Prof. Patrick Frierson

Office Hours: T 4-5; W 9.30-10.30; Th 10-12

Olin Hall 151

527-5243

frierspr@whitman.edu

Symbolic logic does for reasoning in general what symbolic representation in mathematics (arithmetic and algebra) do for reasoning about quantities. In mathematics, symbolism allows one to do engage in complex reasoning about quantities more easily and to reflect on the nature of that reasoning at the level of axioms and conceptual foundations. Likewise, logic provides tools for carrying out complex reasoning at a very high level, and for reflection on the basic axioms and conceptual structures underlying all reasoning.

We will spend the first 2/3 of the semester learning how to expressing ordinary statements and arguments symbolically, and using this symbolism to analyze arguments. We will also learn some basic principles that allow us to evaluate arguments, and we will construct and evaluate various concrete examples. This will include looking at simple and compound statements, basic principles of deduction, quantification theory, and the logic of relations The last 1/3 of the semester, we will explore issues related to logical systems. We may learn some set theory, we will develop our own logical system, and we will explore issues such as when a logical system is complete.

Office Hours: Tuesday 4 – 5, Wednesday 9:30 – 10:30, Thursday 10 – 12, and by appointment. For many of you, this material will be very difficult. I strongly encourage you to work on groups (for everything except the quizzes and exams!) and to ask me about problems or concepts you find especially difficult. There will be some time for this in class, but I encourage those of you who are having trouble to make use of my office hours, or to make appointments to meet with me. However, you should not think that you can come to office hours instead of being prepared for class (see below).

Assignments:

1. Regular participation in class. You should come to class having done the assigned reading carefully and having completed the relevant exercises. You should be ready to ask questions about material that you do not understand.

2. For each class, you should do all of the starred problems for every section that you read. Ideally, you should do all of the exercises for every section, as this will give you the most practice. However, I have listed some recommended exercises for each reading. (I may list further exercises as the course progresses.) Do every exercise listed until you are confident that a smaller number will suffice to understand the material. I won't ask you to submit completed exercises. But I promise you that most of the problems on the exams and quizzes will be just like the exercises in the book. Practicing on them is the best way to learn the material and prepare for the exams. Moreover, class often will be devoted to discussing problems that you find particularly difficult, so you need to keep up to date. I will be available to meet personally over the course of the semester with any of you who are having particular difficulties. I will not, however, answer questions the day before an exam if those questions should have been asked weeks earlier.

3. Quizzes and exams. Over the course of the semester, there will be four quizzes and two exams. The quizzes will be take-home quizzes and should take no longer than an hour. These quizzes are to be completed by you alone, without reference to notes, the book, or any other study aids. You should complete them in one sitting, taking no more than 2 hours for each quiz. The mid-term exam will be given in class, and should take no more than 75 minutes. The final exam will be given during exam week, and should take no more than 90 minutes. On the day that quizzes are due, I will give you a solution key for those quizzes. As a result, I will not accept late quizzes. If you anticipate that you will not be able to complete a quiz during the weekend over which it is assigned, let me know at least one week in advance. If you will miss an exam, let me know at least one week in advance. If you miss a quiz/exam, you will get a zero for that quiz or exam.

Our final exam is scheduled for Tuesday, May 15^th, at 9 AM. Plan your travel accordingly. I will not make special accommodations to suit your travel needs at the end of the semester.

Grading:

Class participation 10%

Quizzes 10% each

Mid-term exam 20%

Final Exam 30%

Timeline:

This timeline outlines the required reading and exercises for each day of the semester.

Timeline and Paper Topics

		*Reading*	*Exercises*
Jan.	16	Introduction
	18	§§ 1.1-2.2.	Do all starred exercises in 2.1 and 2.2 plus 2.1.I.18-20; 2.1.II.17-20; 2.1.III.9; 2.1.IV.9,12;

	23	§§ 2.3-2.4	Do all starred exercises in 2.3 and 2.4 plus 2.3.II.17, 19-20; 2.3.III.4, 12; 2.4.I.2-4, 6-8; 2.4.II.6-10.
	25	Review Chaps 1-2. Quiz #1 will be handed out on Jan 25 and due on Jan. 30.	Catch up on any exercises you have not done.

