Philosophy 1611-005 Elementary Logic

Rex Gilliland, Instructor

Office: Clement Hall 120 Phone: 678-5500

Home Phone: 726-4945

Clement Hall 105 MW 5:30-6:55 pm

Office Hours: MW 4-5 pm and by appointment

Email: rgilliland@memphis.edu

Course Description: In this course, we will study the concepts of formal and informal reasoning, including propositional logic, natural deduction, categorical and predicate logic, and informal fallacies. The objective of the course is to develop the students’ reasoning skills as well as their understanding of the traditional methods of logical argumentation.

Text: Robert M. Johnson, A Logic Book: Fundamentals of Reasoning 3^rd ed. (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1999)

Grading: Exams 50%

Quizzes 25%

Homework 25%

A = 88-100

B = 78-87

C = 68-77

D = 58-67

F = 57-0

1. Exams and Quizzes: There will be 5 in class exams and 5 quizzes, which will include the sorts of problems found in the homework exercises as well as defining terms. Missed exams or quizzes can only be made up before the next session of class and only with a valid excuse.

2. Homework: For most sessions of class, there will be a homework assignment that includes a reading assignment and exercises. As in a math class, doing homework is important because continual practice is essential for mastering logic. Missed homework must be turned in before the next class and will only be accepted with a valid excuse.

3. Attendance: Prompt and consistent attendance is expected, and is in your own interest because poor attendance and tardies will inevitably affect your exam, quiz, and homework grades. Although attendance is not listed as a percentage of your grade, I will consider it during final grading, giving those with good attendance the benefit of the doubt in borderline cases. Also, excessive absences will reduce your grade: To receive an ‘A’, you must have less than 6 absences, for a ‘B’, less than 10 absences, and for a ‘C’, less than 13 absences. Tardies and leaving early will be counted toward your absences. I will accept valid excuses (e.g., a doctor’s note for a serious illness), but will only excuse one half of the absence.

Tentative Schedule

Date Sections to Read Homework Exercises Topic

W 1/19 Syllabus, Basic Terms

1. Basic Concepts

M 1/24 1.1-1.2 1.2 evens Basic Terms, Statements

W 1/26 1.3 1.3 evens Arguments, Argument Form

M 1/31 Quiz#1 2.1-2.3 2.3 evens Deductive Validity and Inductive Strength

W 2/2 2.4 2.4A evens Validity and Logical Form

M 2/7 Exam #1

2. Propositional Logic

W 2/9 5.1-5.4 5.4 evens Symbols and Translation

M 2/14 5.5 5.5 evens Grouping: Parentheses and Brackets

W 2/16 5.7-5.8 5.8A all; B evens; C 2-10 evens Constructing Truth Tables

M 2/21 Quiz#2 6.1 6.1 evens Truth Tables for Evaluating Arguments

W 2/23 6.1 odds cont.

M 2/28 Exam #2

3. Natural Deduction

W 3/1 7.1-7.2 7.2A all; B evens Rules of Inference 1-4

M 3/6 7.3 7.3B evens, C evens Rules of Inference 5-8

W 3/8 Quiz#3 7.4 7.4A evens Rules of Equivalence

M 3/13 - W 3/15 Spring Break

M 3/20 7.4B evens cont.

W 3/22 Exam #3

4. Categorical and Predicate Logic

M 3/27 3.1-3.3 3.3A evens; B evens; C evens Categorical Forms

W 3/29 3.4 3.4A evens; B evens Venn Diagrams

M 4/3 4.3-4.4 4.4A evens; B all; C 1, 3, 5, 7 Testing Validity with Venn Diagrams

W 4/5 Quiz#4 Handout 4.4C evens and Handout cont. and Predicate Logic

M 4/10 Handout Handout cont.

W 4/12 Exam #4

5. Informal Fallacies

M 4/17 9.1-9.6 Handout Fallacies 1-6

W 4/19 9.7-9.12 Handout Fallacies 7-12

M 4/24 Quiz#5 9.13-9.18 9.1A evens Fallacies 13-18

W 4/26 1B evens cont.

Final Exam: W 5/3 5:30-7:30 pm