Elementary Logic Syllabus

 

Week

Topic

Page

Jan 18-22

Introduction

Statements

3

Jan 25-29

And, Or, Not

9

Conditional Statements

15

Translating Non-standard Phrases

23

Feb 1-5

Rules and Requirements

27

Building a Truth Table

31

Tautologies and Equivalencies

35

Feb 8-12

Implication and Validity

38

What Makes Good Arguments Good

42

Completion of section

Feb 15-19

TEST

February 15

Some Elementary Rules of Inference

45

Extended Arguments

50

Feb 22-26

Rules of Replacement

55

Excluded-Middle Introduction

61

Rules of Inference Which Govern Conditionals

65

Mar 1-5

Rules of Replacement For Conditionals

71

Conditional Proofs

75

Strategies For Constructing Proofs

80

Mar 8-12

How Many Rules?

82

Completion of section / TEST (Part 1)

March 10

TEST (Part 2)

March 12

March 13/21

SPRING BREAK

Mar 22-26

Singular Propositions

85

Quantifiers

89

Categorical Propositions

93

Mar 29-Apr 2

Variations on a Theme

97

The Scope of a Quantifier

101

Relational Predicates

105

Apr 5-9

Multiple Quantification and Relational Predicates

109

Paraphrasing Inward

113

Definate Descriptions

117

Apr 12-16

Definite Descriptions (cont.)

Completion of the section

TEST

April 16

Apr 19-23

Universal Instantiation

125

Existential Instantiation and Generalization

128

Apr 26-30

Universal Generalization

133

Quantifier Exchange

138

May 3-7

The Value of Conditional Proofs

140

Relational Statements

143

May 10

Completion of the section

FINAL EXAM (Tentatively scheduled for May 12, 10:00)

Text:

A Guidebook to the World of Logic: A step by step introduction (Deductive Logic Edition) by Roger Rigterink (Please note: There is an "inductive logic edition" of the same text that is used for PHI-210, Thinking Critically. Be sure that you buy the correct text.)

Grading:

Four tests, each worth 100 pints, will be given during the semester. All four tests will be graded on the following curve:

89-100 A

78-88 B

60-77 C

50-59 D

00-49 Unmentionable

 

Office Hours:

My official hours are from 9:00 to 9:50 MWF and from 12:00 to 12:50 TR.

Please feel free, however, to arrange for a meeting outside of these time periods.