Homework #Infinity

Homework #∞ is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, December 11th. Here are the assigned exercises:

• 1b and 1d on each of the following pages: 521-522, 523-524, 528, and 532-533.
  

Also, for those who don't know what a mashup is, you're in luck. You can start with one of the best ones out there:

(December 4th, from DJ Danger Mouse's Grey Album)

The internet has more to say about the Grey Album here.

Exam #2 & Derivation Guide

Exam #2 will be held at the beginning of class on Tuesday, December 4th. It lasts 50 minutes, and will cover derivations in sentential logic and translations in predicate logic. Also, below is the systematic approach to solving derivations we learned in class.

Derivation Guide: Work Backwards
1. What do we need? What do we got? Does what we need to derive appear EXACTLY AS IS anywhere in an ACCESSIBLE part* of any line above it?

• If you answer YES: Try to break down the sentence in which what you need appears in an accessible part. Use an ELIMINATION RULE on the main connective of that sentence.
• If you answer NO: Try to construct what you need. Use an INTRODUCTION RULE on the main connective of the sentence you're trying to derive.
  
• If you answer NO, but there isn't any connective in what you need to derive, then PUNT: use either disjunction elimination (if there is a disjunction in a line above) or negation elimination.
• If all other attempts to break down or construct fail, then PUNT (see above).
  

2. Flip it to the flap, then stick it: Check your derivation introduction and elimination rules (on the front flap of the textbook) to see how to set up the proper derivation above what you need to derive. Often, this involves creating SUBGOALS: new lines that you must now try to derive somehow.

3. Rinse and repeat: Repeat steps 1 and 2 for each new subgoal you create, until each and every subgoal you need to derive JUST IS a complete sentence in one of the lines above.


*Accessible parts of sentences: either side of a conjunction; either side of a biconditional; the RIGHT side of a conditional; neither side of a disjunction.

Homework #W+W

Homework #Whatever-plus-Whatever is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, December 4th. Here are the assigned exercises:

• pages 346-347: 2b, 2d, 2f, 2h, 2j, 2l, 2n, 3b, 3d, 3f, 3h, 3j, 3l, 3n, 3p

Flip it to the flap, then stick it!

Homework #W+2

There is no homework assignment this week. Everyone is getting full credit for whatever homework assignment we're up to now.

Get to nothing!

The Great Trashing of 2007

I had a fun weekend:

(See it all)

Homework #W+1

Homework #Whatever-plus-one is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, November 20th. Here are the assigned exercises:

• page 213: 3b, 3d, 3f, 3h, 3j
• page 279: 3b, 3d, 3j, 3l, 3r

Purple Monkey Dishwasher!

No Class November 6th

Just a reminder that we don't have class on Tuesday, November 6th, because it's Election Day.

Homework #Whatever

Homework #Whatever is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, November 13th. Here are the assigned exercises:

• pages 181-184: 1b, 1d, 1f, 1h, 2b, 2d, 2f.

Commence to jigglin'!

Homework #6

Homework #6 is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, October 30th. Here are the assigned problems from the textbook:

• page 164: 1b, 1d
• page 167: 16, 1d
• page 170: 1b, 1d
• page 173: 1b, 1d
• page 175: 1b, 1d

Gop!

Exam Overview

Thanks to Tahsin (who asked the lazy question that made me swoon), here's an overview of what to expect on the Exam on October 23rd.

The exam should last 50 minutes. In other words:
Format
(i) true/false or multiple choice
(ii) evaluating statements, sets, arguments.
(iii) short answers
(iv) translations (English to Sentential Logic)
(v) truth tables (testing consistency, validity, etc.)
(vi) derivations (SMALL SMALL SMALL portion of test)
(vii) Extra Credit

Content
Chapter 1: Logic Concepts
-Validity, Consistency, Logical Truths, Equivalence…
-study handout(s) (fix logically false definition)
-rigid definitions vs. informal meanings of words
-BEWARE OF THE CRAZY CASES! Validity checklist

Chapter 2: Sentential Logic Translations
-study ‘if/then’ (order matters)! “unless,” “provided that,” etc.
-‘Neither/nor'
-complicated translations: at least two, at most one, etc.

