Problem Solving

Timetable

Fridays, 11:30-14:45, somewhere at the Ogrody campus (Szamarzewskiego 89).

Module aim (aims)

The course is aimed at deepening participants’ insights into contemporary theory and practice of reasoning and inference focused on problem-solving issues. On the theoretical side, we shall discuss the fundamentals of problem-solving from the point of view of cognitive science, considering the impact of the influential psychologistic paradigm in research on forms of reasoning. On the practical side, we shall examine certain important developments in analysis of problem-solving processes and their applications concerning moral reasoning and decision making, the concept of rationality, as well as some methodological issues of empirical research on human reasoning. Our initial case study will be a profound question: what is the University for?

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Working knowledge of syntax and semantics of classical logic. English at B2 level.

Syllabus

Week 1: What is the University for?

Week 2: Reasoning: perspectives, definitions, typologies; reasoning as social phenomenon

Week 3: Two system theories of reasoning: proponents and critics

Week 4: Moral reasoning and decision-making 

Week 5: Rationality      

Week 6: Problem-solving: theory and practice

Week 7-15: Problem-Based Learning sessions  - the participants work in groups on solving a previously chosen (difficult) problem.     

Reading list

K. Stenning and M. van Lambalgen, Human Reasoning and Cognitive Science The MIT Press, 2008.

E. Adler and L. Rips (eds.) Reasoning. Studies of Human Inference and Its Foundations., Cambridge UP, 2008.

L. Magnani and T. Bertolotti (eds.) Springer Handbook of Model-Based Science, Springer, 2017.

A. R. Mele and P. Rawling (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Rationality, Oxford UP, 2004.