Logic Syllabus
Logic, Philosophy 101
Fall, 2011
Instructor, Bill Rottschaefer
I. Course Description
Who am I? That question is often said to be the philosophical question par excellence. In this course we will be exploring that question by seeking our genuine logical identity. That search will lead us down the paths of formal deductive logic pioneered by the renowned Greek philosopher Aristotle in the 4th century BCE and brought to near logical perfection by the great logicians of the 20th century who created the minds of computers. To start our journey of self-discovery we will turn to an exploration of our logical roots. So we will get a feel for what it is like to be an Aristotelian categorical syllogism machine since it is in categorical logic that our logical life began. Next, we will follow the contemporary fashions and become simple computers. So all our thinking will be governed by the truth tables of propositional logic. However, we shall eventually realize that we have only begun to do all we can do and be all we can be logically. So we will move beyond our childhood achievements and seek to become more sophisticated adult machines. We will tread the path of logical maturity and become complex computers. So we will adhere to the rules of predicate logic. Much to our amazement we will discover that it is much easier to be a complex logic machine than an Aristotelian syllogism machine. But, alas, before we know it our logical world will end, and we will be forced to return to our original informal logical self. However, our return is marked by joy since not only will we be able to affirm that we are all the more logical for our efforts, but we will also realize that we have had a foretaste of our future eternal life as logic machines. We shall have experienced in this life the identity that we shall enjoy eternally in the life to come, that of being a logic machine!
Thus the thesis of this course is that we are logic machines. We shall pursue this thesis, not in theory, but in practice. Thus the justification for the thesis will be found experientially, rather than theoretically. In all our logical journeys we will have two major goals. Our first goal is to program into our minds (wet-ware) for eternity, if there is an eternity, the key deductive logical concepts of a valid and sound argument. Our second aim is to know how to recognize and construct valid arguments in three kinds of deductive logic: categorical, propositional and predicate logic. If we can accomplish these goals, we should feel completely satisfied with our earthly logical selves. Moreover, we should feel ready to pursue the rigors of additional earthly logical trials in this world so as to prepare ourselves for the enjoyment of the pleasures of heavenly logic in the next world.
We are all anonymous logicians. Even if we don't know it, we already reason with some amount of logical skill. However, we may have as yet not found or had a chance to develop our true and complete logical identity. Thus the aim of our course is to develop the logical skills that make us the machines that we truly are and allow us to enjoy the pleasures of our fine performances. This, of course, comes largely through practice just as the athlete builds her or his skills through practice. To assist you in building these skills, you will be assigned exercises for every class session. You will find that your logical fitness flourishes in proportion to your attention to these exercises. I will not grade your exercises. You will be doing that yourself each class session. I will be checking to see that you are doing the exercises and making corrections when necessary. The requirement is that you do the exercises, not that you do them correctly on the first or even second attempt. We will be working in small and large groups on the exercises. And you will be presenting your work to your fellow logicians. Our practice will make us perfect, well at least relatively perfect, logicians.
II Text
Hurley, Patrick J. A Concise Introduction to Logic (10th Ed), Wadsworth Publishing Company
III. Tentative Schedule of Events
IV. Requirements
1. Regular class attendance.
2. Careful reading of all assigned materials before class.
3. Completion of homework exercises before class.
4. Active participation in small and large group class exercises.
5. Putting answers to exercises on the board & explaining them to your fellow logicians.
6. Completion of three in class examinations and a final examination covering everything.
7. Completion of course and self-evaluations.
V. Exercises
1) Exercises accompany each reading assignment.
2) The assignments for these exercises will be given on a week-by-week or day-by-day basis depending upon our needs.
3) We will go over these exercises at the beginning of the next class day after they have been assigned.
4) You will put your answers to the exercises on the board and present them to your fellow logicians.
5). You will be expected to make corrections at that time and/or let me know on your homework what you still don't understand the exercise.
6) Exercises will be turned in at the end of each class period for which they have been assigned.
7) I will usually return them to you at the beginning of the next class.
VI. Basis for Evaluation
A. Homework (20%) and Class Participation (15%)
This includes:
1. reading of assigned materials before class,
2. completing homework exercises before class,
3. correcting homework exercises during class,
4. putting answers to logic exercises on the board & explaining them (Aim for about 10 presentations during the course of the semester; of course, the more well-done presentations the better),
5. helping and getting help from others during discussion of homework,
6. asking questions and making comments in class, and
7. listening to and responding to the questions, comments, presentations, and explanations of your fellow logicians.
8. Class Attendance: Class attendance is, as the logicians put it, a necessary condition for class participation. Your class participation will be affected by unexcused absences in the following way:
Highest possible class participation grade with:
3 unexcused absences, B;
4-5 unexcused absences, C;
6-8 unexcused absences, D;
9, or more, unexcused absences, F.
Let me know about unavoidable absences such as doctor's appointments or illness. Excused unavoidable absences do not count as missing class.
B. 45%: In Class Examinations #s1, 2, & 3 (15% each).
C. 20%: Final examination.
VII. College Academic Policies
All College Policies as stated in the Lewis and Clark College Catalogue apply to this course. You are responsible for knowing and following these policies. In particular you should apprise yourself of College’s Academic Integrity Policy and the opportunities provided by Student Support Services. The Lewis and Clark Catalogue is available on line.
VIII. Role of Instructor as Evaluator
I consider my role as an evaluator to be to help you to achieve the best possible understanding of introductory deductive logic that you are capable of and to assist you in beginning to develop the best logical skills you can. I am your logic coach and consultant, not to mention your robotical guide to logical heaven.
Location of Class: Howard, 260
Time of Class: MWF, 10:20-11-20
My Office: Howard Building, 227
Office Hours: M, W, & F 11:30-12:30 AM & by Appointment
(Also, I am often in at other times. Feel free to drop by and philosophize)
Phone: Office: Ext. 7479; Home: 503-675-5048