Chapter 3: Truth Tables
-Basic truth tables will be provided
-How do we set them up?
-How many rows?
-How do we approach them? Inside/out or small to big
-Testing t.f. truth, t.f. consistency, t.f. validity
-truth values under the main connectives are what matters
- ~(A v B) vs. (~A v B)

Chapter 5: Derivations
-tiny, tiny portion of the test!

Exam #1 and Homework #5

In case you forgot or weren't there, we decided in class to push back the date of the first exam. We'll now be taking it at the beginning of class on October 23rd.

Homework #5 is still due at the beginning of class on October 16th. Here are the assigned problems from the textbook:

• pages 108-109: 1f, 2b, 2d, 3b, 3d, 3f, 4b, 4d, 4f

Gleep glorp!

Homework #4

Here are the assigned problems to do from the textbook for Homework #4. It's due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, October 9th.

pages 92-93: 1b, 1d, 1h, 2b
pages 96-97: 2b, 2d, 2f
page 100: 1b, 1f, 1h, 2b, 2f
pages 107-108: 1b, 1d, 1h

Giddyup!

Skank

Congrats to Christina, Dara, and Austin for figuring out that the phrase "Shut your stinking trap" comes from a sketch on the Ben Stiller Show. It was, of course, the catchphrase of a surly sock puppet named Skank.

Pretty obvious, really.

Homework #3

Here are the assigned problems to do for Homework #3. This homework is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, October 2nd.

• page 48: 1h, 1j, 1L, 1n
• page 49: 5b, 5d, 5h, 5L
• page 58: 1b, 1d, 1f
• page 59: 3b, 3d, 3f, 3h

Git to gittin'!

Homework #2 & the Quiz

In case you didn't get the handout passed out in class, here's homework #2. It's due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, September 25th. (A printable version is available here.)

------------------------
Multiple Choice. Circle all answers that are correct. There can be more than one correct answer! Some, none, or all choices may be correct!

1. If an argument is valid and at least one of its premises is false, then
a) the argument must be unsound.
b) the premises must form a consistent set.
c) the conclusion must be logically indeterminate.
d) at least one premise is false.

2. If an argument is unsound, then
a) the argument must be invalid.
b) the argument is possibly valid.
c) the conclusion must be false.
d) at least one premise must be false.

3. If an argument is sound, then
a) its premises must form a consistent set.
b) its conclusion must be true.
c) its premises, together with its conclusion, must form a consistent set.
d) it is possible for there to be a false premise.

4. If the conclusion of an argument is true, then
a) the argument must be valid.
b) if the argument is sound, then it must be valid.
c) if the argument is valid, then it must be sound.
d) The conclusion is logically indeterminate.

5. If all the premises of an argument are true and its conclusion is false, then
a) It is possible that the argument is valid.
b) The argument must be invalid.
c) The premises must form a consistent set.
d) It is possible that the argument is sound.

True or False
___6. If a set of statements contains a logically true statement, it must be consistent.

___7. If a set of statements contains a logically false statement, it must be inconsistent.

___8. If an argument is sound, then its conclusion must be logically true.

___9. If an argument is sound, then its conclusion must be true.

___10. It’s possible for all members of an inconsistent set to be true (at the same time).

------------------------

Also, a reminder that we're having our first quiz on Tuesday, September 25th. Expect it to look like the first two homework assignments, as well as the group work we've done in class.

Cat Statements

What kind of statements are these?

Let me know in the comments.

Facebook Groups are the New Email Forwards

Easy guess, I know, but still:
Add Pluto Back to Planet Status

Oh, Facebook! What don't you do?

Homework #1: Statements & Sets

Homework #1 is due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, September 18th. Answer the following problems on pages 22-24 of the textbook:

• 1b, 1d
• 2b, 2d, 2f, 2h, 2l
• 4h, 4l
• 5b, 5d, 5f
• 6d, 6j, 6l

Go to it!

