JOHN
WIGGLESWORTH
INTRODUCTION TO LOGIC
This class is an introduction to formal logic. Logic is the study of how to reason correctly. Formal logic accomplishes this using special kinds of languages, called formal languages. By examining formal languages, the goal is to familiarize you with certain formal methods for representing and evaluating arguments and inferences. These methods can be used not only for philosophy, but for any subject matter. Like mathematics, the methods you will learn are highly abstract, formal and symbolic. If math is not your strong suit, be prepared to devote extra time to this course.
Course Text:
Logic: The Basics, by Jc Beall
A set of lecture notes will also be distributed.
Assessment:
Exercise sets, one mid term, and one final examination.
Course Schedule:
Week 1: Consequence and validity
Week 2: Translations from English to the language of propositional logic
Week 3: Truth tables for formulas
Week 4: Truth tables for arguments
Week 5: Derivations in propositional logic
Week 6: More derivations in propositional logic
Week 7: Non-classical propositional logic: incomplete cases
Week 8: Non-classical propositional logic: inconsistent cases
Week 9: Translations from English to the language of quantificational logic
Week 10: Models
Week 11: Derivations in quantificational logic
Week 12: More derivations in quantificational logic