LOGIC – PHIL 1304 Course Overview: This is an introductory course in modern symbolic logic, encompassing both propositional and predicate logic. The purpose of the course is to develop basic skills in formal logic and argumentation while reflecting on some of the philosophical questions that arise in considering normative standards of reasoning, inclusive of the contexts of information exchanging and decision-­‐making. A basic understanding of logic will help you to avoid and detect fallacies; it will encourage you to become a more creative and open-­‐minded thinker and will allow you to appreciate some of the most interesting developments in contemporary philosophy, computer science and the foundations of mathematics. No prior background in mathematics or philosophy is required. Evaluation: Formative: Class exercises Homework (to be uploaded online) Evaluative: Mid-­‐term Exam (40%) Final Exam (60%) The option of writing an additional final (small) logic project is also available. Please discuss this possibility early on with the instructor (up to immediately after the mid-­‐term). Learning Objectives: 1)
To develop the students’ critical thinking skills through the teaching and learning of formal logic and argumentation; a. Students will be able to analyze and evaluate deductive and inductive arguments; b. Students will be introduced to core concepts of modern logic (propositional and predicate logic). 2)
To address epistemic virtues necessary for engaging in normative reasoning and for avoiding fallacies, such as creative thinking, open-­‐mindedness, intellectual honesty and others, in the contexts of decision-­‐making and information exchange; 1
a. Students will be able to recognize epistemic virtues and its significance in the context of decision-­‐making and information exchange; 3)
To help students to engage in information exchange with high accuracy, through the new ability to formalize natural language(s); a. Students will be able to formalize arguments and refer to the propositional content in communication; 4)
To help students recognize biases that may hinder interpretation and communication. 5)
To improve students’ quantitative and empirical reasoning by learning the standards of rationality for inductive reasoning. It will focus on studying unconditional and conditional probability reasoning for avoiding quantification biases. a. Students will be able to consider the quantitative dimension of biases, and revise them in the context of conditional and unconditional probability; b. Students will be able to consider quantification theory in predicate logic and thus appreciate generalization processes correlate to mathematical reasoning. 6)
To introduce truth-­‐functional logic as applied to machine/computational reasoning, and thereby offer a first platform in computational logic for students. Policies: Accommodation Support: Please let me know if you need special accommodations or considerations in order to attend this course, and contact the Center for Accommodations and Support Services (CASS) at 747-­‐
5148, or by email at cass@utep.edu, or visit their office in the UTEP Union East, Rm. 106. www.sa.utep.edu/cass. They will set up the support you need. Academic Dishonesty: It is university policy that all cases of suspected academic dishonesty be referred to the Dean of Students for investigation. Please see me if you have any questions on this matter, and also consult the UTEP Handbook of Operating Procedures, Student Affairs, Sections 1.2.2, 1.6.2, and 1.6.3. Course Schedule: Week 1 Class 1 Wed. 01/23 Introduction, Pre-­‐test Class 2 Fri. 01/25 What is logic? “Logic” and Philosophy of logic(s). 2
Week 2 Class 3 Mon. 01/28 Week Reading: Chap 1, Symons, From Common sense to Formal Reasoning Class 4 Wed. 01/30 Natural reasoning and normative standards Class 5 Fri. 02/01 Natural reasoning and normative standards Week 3 Class 6 Mon. 02/4 Week Reading: Chapter 2, Symons, First Steps in Argument Analysis Class 7 Wed. 02/6 Deductive and inductive arguments, rules of inference Class 8 Fri. 02/8 Deductive and inductive arguments, rules of inference Week 4 Class 9 Mon. 02/011 Week Reading: Chapter 3, Symons, Evaluating Argument Form Class 10 Wed. 02/13 Validity, Soundness, Entailment Class 11 Fri. 02/15 Validity, Soundness, Entailment Week 5 Class 12 Mon. 02/18 Week Reading: Chapter 4, Symons, Aiming for Excellence in Reasoning Class 13 Wed. 02/20 Epistemic virtues in decision-­‐making Class 14 Fri. 02/22 Epistemic virtues in decision-­‐making Week 6 Class 15 Mon. 02/25 Week Reading: Chapter 5, Symons, Common Patterns of Faulty Reasoning Class 16 Wed. 02/27 Biases and heuristics Class 17 Fri. 03/01 Biases and heuristics Week 7 Class 12 Mon. 03/04 Week Reading: Chapter 6, Symons, Introducing Formal Logic Class 13 Wed. 03/06 Connectives, Truth-­‐functional logic (truth-­‐tables, machines) Class 15 Fri. 03/08 Connectives, Truth-­‐functional logic (truth-­‐tables, machines) Week 8 Class 14 Mon. 03/11 Week Reading: Chapter 7, Symons Proofs in Sentential Logic Class 15 Wed. 03/13 Class 16 Fri. 03/15 SPRING BREAK Week 9 Class 16 Mon. 03/25 Mid-­‐term revision Class 17 Wed. 03/27 Mid-­‐term Exam Cesar Chavez Day/Spring Study Day Fri 03/29 (no class) Week 10 Class 18 Mon. 04/01 Mid-­‐term revision week Class 19 Wed. 04/03 Class 20 Fri 04/05 Week 11 Class 21 Mon. 04/08 Week Reading: Chapter 8, Symons, First Order Logic 3
Class 22 Wed. 04/10 Advantages of formalism over ordinary language Class 23. Fri 04/12 Predicates Week 12. Class 24 Mon. 04/15 Week Reading: Chapter 8, Symons First Order Logic Class 25 Wed. 04/17 Quantification theory Class 26. Fri 04/19 Quantification theory Week 13. Class 27 04/22 Week Reading: Chapter 8, Symons First Order Logic Class 28 04/24 Quantification theory Class 29 04/26 Quantification theory Week 14 & 15: Wrapping-­‐up: Course review weeks 04/29 – 05/10 Exercises – preparation for Final Exam May 13 to 17th. Final Exam and post-­‐test – TBA. Logic project (if contracted) is due May 17th. 4