PHL 3202 - Introduction to Logic

3 lecture hours 0 lab hours 3 credits

Course Description
The aim of this course is to learn about and apply some of the fundamental principles of reasoning, argumentation, and logic. Together we will focus on the construction and evaluation of arguments, the recognition and correction of fallacies in reasoning, the introduction of formal methods in deductive logic, and the structure and practice of scientific theorizing and testing. Throughout the course, we will apply this knowledge to concrete cases. Our course objective is not only to learn about the philosophical foundations and fundamentals of informal and formal logic but also to develop general critical reasoning skills that will prove valuable beyond the classroom.
Prereq: None
Note: None
This course meets the following Raider Core CLO Requirement: Think Critically

Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

Exhibit familiarity with some of the history and philosophy of logic
Identify, reconstruct, and evaluate arguments in both natural language and formal language (at the level of propositional logic)
Identify and avoid fallacies in reasoning
Apply formal methods to make arguments expressed in ordinary language more precise and transparent
Demonstrate understanding of the meanings and truth conditions of the logical operators in propositional logic
Execute proofs or derivations in basic propositional logic
Recognize and apply fundamental elements of scientific reasoning (e.g., hypothesis construction and testing)
Exhibit familiarity with debates surrounding the demarcation between science and pseudoscience (e.g., naïve vs. sophisticated falsificationism)

Prerequisites by Topic

None

Course Topics

History and philosophy of logic
Informal vs. formal logic
Inductive vs. deductive logic
Strength and cogency of inductive arguments
Validity and soundness of deductive arguments
Types of informal arguments
Forms of valid deductive arguments
Informal fallacies
Logical operators and their meanings
Truth conditions in propositional logic
Truth tables for logical operators and propositions
Consistency, inconsistency, contradiction, and equivalence in logic
Translations from natural language to propositional logic
Proving invalidity through the counterexample method
Logical proofs or derivations in propositional logic
Categorical arguments and universal and existential quantification
Hypothetical reasoning in science
Science as falsification (e.g., Popper)
Naïve falsificationism vs. sophisticated falsificationism

Coordinator
Dr. Andrew McAninch

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