Logic I

Fall 2012

Syllabus
Instructor: Anthony Hatzimoysis Lecture: TR 9.30-11 (26-314) Overview Logic is the art of reasoning correctly. Logic is the name of a theoretical discipline which explores, developes, and formalizes the rules that govern correct reasoning. Logic is the title of the present course. The course offers a systematic theoretical introduction to the main concepts, principles, and tools of modern symbolic logic. Topics to be covered include validity and soundness of arguments, truth-functions and formal derivations, the semantics and the syntax of formal language, and the metatheoretical issues of soundness and completeness for sentential calculus and rstorder predicate logic with identity. It is expected that by completing the course, students will acquire the formal skills for constructing, identifying, interpreting, and assessing arguments, and will come to appreciate the signicance of certain aspects of formal logic for philosophical reasoning. Text The Logic Book, by Bergmann, Merrie; Moor, James; Nelson, Jack, 5th ed., McGrawHill Companies, ISBN-13: 9780073535630 Material Extant copies of the class Handouts, the Problem sets and their Solutions, will be posted on the course website: http://stellar.mit.edu/S/course/24/fa12/24.241/ Prerequisites There are no prerequisites for this course. Assignments In addition to regular reading assignments, there will be (i) problem sets, (ii) short quizzes, and (iii) a nal exam. Problem sets will be assigned weekly on Thursday, due the following Tuesday. Quizzes will be closed-book, closed-notes, to be completed in class. There will be 4-6 quizzes over the course of the semester, and they will not be announced in advance. Make-up quizzes will not be allowed, but your lowest two quiz scores (i.e. a zero if you miss one) will not be factored into your nal grade. Final grades for the course will be calculated as follows: 40% problem sets, 30% quizzes, 20% nal exam, and 10% attendance and participation in class. Ofce hours Tuesday and Thursday, 11.00-13.00. Students are encouraged to email me with their queries any time during normal working hours: antoni@mit.edu

Logic I
Schedule Sep/6

Sep/11

Sep/13
Sep/18
Sep/20
Sep/25
Sep/27
Oct/11
Oct/16

Oct/18

Oct/23
Oct/25

Oct/30
Nov/1

Nov/6

Nov/8

Nov/13
Nov/15
Nov/20
Nov/27
Nov/29
Dec/4

Dec/6

Dec/11

Dec/17

Reasoning and the structure of arguments Introduction to SL syntax and semantics Translation to and from SL
Truth-tables and logical properties of compound sentences Entailment and validity with truth-tables Derivations in sentential logic (SD)
Derivations in SD/SD+ Theorem-proving Meta-theory: Mathematical induction Meta-theory: Soundness of SD/SD+ Meta-theory: Completeness of SD/SD+ Predicate logic: quantiers, variables, constants, predicates Open sentences, free vs. bound variables, scope, properties of relations Identity, denite descriptions, functions Translation to and from PL/PLE Informal PL/PLE semantics: quanticational argument validity Formal PL/PLE semantics: truth and falsity under interpretations Derivations in PD Derivations in PD+ Derivations in PDE Meta-theory: Soundness of PD, PD+, PDE Meta-theory: Completeness of PD Meta-theory: Completeness, cont., PD+, PDE Final Exam Sample Session Final exam period begins