1st Week References

Here are some of the things we discussed in class this week (click the blue links for more info):

-buy the textbook here
-dancing in films
-the movie Election
-comedian Dane Cook (thief?)
-confirmation bias
-the band The Killers
-NPR
-the TV show Arrested Development (Beads?!?)
-consensus decision-making
-the color blue

Did I forget anything? Let me know.

Email Subscriptions

So why does this course have a blog? Well, why is anything anything?

A blog (short for “web log”) is a website that works like a journal – users write posts that are sorted by date based on when they were written. You can find important course information (like assignments, due dates, reading schedules, etc.) on the blog. I’ll also be updating the blog throughout the semester, posting interesting items related to the stuff we’re currently discussing in class. I used a blog in courses I taught in the past, and it seemed helpful. Hopefully it can benefit our course, too.

Since I’ll be updating the blog a lot throughout the semester, you should check it frequently. There are, however, some convenient ways to do this without simply going to the blog each day. The best way to do this is by getting an email subscription, so any new blog post I write automatically gets emailed to you. (You can also subscribe to the rss feed, if you know what that means.) To get an email subscription:

1. Go to http://rowansymbolic07.blogspot.com.

2. At the main page, enter your email address at the top of the right column (under “EMAIL SUBSCRIPTION: Enter your Email”) and click the "Subscribe me!" button.

3. This will take you to a new page. Follow the directions under #2, where it says “To help stop spam, please type the text here that you see in the image below. Visually impaired or blind users should contact support by email.” Once you typed the text, click the "Subscribe me!" button again.

4. You'll then get an email regarding the blog subscription. (Check your spam folder if you haven’t received an email after a day.) You have to confirm your registration. Do so by clicking on the "Click here to activate your account" link in the email you receive.

5. This will bring you to a page that says "Your subscription is confirmed!" Now you're subscribed.

If you are unsure whether you've subscribed, ask me (609-980-8367; landis@rowan.edu). I can check who's subscribed and who hasn't.

Course Details

Introduction to Symbolic Logic

Rowan University, Fall 2007
Philosophy 09130, Section 04
Tuesdays: 6:30—9:00 p.m., Robinson 210

Instructor: Sean Landis
Office Hours: by appointment (my schedule is very flexible)
Phone: 609-980-8367
Email: landis@rowan.edu
Website: http://rowansymbolic07.blogspot.com

Required Text
The Logic Book, 4th edition with CD-ROM (Merrie Bergman, James Moor & Jack Nelson)

About the Course
This course is designed to introduce students to formal philosophical systems of logic. We first go over useful tools of logic, such as the notion of truth preservation and methods for evaluating deductive arguments. We then learn two systems of logic: (1) propositional and (2) predicate. We focus particular attention on translating English sentences into these formal systems. We then apply the tools of logic learned during the first part of the course to particular statements and arguments within these formal systems. We focus particular attention on learning and following logical derivations of new statements from sets of old statements.


Assignments
Quizzes 1 and 2: 50 points each (100 points total)
Exams 1 and 2: 200 points each (400 points total)
Final Exam: 300 points
Homework: 15 points each (150 points total)
Attendance/Participation: 50 points
Total Possible Points: 1000

Grades
A+ = 967-1000 total points
A = 934-966 total points
A- = 900-933 total points
B+ = 867-899 total points
B = 834-866 total points
B- = 800-833 total points
C+ = 767-799 total points
C = 734-766 total points
C- = 700-733 total points
D+ = 667-699 total points
D = 634-666 total points
D- = 600-633 total points
F = below 600 total points

Quizzes: Quizzes will not be cumulative. That is, quiz #1 will test you on everything covered during the first 4 weeks of class, and quiz #2 will test you on everything covered after exam #1 (weeks 7 through 9). Quizzes will last 20 minutes, and be held at the beginning of class on the scheduled day.

Exams 1 & 2: Strictly speaking, the first two exams and the quizzes will not be cumulative. That is, exam #1 will test you on everything covered during the first third of the course, and exam #2 will test you only on what we cover after exam #1. These exams will last about 60 minutes on the scheduled day.

