Modesto Junior College
Fall Term, 2001
Dr. Joseph Monast Office: FH 104C Phone: 575-6124
Email:
monastj@yosemite.cc.ca.us
Syllabus for: PHILO
103 - Symbolic Logic Section
1200 (MW 3:50-5:15)
Course Description: Introduction to modern deductive logic: includes sentential and predicate logic with identity theory and
definite descriptions.
Course Objectives: Upon
successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
A. Identify
symbolic logic as an area of learning and as an activity in everyday life.
B. Describe,
identify, and define the terms and typical problems of the field.
C. Explain,
analyze, evaluate and summarize the various justifications given in the
development of the rules for both sentential logic and predicate logic.
D. Evaluate
the justification, use and application of the various forms of deductive
argumentation, and the theoretical foundations upon which they are built.
E. Translate
into symbolic notation arguments from everyday discourse.
F. Assess
the relative value of various arguments due to their logical structure or form.
G. Evaluate
whether an argument is valid or invalid, has consistent or inconsistent
premises, and consequently, has the possibility of being sound.
H. Apply
symbolic logic to all appropriate situations (e.g. newspapers, textbooks,
scientific formulations, and computer technology).
I. Listen
and apply learned skills to sources of arguments (e.g. public debates,
political rallies, interviews with authorities, and advertisements)
.J. Critically
analyze and evaluate arguments wherever they occur.
K. Debate
issues that require reasoned defense.
Student audience:
There are no prerequisites for PHILO 103.
Instructional Facilities: The primary facilities are
classroom lectures and discussions, assigned homeworks and group work.
Course Schedule: See
below.
Instructional Methods and Assignments: The class will consist of some lecture, but will concentrate
primarily on problem solving, both outside of class and inside of class. Homework problems will be assigned for most
classes. Homework is subject to being
collected and graded without prior notice, primarily to ensure the student is
making the effort to keep up with the material of the course. Whether collected
or not, the normal homework exercises will be reviewed in class, difficulties
identified, discussed and resolved.
This review may be partly through group efforts and partly through
specific instructor guidance. In
addition, the student will be required to write and submit two essays over the
term assessing logically a problem provided by the instructor. Each essay will be at least 750 words (3
pages) in length, with more specific instructions given when the assignment is
made.
Grading/Evaluation System and Policies:
Class participation - 10% Grade
assignment: 90-100 A
2 essay assessments - 10% each 80-89 B
Other graded homeworks - 10% 70-79 C
4 tests, including final examination - 15% each 60-69 D 0-59 F
Textbooks and Instructional Materials:
Patrick Hurley, A Concise
Introduction to Logic (7th ed.), Wadsworth Publishing Co.
Attendance and Timeliness: Class attendance and participation are important in this class, as
in your other classes. My policy is to
consider over 6 hours (2 class weeks) of unexcused absences as excessive, and I
reserve the right to withdraw from the class those students who exceed
this. [If your absences are ones I
would consider legitimately to be excused, make certain you contact me as soon
as possible.] Although I intensely
dislike tardiness and strongly discourage it, I do not intend to count tardies
as absences... although I do reserve the right to change that policy if
tardiness proves to be a problem.
Behavioral Expectations: Students in this class are expected to behave as mature adults, respectful of their classmates, their instructor and themselves. Among other issues too numerous to list in detail are the following: cell phones and pagers are to be turned off during class; cheating in any form will not be tolerated; respect your fellows in class discussion, especially as the topics might become particularly controversial; and come to class prepared, having carefully read the assigned material. Turn in your assignments on time and take tests on the days assigned. Tardy assignments and missed tests may be made up only with my permission, which will require a really good excuse that I, as a reasonably intelligent and reasonably sane person, would accept as a legitimate one for failing to satisfy an obligation.
PHILO 103-1200, SYMBOLIC LOGIC (DR. MONAST)
SPRING
2002 MW SCHEDULE*
*The following schedule is
tentative and subject to amendment as needed.
