of the course content is used as-is from the textbook, some editorial  modifications have been made:

• Throughout the course, Professor Knachel’s “voice” and style are intentionally maintained, with a substantial subset of the text used verbatim, in his words. His style is lively and engaging, a valued quality for presenting introductory logic to learners.  In new sections that are added for this course, an attempt is made to emulate the voice and style of the source OER textbook.
• In some places, routine editorial changes have been made; for example, to enhance readability, or to revise the occasional use of first-person-singular.
• While some original examples and sample arguments from the textbook are retained,  others have been replaced in this course with new/different examples and sample arguments.
• Graphics for Venn Diagrams are imported ‘screenshot’ images from the source textbook. Graphics for truth tables are recreated.  All images are given figure numbers to allow a learner to reference a specific image when asking a question.