Syllabus: Introduction to Logic – Fall 2020

Instructor: Vishnya Maudlin

E-mail: vm68@nyu.edu

Class Time: Tuesdays and Thursdays 8-9:15am ET

If this time is not convenient for you because you are in a different time zone, please
contact me as soon as possible.

Office Hours:

Due to the present situation, we will not, generally, meet in person. But we can meet at
any time that is convenient for you and me. Just send me a note, and we will arrange a
Zoom meeting. If it is possible in the future, we will meet in person when that
opportunity shows up.

Text:

Language, Proof and Logic, 2nd Edition 

by David Barker-Plummer, Jon Barwise & John Etchemendy

You can buy the book here (the electronic version):

https://www.gradegrinder.net/Products/lpl-index.html

Important: This textbook must not be purchased used. It comes with software with an
individual registration ID that can only be used by one person. This software, with its
individual license, is necessary to complete and submit your work. If you are unable to
submit your work in the standard way, you will not receive credit.

With your registration ID, you’ll be able to register for the textbook and software at
https://www.gradegrinder.net/register and download the necessary software. Save your
registration ID! You are responsible for learning the course’s software. The textbook will
walk you through how to use the software. You are strongly encouraged to complete the
exercises you encounter in the reading that are labeled “You Try It.” These are designed
to help familiarize students with the software.

The goal of the class: Some arguments prove their point beyond a shadow of a doubt;
others are compelling but have possible loopholes; others are completely unconvincing.
Some inferences are safe to be confident of; others could lead a reasoner astray. Some

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claims entail others, some are merely compatible with each other, and some contradict
each other. Formal logic allows us to analyze these notions with more precision and rigor
than natural language permits. This course will introduce you to the first-order predicate
calculus, one of the major pieces of contemporary philosophical equipment. We will
cover the elements of the formal language, translation into this language from English,
proof methods in a natural deduction system, and semantic methods for determining
validity. This is an introductory course in formal logic that covers the use of symbolic
techniques for the analysis and construction of good arguments. Proofs in formal logic
mirror the structure of good arguments in English generally, so to construct them, we
learn about good methods of inference. Not every method of reasoning result in a valid
argument, so it is useful to learn about ways of differentiating good from bad methods.

Logic provides the foundations for mathematics, computer science, artificial intelligence,
linguistics, and analytic philosophy.

Computer Notes

 When you do homework problems, you will typically load an exercise file from
the “LPL Software” folder, then modify or add to it, and finally save the result. In
doing this, it is important to save the modified file to a different folder, both to
make it easier to submit the results when necessary and to preserve the original
file unaltered in case you make a mistake and need to try again.
 Spend some time exploring and experimenting with the computer programs. They
contain various short-cuts and alternative ways of doing things that you may find
helpful. Pay attention especially to the keyboard shortcuts in Tarski’s
World and Fitch, which often seem to work faster than the pull-down menu
alternatives.
 If you experience any problems with the programs or with submitting files to the
Grade Grinder, there are a couple of things you can do. First, consult the FAQ
page on the LPL web site. If that doesn’t solve your problem, contact the Help
Desk at LPL. There are two ways to do that: you can fill out a bug report at
http://ggww2.stanford.edu/GUS/lpl/bugreport.jsp
or send an email directly to LPLbugs@csli.stanford.edu.

Requirements: Students are expected to read the assigned readings from the textbook.
Since the best way to learn logic is to practice, I will assign homework from the software
that goes along with the book. It is a requirement to do the practice problems from the
book (and turn in!) before the class of the assigned date. Logic is cumulative: one thing
builds on another. Do your homework regularly. Homework should be considered more
important than the reading. The work is due by 8 a.m.  No late homework is accepted.

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 Grading:

 homework 30%

 midterm 30%

 comprehensive final exam 35%

 class participation 5%

Note: This syllabus is tentative and should only be used to give a rough guide to
the course schedule.

Class Topic Required

reading Homework
 Introduction- all about Introduction 1.1-1.6
9/3 & 9/8 the course, the
textbook and the Sections 1.1-1.3 Due September 10
software of LPL
 Syntax of the atomic
sentences in FOL
 Syntax of functional 1.9-11, 2.1,
notation, arithmetic 2.15-2.21
9/10 & 9/15
and set theory Due September 17
 Alternative notations
 Tarski’s World Chapters 1 and
program 2 of LPL
 Validity and soundness
 Fitch-style proofs, and
the program Fitch

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  Proofs using identity
 Demonstrating
non-consequence

 Three Boolean   3.1-3.3, 3.5-3.18,

connectives (and, or, 3.20-3.22
not) Chapter 3 of
9/17 & 9/22 LPL Due September 24
 Role of parenthesis in
removing ambiguity
 Important equivalences
between Boolean
sentences

 Use of truth tables in 4.1-4.9, 4.12-4.19,

determining: truth Chapter 4 of 4.24
9/24 & 9/29 conditions, tautologies, LPL
equivalence, validity, Due October 1
invalidity

 Methods of Proof for 5.1, 5.3, 5.6, 5.8,

Boolean Logic 5.9, 5.20, 5.26 6.1-
Chapter 5 and Chapter 6.9, 6.12, 6.18-6.20
10/1 & 10/6  Formal proofs using 6 of LPL
Boolean connectives Due October 8
 Rules for conjunction
 Rules for disjunction
 Rules for negation
 The nature
of subproofs

 Conditional 7.1-7.8, 7.10-7.19,

10/8 & 7.25-7.28
10/13  Elimination rules for Chapter 7of LPL
the material Due October 15
conditional
 Introduction rules for
the material
conditional
 Important equivalences
of statements

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 containing conditionals

 Review
10/15 &
10/20
 Midterm

 The Logic of 8.1-8.3, 8.8, 8.16

10/22 & Conditionals 8.18-8.25, 8.41-8.43
10/27  Important types of Chapter 8 of LPL
proof Due October 29
 Soundness and
completeness

Introduction to Quantifiers
 Introducing the two
10/29 & central quantifiers:  9.16, 9.19
11/3
and  Chapter 9 of LPL Due November 5 
 Syntax for the
quantifiers
 Semantics for the
quantifiers
 Translating complex
English sentences into
quantified sentences

The Logic of Quantifiers

 Propositional Logic Sections:
11/5 & and Predicate Logic 10.1, 10.8, 10.9,
11/10 10.1-10.4 of LPL 10.22-10.29
 First-Order validity
 Some Due November 12
important equivalences 
in first-order logic
 Informal introduction
to the quantifier rules

 Multiple uses of a
11/12 & single quantifier 11.13-11.15, 11.45
11/17  Mixed quantifiers Chapter 11 of LPL
 The step-by-step Due November 19

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 method of translation;
paraphrasing English.

 Valid quantifier steps

 The method of
11/19 & existential instantiation 12.12-12.15
11/24  The method of general
conditional proof. Chapter 12 of LPL Due December 1
 Proofs involving
mixed quantifiers

11/26 Thanksgiving Break

 Rules of proof for the
universal quantifier
12/1 & 12/3 13.23-13.31, 13.49-
 Rules of proof for the Chapter 13 of LPL 13.52
existential quantifier
 Proof strategies for Due December 8
quantified logic

 More about
12/8 & Quantification Chapter 14 You try section
12/10
 Review of Predicate
Logic