Make-up exams or quizzes will only be scheduled for any excused absences (excused absences include religious observance, official university business, and illness or injury – with a doctor’s note). An unexcused absence on the day of the exam or quiz will result in a zero on that exam or quiz.

Final Exam: The final exam is cumulative. That is, the final exam will test you on everything covered throughout the entire course—not simply what is covered after exam #2. The final exam will be longer than the first two exams. You will have the full 2 ½ hours of class time to take the final exam.

Homework Assignments: There will be eleven total homework assignments. Each one is due at the beginning of class the day they are due. I will not accept homework at any other time, unless you have an excused absence. Usually, homework will consist of problems from the textbook. Occasionally, however, I will hand out a homework worksheet. There are eleven homework assignments, but only ten will count toward your final grade. The lowest homework grade will be dropped.

Expectations
Logic can be difficult. In order for most students to fully understand the material (and do well on the tests), I do not believe it is enough to simply attend class and work on the relatively few homeworks assigned. Looking at the schedule, you will see that there is assigned reading for each class. You should come to class having already read what will be discussed that day. It may seem confusing to you when you are first reading it, but it will give you a much better chance of understanding what is going on during class.

You should also work on additional, unassigned problems on your own. The best way to do this is to work on the a, c, e, g, … problems in the textbook, and check your answers with the solution CD-ROM. I strongly encourage using the CD-ROM. It does an excellent job of explaining how to approach and work through logic problems.

Classroom Policies
Academic Integrity: Cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students found guilty of either will definitely fail the test, quiz, or homework assignment – and possibly the entire class. NOTE: Working with fellow students on homework assignments is not cheating. Copying a fellow student’s completed homework assignment is cheating. (Come to me if you are unsure what constitutes cheating or plagiarism.)

Disability Accommodations: If you have special requirements let me know as soon as possible so we can make all necessary arrangements. Disability status is confidential and should be discussed in private with the instructor once you have done the appropriate verification procedures.

Course Schedule

September 4
-introduction to class
-intro to logic & truth preservation (no reading)

September 11
-statements: logical truth, falsity and indeterminacy (read sections 1.1—1.3)
-sets: consistency (read section 1.6)

September 18
-arguments: validity, soundness, “crazy cases” of validity (read sections 1.4 and 1.7)
-chapter 1 review & intro to propositional logic (read section 2.1)
Homework #1 due

September 25
-QUIZ #1; propositional logic: negation (~), and conjunction (&) (read section 2.1)
-propositional logic: disjunction (v), conditional (→), and biconditional (↔) (read section 2.1)
Homework #2 due

October 2
-propositional logic: translation wrap-up
-propositional logic: complicated translations (read section 2.2)
Homework #3 due

October 9
-truth tables: truth functional truth, falsity, indeterminacy (read sections 3.1—3.2)
-truth tables: truth functional consistency (read section 3.4)
Homework #4 due

October 9
-truth tables: truth functional validity (read section 3.5)
-Review for Exam
Homework #5 due

October 16
-EXAM #1
-introduction to derivations (read section 5.1)

October 23
-derivations (read section 5.1)
-applying derivation rules (read section 5.2)
Homework #6 due

October 30
-strategies for constructing derivations (read section 5.4)
-strategies for constructing derivations continued
Homework #7 due

November 6
ELECTION DAY (no class)



November 13
-QUIZ #2; derivations wrap-up
-introduction to predicate logic (read sections 7.1—7.3)
Homework #8 due

November 20
-predicate logic: introduction to quantifiers
-predicate logic: existential and universal claims and formal syntax (read section 7.4—7.5)
Homework #9 due

November 27
-predicate logic: multiple quantifiers (read section 7.8)
-review for Exam #2
Homework #10 due

December 4
-EXAM #2
-derivation in predicate logic (read sections 10.1—10.2)

December 11
-strategies for predicate logic derivations (read section 10.4)
-strategies for predicate logic derivations continued
Homework #11 due

December 17—21
FINAL EXAM: Time, date, and location to be announced