	30	Quiz # 1 DUE. Read § 3.1.	No exercises due today, but get started on Thursday’s.
Feb.	1	§§ 3.1 – 3.2	Do all starred exercises in 3.1 and 3.2 plus 3.1.I.1-10; 3.1.II.2, 4, 6; 3.1.III.2-4, 7-10; 3.2.I.1-8, 19-20; 3.2.II.4, 10; 3.2.III.3, 6, 9, 12, 16, 19, 22, 26, 30; 3.2.IV.3, 6, 9, 22, 23, 25. Each student should bring in at least valid argument from a newspaper, magazine, or book. Make enough copies of the argument for the entire class.

	6	§§ 3.3 – 3.7 (§ 3.8 is optional)	Do all starred exercises in 3.3-3.7 plus 3.3.6, 8; 3.4.22, 23, 25; 3.5.1; 3.6.I.18-19; 3.6.II.6; 3.7.2-5.
	8	Review Chapter 3 Hand out Quiz # 2 on chapters 1 – 3.	Catch up on any exercises you have not done.

	13	Quiz #2 DUE. Read §§ 4.1 – 4.2.	No exercises due today, but get started on Thursday’s if possible.
	15	§ 4.1 – 4.3.	Do all starred exercises in §§ 4.1 – 4.3. You should also be able to do all of the exercises in 4.1, and you should do exercises 4.2.I.4, 8, 10; 4.2.II.3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 21, 25; 4.3.I.4, 8; 4.3.III.2-4, 11-15.

	20	§§ 4.4 – 4.5	Do all starred exercises in 4.4 and 4.5, plus 4.5.I.2, 6 (p. 92); 4.5.II (p. 92); 4.5.I.2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 18-20 (p. 104); 4.5.II.3, 6, 9, 11 (p. 104-5)
	22	§ 4.7 (§ 4.6 is optional)	You should be able to do all of the exercises in § 4.7 (p. 115).

	27	Review chapter 4. Hand out quiz #3.	Catch up on any exercises you have not done.
Mar.	1	§ 5.1	Do all starred exercises in 5.1.

	6	Quiz #3 DUE §§ 5.1 – 5.3	Do all starred exercises in 5.1 – 5.3 plus 5.2.I.3, 6, 9, 10; 5.2.II.1, 7, 10-12; 5.3.1, 9.
	8	§§ 5.3 – 5.4	Do all starred exercises in 5.3 – 5.4 plus 5.4.8-10.

		SPRING	BREAK

	27	Review §§ 5.1–5.4	Catch up on any exercises you have not done. Review exercises from before Spring Break. Come to class with specific questions about confusing problems.
	29	§5.5 and Review Chapters 1 – 5.	You should be able to do all of the exercises in §5.5.

April	3	Review Chaps 1– 5.	Come to class with specific questions about confusing problems.
	5	Mid-Term Exam

	10	Undergraduate conference	Attend at least two undergraduate conference papers. Try to logically diagram at least one, and/or figure out what logical virtues the presenter is aiming for in her/his research.
	12	Read Chapter Six	Celebrate Finishing Mid-Term

	17	Read Chapter Six	Discuss Chapter Six
	19	§§ 8.1 – 8.2	Do all starred in 8.1 and 8.2 plus all exercises on pp. 217-18; exercises 1, 4, and 8 on p. 220; exercises 1 and 2 on p. 222; exercises 1-6 and 14-15 on pp. 226-7 (for exercise 15, you need choose only 6-8 truth functional operators). As you work through chapter 8, it is very important that you be understand (and be able to reproduce) the arguments for fundamental theorems defended in this chapter.
	24	§ 8.3 – 8.4	Do all starred exercises in 8.3 – 8.4 plus exercise 3 on p. 237. As you work through chapter 8, it is very important that you be understand (and be able to reproduce) the arguments for fundamental theorems defended in this chapter.
	26	§ 8.5 (to page 244) and § 8.6 and Review Chapter 8. Hand out Quiz #4	Do all starred exercises in 8.5 and prove Th 7 Corollary (p. 243) As you work through chapter 8.5, it is very important that you be understand (and be able to reproduce) the arguments for fundamental theorems defended in this chapter.
May	1	QUIZ #4 DUE Read Appendix A
	3	Review	Catch up on any exercises you have not done and get ready for the Final Exam. YOU MUST MEET WITH ME BEFORE THE LAST DAY OF CLASS IF YOU NEED SPECIAL HELP IN PREPARING FOR THE FINAL EXAM.

	8	Review	Catch up on any exercises you have not done and get ready for the Final Exam.

May	15	9 AM	FINAL EXAM.