Think Again I
How to Understand Arguments

This is it. Looks like they split it up into smaller courses and changed the name:

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

There is a great fun course on [Reason and Logic on Coursera] (https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments#%20).

You might want to check out History of philosophy without any gaps podcast for a nice fun intro to earlier philosophy.

I took a Corsera class on arguments once. I had fun finding all of the argument words in the WT. https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

Some advice and feedback for a Muslim interested in learning some lite Islamic philosophy?

I've set my mind to read and learn some lite philosophy.

An online MOOC on arguments as well as the other four in its series. They go into reasoning and avoiding fallacies.

Aristotle's Rhetoric.

Plato's The Republic.

Machiavelli's The Prince.

Marcus Aurelius' Meditations.

Tamim Ansary's Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World through the Islamic Eyes.

And most importantly, Al-Ghazali's Breaking the Two Barriers and Disciplining the Soul.

I plan to read all these books to gain a diverse understanding of philosophy before delving deeper into Islamic philosophy. Is this a good idea? I already consider myself a believing Muslim Alhamdulilah w/ a decent iman.

Also because they're all reviewed highly, can contribute to my self development and sound really interesting.

Do you think this would be a decent start? My eventual goal would be to understand Islamic Fiqh and Jurisprudence. I'd like to understand the process that goes behind developing fatwas and interpretations. Perhaps I may go to a university for this, I haven't decided yet - setting a 5-7 year timeline for this.

My one concern is probably logical thinking since I've struggled with Maths in the past.

Edit: I'm also aiming to learn Arabic in a 5-7 years time scale too

A good (free) course on logical reasoning

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

Books

How To Read A Book by Mortimer Adler

The Demon Haunted World By Carl Sagan

Get a notebook and just write down the word and definition of words you don’t understand. If you see a new word while reading or watching tv write it down.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

Thank you so much, please come back any time if you want to get your ass handed to you in an argument again.

Why not try this while you're at it.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

Tips from someone who scored 81 in S1.

EDIT: I'm not saying this will work for everyone, I'm just passing on what worked for me.

Hi all,

A few people have asked me for tips on how to do well in S1. It's hard for me to answer since I did a whole Arts degree, which really helped. My degree pretty much meant I was focussing on analysing text and language and learning the techniques how to analyse literature and poetry. We also did a lot of essay writing obviously. I managed to score an 81 and 73 respectively, and I think it's thanks to everything I learned in my Arts degree.

I thought I would share some free online courses that might be helpful for people preparing for the GAMSAT. They are similar to classes that I took in my Arts degree that I think really helped me do well on the GAMSAT. I also want to highlight that you don't need to pay for expensive courses, I used only free materials and library books for my S3 prep last year.

​

1. Poetry. I took a poetry class as an elective and it REALLY helped me learn how to analyse poetry in S1. I think it will also help with your literature analysis skills.
2. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/how-to-read-a-poem-york
3. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/what-is-poetry
4. Politics/ethics. This will help with your S2 writing.
5. https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/global-ethics
6. Philosophy. This will help you learn how to interpret the philosophy texts as well as give you some ideas for S2.
7. https://www.coursera.org/learn/philosophy
8. General essay writing/philosophy/literature/logic/critical thinking courses
9. https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments?specialization=logic-critical-thinking-duke
10. https://www.coursera.org/learn/logical-fallacies?specialization=logic-critical-thinking-duke

These are all just examples, there's lots of courses out there that will help you improve on S1 and S2. I currently work as a tutor and my students have found some of these courses really helpful.

I also recommend making sure you read books and are exposed to new ideas. I have a habit of reading the news every morning, this has really helped give me ideas for S2.

Also, for people who are looking to improve their S3, these are the two courses I did that helped me improve my S3 by 15 points:

• https://www.coursera.org/learn/basic-chemistry
• https://www.coursera.org/learn/intro-chemistry

I also used the book 3000 Solved problems in Chemistry to practice my biochemistry and organic chem.

Last thing I want to say is DON'T GIVE UP. You can do it! It might not happen straight away, but you will get there one day.

3 years ago I had a 5.8 GPA and a 61 GAMSAT. I now have a 6.8 GPA and a 75 GAMSAT. I just got an offer from USyd. It doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as you do not stop <3 Don't give up!!

