PHIL2040: True Crime

This course will demonstrate the power and corruptibility of reasoning and the scientific method in the criminal justice system.  In this course, students will learn the foundations of critical thinking and logic.  What makes a strong argument (in the courtroom)?  How can we avoid fallacies of reasoning?  Where are humans susceptible to irrationality (e.g. confirmation bias, tunnel vision, racial profiling and the like)?  In addition, the course will take students inside the courtroom to determine the credibility of various forms of forensic science (e.g. DNA, blood spatter, bite marks, fingerprints, etc.).  What are the most credible forms of forensic science?  What are the most problematic?  Why?  By the end of the course, students will have a better understanding of the science and philosophical argument forms most often used in the courtroom.