PHI 201, Introductory Logic

Lecture and Assignment Schedule

Mon, Feb 6

Topics: Course overview; why symbolic logic?

Wed, Feb 8

Topics: We begin our ascent from arguments in every day life to the formal theory of valid arguments

Homework 0

Mon, Feb 13

Reading: Permissible argument forms handout

Topics: Permissible argument forms and elementary proofs

Wed, Feb 15

Topics: Permissible argument forms and elementary proofs

Homework 1 due 4pm, Friday, Feb 17

Mon, Feb 20

Reading: Lemmon pp 1-18

Topics: Undergeneration; more advanced argument forms

Wed, Feb 22

Reading: Lemmon pp 18-40

Topics: absurdity; how to argue from a disjunctive premise

Homework 2 due 4pm, Friday, Feb 24

Mon, Feb 27

Reading: Lemmon pp 41-49

Topics: Undergeneration, overgeneration, and truth-preservation

Wed, Feb 29

Reading: Lemmon pp 64-74

Topics: Testing arguments for validity

Homework 3 due 4pm, Friday, Mar 2

Mon, Mar 5

Topics: Semantic properties and relations of sentences; statement of soundness and completeness theorems; issues of vocabulary (Note: There is no reading from the Lemmon book this week)

Wed, Mar 7

Topics: Intermediate translation; truth functionality; truth functional completeness, other connectives

Homework 4 due 4pm, Friday, Mar 9

Mon, Mar 12

Exam review

Wed, Mar 14

MIDTERM EXAM

SPRING BREAK: March 17-25

Mon, Mar 26

Reading: Lemmon pp 92-102

Topics: Inadequacy of propositional logic; uncovering quantificational structure

Wed, Mar 28

Reading: Lemmon pp 104-116

Topics: The universal and existential quantifiers

Homework 5 due 4pm, Friday, Mar 30

Mon, Apr 2

Reading: Lemmon pp 117-127

Topics: Predicate logic proofs

Wed, Apr 4

Reading: Lemmon pp 128-137

Topics: Predicate logic proofs

Homework 6 due 4pm, Friday, Apr 6

Mon, Apr 9

Reading: Semantics for predicate logic handout

Topics: Demonstrating invalidity in predicate logic

Wed, Apr 11

Reading: Same as previous lecture

Topics: Decision procedures for monadic predicate logic

Homework 7 due 4pm, Friday, Apr 13

Mon, Apr 16

Reading: None

Topics: Counterexamples for polyadic predicate logic

Wed, Apr 18

Reading: None

Topics: Translation and polyadic predicates

Homework 8 due 4pm, Friday, Apr 20

Mon, Apr 23 and Wed, Apr 25

This week we discuss the completeness theorem for the propositional calculus. Details can be found in this handout. You should also read Lemmon Chapter 4 during the next two weeks.

Homework 9 due 4pm, Friday, Apr 27

Mon, Apr 30 and Wed, May 2

This week we discuss the completeness theorem for the predicate calculus. A handout will be posted shortly.

Homework 10 due 4pm, Friday, Apr 27

TBA: FINAL EXAM