Students are expected to read all required readings and come to sessions well prepared to ask questions and make comments based on the readings. In addition to the basic graded activities specified, there will be weekly exercises that test students' understanding of the readings and expositions, their ability to distinguish between normative, empirical, and conceptual claims, and to recognise and evaluate premises, conclusions, and inferences of arguments. Performance on these exercises is not graded, but participation is mandatory, and absence will result in a reduction in the participation component of the grade.