(PS I really hope this doesn't come off as bragging, that's not my intention, I just want to show you that with hard work and dedication you can eventually succeed).

You do, or you wouldn't have started this ridiculous conversation with me in the first place.

I found a course for you. Hopefully you will learn what arguments are and how to make them. Best of luck!

Edited because oops, not free.

Pretty bullshit excuse to sidestep having an actual discussion.

Maybe try and study how to actually debate.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

At one point I started but didn’t finish a pretty great Coursera course on this. It might have been this one: https://www.coursera.org/learn/critical-thinking-skills

Edit: actually, I think it was this one. https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

Consider learning how to assess the validity of your opinions better. For example this free course about arguments on Coursera could help.

in that case I would go with Kaplan over EK their books have useful test-taking tips. other than that it might be better to take a lot of practice tests so you can improve critical thinking for the test. Or go really far down the rabbit hole and start taking a course on argumentation, inductive and deductive reasoning, and logical fallacies

Might be useful to take some philosophy classes through coursera. I haven't taken any personally, although I'm using it for some other topics and they're generally pretty good (although it's possible a specific course might be bad). https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments here's the first class from their Think Again series which is taught by a professor from Duke University. All the material is free if you click on "enroll for free" and scroll down to "Full course, no certificate".

My problem with the Deutsche Auto Parts opinion you cite is

1. You don’t even address what I said, so you cannot claim I’m “wrong” if you’re not citing something relevant. Yes, I’m a lawyer, so when I tell you you’re citing irrelevant material, it’s a professional opinion not some drivel from a kid who googled the question. 🤣

2. DAP is trying to sell me something, so obviously their “solution” to this non-problem is to tell me that I need their product. Shockingly, that is exactly what your article recommends! 😱

3. Popular Mechanics is a legitimate publication written and/or edited by engineers, and is trying to sell magazines and advertising rather than products (directly) so it has little incentive to mislead you and a tremendous incentive to make sure its information is accurate so you’ll buy the next issue.

Try this class: https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

Here's a course link if you're curious, looks good, though I haven't done it myself. Have done philosophy otherwise though

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

Wow... People really got turned off by the vocabulary and "big words" lol
There are some good courses, though I am not sure how much they could help given you may already have experience in debate. This is the first part of four:

Think Again I: How to Understand Arguments | Coursera

You may enjoy something like this. I believe it's free. I took an earlier iteration of this course and found it interesting:

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

I don't know if this is the type of thing you're looking for but Coursea has a series of courses on this topic. Obviously it's a time commitment but it's interesting

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

> Should I start with formal or informal logic?

Depends a bit on your goal. If you want to learn more about arguments, informal logic and/or argumentation theory is what you're looking for.

> Any Youtube channels you recommend?

I'm not aware of any good ones that don't get into a lesswrongian obsession with fallacies.

Maybe try this Coursera class (should be free):https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

Looking around I also found this for a more formal approach. I cannot vouch for the quality: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbMVogVj5nJS1F-yeDwn16nsuYrpSYzaO

My advice would be to get some Critical Thinking course to get to know basic stuff. For example in here. And then practice it, try to avoid some of those biases when you forming your opinion about something.

These are things children resort to when they're losing an argument. But you knew that. Instead of stooping to your level, let me help you out. Here's a link to an online critical thinking course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

It starts today, and there's financial aid available.

You're welcome.

There are a couple of free online courses that I would recommend.

One of them is Logical and Critical Thinking at Futurelearn, taught by 2 professors from the University of Auckland. I believe this one runs on a set schedule, so you might not be able to start right away. It's an excellent overview of some of the issues related to 'critical' thinking.

Another is Think Again offered by Duke University through Coursera. This one goes in (much) more depth, especially if you do all 4 courses, but you can start anytime you wish and go at your own pace.

Dude... tell me where I said you were wrong 100% because you were using logical fallacies. All I did was point out your fallacies. I actually entertained your first one and answered it.

>You say we can't directly compare watching someone starve and dropping bombs from the sky. Neither of these actions were as sanitary and passive as you characterize them. Both Nazi death camp guards and the soldiers bombing civilian targets with incendiary bombs are actively murdering people. It is, in fact, directly comparable.

Ok!!!!!!!! - again this isn't an argument against my original point - argue against how I classify the people I'm talking about not try to draw a parallel and say how it proves me wrong. But ok... What I was getting at is there is a difference for humans and how we conceptualize others' deaths when you are up in the sky dropping a bomb vs watching someone wither away in front of you. If you think they are directly comparable, that is laughable.

