Dr. Julie A. Allen

allenj@yorku.ca
Office Location:  S445 Ross

This course is an introduction to the formal techniques of sentential and predicate logic.  It assumes no prior knowledge of logic, philosophy or mathematics.  Although logic is related to mathematics and utilizes minimal symbolization,  A LOGIC COURSE IS NOT A MATH COURSE.    The central aim of the course is to impart a skill — the ability to recognize and construct correct derivations in order to assess the validity or invalidity of formal arguments.  Though much of the material is formal, heavy emphasis will be placed on applications to ordinary language. After introducing  rudimentary logical notions and learning to translate some types of English sentences and arguments into symbolic notation, we will begin our study of valid inference by focussing upon arguments whose validity derives from the meaning of connectives, such as “if", "not" and "only if".  Subsequently, we will extend our treatment of sentential connectives to include, “and”, “or”, “if and only if” and their stylistic equivalents.  We will examine and master semantic and deductive procedures for evaluating these kinds of formal arguments.   Finally, we will study the monadic quantifier calculus, otherwise known as predicate logic.  This will allow us to formalize inferences which are dependent upon the attribution of properties and relations to categories of things.

ONLINE LECTURES

MANDATORY IN PERSON TUTORIAL ATTENDANCE

Kalish, Montague and Mar,   Techniques of Formal Reasoning

Assignments  (2 x 5%)                                                                                      10%

Tests in person during tutorials (2 x 20%)                                                         40%

Tutorial Participation                                                                                         10%

Final Exam      In person during formal exam period                                         40%

Online Lectures and In person Tutorials, Tests and Final Exam

The central aim of the course is to impart  the skills  required to assess the validity or invalidity of arguments.  As will be explained, the soundness of a deductive argument is another question.  The determination of soundness  or unsoundness often involves a search for confirmation that the premises are either true or false, and this determination properly belongs research in other disciplines.

Students will learn to translate ordinary language sentences into a symbolic language.

Students will learn to recognize and construct correct derivations.  Students will learn to construct truth tables for sentential logic and models for predicate logic.

Student will learn the semantic and deductive procedures for evaluating both arguments of the sentential calculus and the monadic quantifier calculus.

It is imperative that you are able to attend in person tutorials.  Term tests will be conducted during Tutorial time, and you will also have 20% of your grade determined based upon your tutorial assignments and participation.