Teaching to the Test: A Pragmatic Approach to Teaching Logic

Abstract

The proper goal of an introductory logic course, teaching critical thinking, is best achieved by maintaining the principle of continuity between student experiences and the curriculum. To demonstrate this I explain Dewey’s naturalistic approach to logic and the process of inquiry, one which presents the elements of traditional logic in the context of student experiences. I offer an example of a logic textbook which models the maintenance of the principle of continuity I advocate. Last, I advocate a pluralistic and experimental approach to accomplish this, including methods that rely on the role of the body in learning and reasoning.