DATE CLASS # ASSIGNMENT/PROJECTED ACTIVITY
SECTION
ONE
Mon.,
Jan. 7 1 Introduction and Orientation
Wed.,
Jan. 9 2 1.1 Arguments, Premises and Conclusions (I, 5th; II, 3,
5, 8; III, all; IV, all)
Mon.,
Jan. 14 3 1.2 Recognizing Arguments (I and II, 3rd; V, all)
Wed., Jan. 16 4
1.3 Deduction and Induction
(I, 3rd; III, all); 1.4 Validity, Truth, Soundness,
Strength,
Cogency (I, II, and III, 3rd; V, all)
Mon.,
Jan. 21 MLK Jr. Holiday
Wed., Jan. 23 5
1.5 Argument Forms: Proving Invalidity (I, 3rd); 1.6 Extended
Arguments
(I,
3rd; II, 2, 3, 5, 6)
Mon.,
Jan. 28 6 3.1 Fallacies in General (I, all); 3.2 Fallacies of
Relevance (I, 3rd; II, all)
Wed.,
Jan. 30 7 3.3 Fallacies of Weak Induction (I, 3rd; II, all; III,
6th)
Mon.,
Feb. 4 8 Review
Wed.,
Feb. 6 9 Test #1
SECTION
TWO
Mon.,
Feb. 11 10 6.1 Symbols and Translation (I, 5th; II, 3rd:
III, all)
Wed.,
Feb. 13 11 6.2
Truth Functions (I, even; II, 3rd; III, 5th; IV, 3rd)
Mon.,
Feb. 18 Washington's Birthday
Holiday
Wed.,
Feb. 20 12 6.3 Truth Tables for Propositions (I, 3rd; II, 3rd;
III, 3, 6, 8)
Mon., Feb. 25 13
6.4 Truth Tables for Arguments
(I, even; II, 4th); Assign Essay 1
Wed.,
Feb. 27 14 6.5 Indirect Truth Tables (I, 5th;
II, even);
Mon.,
Mar. 4 15 6.6 Argument Forms and Fallacies (I, 5th; II, 3rd;
III, 3, 6; IV, 3,6)
Wed.,
Mar. 6 16 Test #2
SECTION
THREE
Mon.,
Mar. 11 17 In class work on Essay 1
Wed.,
Mar. 13 18 Essay 1 due
Mon.,
Mar. 18 19 7.1 Rules of Implication I (I, 3,5; II, 4th;
III, 3rd)
Wed.,
Mar. 20 20 7.2 Rules of Implication II (I, 3,5; II, 4th;
III, 3rd)
Mon.,
Mar. 25 21 7.3 Rules of Replacement I (I, 3,5; II, 4th;
III, 3rd)
Wed.,
Mar. 27 22 7.4 Rules of Replacement II (I, 3,5; II, 6th;
III, 3rd)
Mon.,
Apr. 1 Spring
Break
Wed.,
Apr. 3 Spring Break
Mon.,
Apr. 8 23 7.5 Conditional Proof (I, 4th; II, 3,5)
Wed.,
Apr. 10 24 7.6 Indirect Proof (I, 4th; II, 3,5)
Mon., Apr. 15 25
7.7 Proving Logical Truths (I,
3rd); Assign Essay 2
Wed.,
Apr. 17 26 7.7 Proving Logical Truths (I, 3rd); Assign
Essay 2
Mon., Apr. 22 27
Test #3
SECTION
FOUR
Wed., Apr. 24 28
8.1 Symbols and Translation (I,
3rd)
Mon.,
Apr. 29 29 8.2 Using the Rules of Inference (I, 3rd; II,
3rd); Essay 2 due
Wed.,
May 1 30 8.3 Change of Quantifier Rules (I, 3rd; II, 3rd)
Mon.,
May 6 31 Catch-up and Review
Wed.,
May 8 32 Review
Friday,
May 10 Philo 105-1202, 8-10 AM; Philo
120-1214, 12-2 PM
Monday,
May 13 Philo 101-0120, 9-11 AM; Philo
101-1194, 6:40-8:40 PM
Wednesday,
May 15 Philo 103-1200, 12-2 PM; Philo 101-2331, 2-4 PM