5th July, 2010 - Posted by Shelly Johnson - No Comments
Are you a logic teacher that needs a quick brush-up on logic before you start the new year? Are you a teacher of a new subject who would like to incoporate more logic and critical thinking activities into your classroom? If so, I have a great little book to recommend to you. The book is » Read More
14th May, 2010 - Posted by Shelly Johnson - No Comments
I have to admit something: I have a crush on Socrates. The more I read his dialogues, the more I am impressed at how witty and profound they are. I really recommend that logic teachers read them to learn how to use Socratic dialogue effectively. Three great dialogues to start with are Euthyphro, Apology, and » Read More
5th May, 2010 - Posted by Shelly Johnson - No Comments
Did you know that NPR (National Public Radio) hosts a series of debates on public issues? They are called IQ2 debates. They are well-done, thoughtful debates which feature intelligent people debating all manner of important, national topics. The greatest thing about them is that you can find a lot of them on youtube- for free! » Read More
3rd May, 2010 - Posted by Shelly Johnson - No Comments
If you want your students to practice their debating skills, why not let them debate this proposition: Rainy days are better than sunny days. Now you probably realize, right off the bat, that this proposition is a bit silly. After all, whether rainy days are better than sunny days depends a lot upon what a » Read More
30th April, 2010 - Posted by Shelly Johnson - 7 Comments
Over the years, I have worked quite a bit with new teachers, something I thoroughly enjoy doing. One of the things I have noticed in working with new teachers is that often the things I think they need to know are very different from the questions which most concern them. Therefore, when I am working » Read More
29th April, 2010 - Posted by Shelly Johnson - No Comments
I have to admit, I am pretty addicted to Facebook. One of the reasons I like it so much is that it gives me a chance to debate interesting topics with friends who hold all different kinds of religious and political views. I find it can be an excellent venue for practicing debate. Just this » Read More
6th April, 2010 - Posted by Shelly Johnson - 2 Comments
If you are looking for a creative way to help your students look at logic, I recommend reading the Sherlock Holmes story “The Speckled Band” with them. You can find this story at the following site: http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/2652/ As I read this story with my students, we stop every so often and summarize the clues together. Then, I ask » Read More
22nd February, 2010 - Posted by Shelly Johnson - No Comments
When I first started teaching logic, one of the things I found difficult to explain to students was the difference between inductive and deductive logic. In case some of you might find this difficult to explain as well, I thought I would offer a brief summary, explaining both types of arguments. Inductive logic argues from » Read More
11th January, 2010 - Posted by Shelly Johnson - 2 Comments
I am so excited that Discovery of Deduction, which Aaron Larsen, Joelle Hodge, and I authored together is finally available! Of course, there are many reasons why I think this book is a great book for people to use in their logic studies. However, there are three particular reasons that I think may be of » Read More
15th September, 2009 - Posted by Shelly Johnson - 1 Comment
When was the last time you disagreed with what someone said but thought, nevertheless, “I can see why he believes that? That’s a strong argument.” If you have never said this about an opponent’s argument, you probably aren’t thinking carefully enough about his reasoning. Too often when we argue, we tend to dismiss opposing arguments » Read More
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