>In other words, "I was only following orders." Which a bomber crew that dropped incendiary bombs on civilian targets would never have had to say because their side won the war.

What are you on about? This has nothing to do with who won the war. I said in my other comment I would be fine if you mourned/celebrated Nazi bombers that died doing the Blitz.

>Argument

Look I'll make the fucking argument for you... the argument against me isn't that "oh but what about the Nazi's derp derp derp." The argument against what I said is that humans have free will and saying they knew what they were doing was wrong and wasn't achieving victory so any moral human would not have done the action.

Dude, you don't know how to make a proper logical argument. It's sad you tried to point out a logical fallacy I made and just got it wrong. Just some suggestions.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/logic-introduction

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

Bye

You could try coursera. They provide free online courses offered by various universities. They are well organized and easy to access. They usually offer some materials and might require or suggest you buy a few books. I'd stick with the required to stuff to save money.

I would also try to not get carried away as it can become an addiction trying to consume as much information as possible. Do one or two courses at a time, max, depending on the amount of free time you have available.

As far as topics? Just start exploring. They have tons. But I'd suggest getting a good variety. For example, a course on Buddhism and then a course on argumentation. A course on history and then one on personal finance. Here are some of their offerings:

https://www.coursera.org/learn/leading-the-life-you-want

https://www.coursera.org/learn/science-of-meditation?

https://www.coursera.org/learn/modern-world

https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

https://www.coursera.org/learn/philosophy

Look at Coursera.org. They have a series of courses from Duke university that go through logic and reason.

&#x200B;

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

So Trump's not allowed to have any credit whatsoever for unemployment going down, just because it's kinda sorta maintaining a trend rate?

That's fucking retarded. You're just rigging the definition. If it keeps going down then it's only "following the trend", if it stays the same then Trump's failing, and if it goes up then Trump's failing.

Here's a few articles you might want to read first before you make arguments like this:

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

https://www.coursera.org/learn/critical-reasoning

https://www.coursera.org/learn/mindware

A whole bunch of people lacking critical research skills making long-winded videos, does not research make.

https://www.udemy.com/critical-thinker-academy/ https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments https://www.coursera.org/learn/critical-reasoning#

There are some guidelines provided at r/AskPhilosophyFAQ. See this post. The first section, "Short Broad Overviews" is relevant if you can find online versions.

The FAQ also has posts on things like video (YouTube) and audio (Podcast) recommendations. Extra podcast: Panpsychast. Extra video: the Harvard Justice series by Sandel.

There are lots of MOOCs: John Holbo's Reason and Persuasion; Stanford's Mathematical Thinking (MOOC); the two on Ancient Philosophy, on Plato & Aristotle; one on Critical Thinking.

Academic writing: https://www.udemy.com/course/essay-essentials-improve-your-academic-writing/

Refining arguments: https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments

APA referencing: https://www.udemy.com/course/apa-referencing-style-guide-for-beginners/

Note-taking: https://www.coursera.org/learn/note-taking

For improving my comprehension of humanities theories, I watched some Tom Nicholas videos on youtube, like-

this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdwYtfT1p4o

and this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfTpYruV7AE

I also read " Stylish Academic Writing" by Helen Sword and "A Professors Guide to Essay Writing" by Jacob Neumann.

As for time management, I read "The Straight-A Method" by Cal Newport and learnt how to use Notion by watching Youtube videos from Ali Abdaal and Thomas Frank.

Don't take this the wrong way. I get the impression you are like 13 year old who watches Jordan Peterson videos. I say that just based off how short your comments are and how they aren't very complex.

I didn't bring up racism initially. Someone brought up racist right wing talking points and I responded addressing those... I already told you this. I also didn't say you deny its existence...

Whenever anyone mentions "identity politics" what they are really telling you is to only care about the issues of white Christian cis men. "Ignore all racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, etc just don't think about those problems." That is what Jordan Peterson is telling you and why he is worshipped by white supremacists. That is why you want people to ignore racism so much.

Please take this free online class so you can start thinking for yourself and understand what right wing Christian traditionalists like Jordan Peterson are actually telling you. It will change your life for the better. You can start it today.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/understanding-arguments