vcc.ca
PHIL 1100: Introduction to Philosophy
Effective date
January 2026
Department
UT Humanities
School
Arts and Sciences
Description
This course develops students' critical thinking and argumentative skills through the study of philosophical problems and methods. Students will learn to construct and evaluate arguments, analyze logical structures, and apply these skills to philosophical questions about knowledge, reality, and ethics. Students will learn about Western philosophy and Indigenous ways of knowing. The course encourages students to think and communicate successfully across academic disciplines.
Credits
3.0
Year of study
1st Year Post-secondary
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Identify and analyze the structure of arguments, including premises and conclusions
- Evaluate arguments using formal and informal logic
- Construct valid arguments using proper logical form
- Apply critical thinking skills to philosophical and real-world problems
- Translate natural language arguments into propositional logic
- Write clear, concise philosophical essays
- Discuss Western philosophical approaches and Indigenous ways of knowing
- Identify and demonstrate fundamental logical principles and common fallacies
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
None
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 60
Total Hours: 60
Total Hours: 60
Instructional Strategies
The course uses a combination of lectures, demonstrations, videos, group work, class discussions, and library research.
Grading System
Letter Grade (A-F)
Passing grade
D
Evaluation Plan
|
Type |
Percentage |
Assessment activity |
|
Assignments |
20-30 |
Class and group discussions of select course topics with report, debate, and/or presentation components. |
|
Other |
20-30 |
Two to three essays that apply philosophical concepts to a target argument or analysis. |
|
Midterm Exam |
20-30 |
A summative exam that focuses on core concepts and their application. |
|
Final Exam |
20-30 |
A summative exam that focuses on core concepts and their application. |
Course topics
- Foundations of Logic and Critical Thinking - Propositions and truth-values - Premises and conclusions - Truth tables and logical connectors - Argument forms and validity - Natural language translation into propositional logic - Indigenous philosophies and logic
- Argument Analysis and Evaluation - Standardizing arguments - Identifying implicit premises - Evaluating premise acceptability - Common fallacies - Different ways of knowing
- Advanced Logic and Applications - Truth table proofs - Contraries and contradictories - Complex argument forms - Applied logic in different disciplines
- Philosophical Applications - Epistemology and theories of knowledge - Ethical reasoning - Scientific method and causation - Indigenous knowledge systems - Contemporary applications
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/. - To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.