PS (BA): Argumentation Theory for Political Scientists

Dozent/in:

Dominik Klein

Angaben:

Seminar/Proseminar, 2,00 SWS, ECTS: 6

Termine:

Fr, 12:00 - 14:00, F21/03.02

Voraussetzungen / Organisatorisches:

Leistungsnachweis
Referat, Hausarbeit oder Klausur - wird im Seminar festgelegt

An-/ Abmeldung über FlexNow
ab Montag, 01.10.2018, 10:00 Uhr bis Sonntag, 28.10.2018, 23:30 Uhr (Anmeldung nur für Prüfung möglich und notwendig, KEINE Anmeldung zur LV!)

Inhalt:

Argumentation is a crucial technique in political science as well as in public life. This course offers an introduction to argumentation theory for political scientists. We will learn how to distinguish correct from incorrect arguments, how to produce valid arguments and how to attack faulty ones. By analyzing text samples from political science and from general political discourse, we will learn to identify valid and invalid forms of argument. Subsequently, we will become familiar with the method of reconstruction in order to identify the argumentative structure of a text. Moreover, we will familiarize ourselves with basic logic as a handy tool for evaluating arguments. Finally, we will introduce and learn to avoid a variety of typical fallacies in argumentation.

The aim of this course is twofold. First, it wants to equip participants with argumentational literacy and to help develop a critical stance towards scientific terminology. Second, the course aims to enhance scientific writing skills and equip participants with the necessary techniques for structuring and composing scientific texts. The language of instruction is English.