Introductory logic course designed for students from a broad range of disciplines, from mathematics and computer science to drama and creative writing.
Logic & Proofs
$80
- Description
- What students will learn
- Learning objectives by module
- Course assessments, activities, and outline
- Other course details
- System requirements
- Included instructor tools
Description
Logic is a remarkable discipline. It is deeply tied to mathematics and philosophy, as correctness of argumentation is particularly crucial for these abstract disciplines. Logic systematizes and analyzes steps in reasoning: correct steps guarantee the truth of their conclusion given the truth of their premise(s); incorrect steps allow the formulation of counterexamples, i.e., of situations in which the premises are true, but the conclusion is false.
Recognizing (and having conceptual tools for recognizing) the correctness or incorrectness of steps is crucial in order to critically evaluate arguments, not just in philosophy and mathematics, but also in ordinary life. This skill is honed by working in two virtual labs. In the ProofLab you learn to construct complex arguments in a strategically guided way, whereas in the TruthLab the emphasis is on finding counterexamples systematically.
Who should take this course?
This is an introductory course designed for students from a broad range of disciplines, from mathematics and computer science to drama and creative writing. The highly interactive presentation makes it possible for any student to master the material. Concise multimedia lectures introduce each chapter; they discuss, in detail, the central notions and techniques presented in the text, but also articulate and motivate the learning objectives for each chapter.
Open & Free Version
The Open & Free, Logic & Proofs course includes the first five chapters of Logic & Proofs, providing a basic introduction to sentential logic. A full version of Logic & Proofs, including both sentential and predicate logic, is also available without technical or instructor support to independent users, for a small fee. No credit is awarded for completing either the Open & Free, Logic & Proofs course or the full, unsupported Logic & Proofs course.
Academic Version
Academic use of Logic & Proofs provides a full course on modern symbolic logic, covering both sentential and predicate logic, with identity. Optional suites of exams are available for use in academic sections.
Additional Course Details
Topics Covered:
The notions of statement and argument; Logical analysis of informal arguments; Syntax and semantics of: sentential logic, predicate logic, and identity; Natural deduction-style proofs, with an emphasis on effective and strategic proof construction; and Truth-trees, with an emphasis on systematic construction of counterexamples from completed trees.
In-Depth Description
Logic & Proofs is an introduction to modern symbolic logic, covering sentential and predicate logic (with identity). The course is highly interactive and engaging. It brings a fresh perspective to classical material by focusing on developing two crucial logical skills: strategic construction of proofs and the systematic search for counterexamples.
Concise multimedia lectures introduce each chapter of the course and discuss in detail central notions and techniques presented in the text. The introductory lectures articulate and motivate the learning objectives for each chapter.
LAB EXERCISES
The two crucial logical skills are developed via numerous exercises in two lab environments:
In the ProofLab, the main workbench of Logic & Proofs, students practice proof construction in a natural deduction framework. Their learning is supported by an intelligent and dynamic automated tutor. This tutor helps students, in a dialogue, to think through arguments in a strategic and systematic fashion. This Proof Tutor is making use of the automated proof search mechanism AProS; see the AProS site here.
In the TruthLab, the semantic counterpart to the ProofLab, students practice techniques for a semantic analysis of formulae and arguments. They begin with chasing truth up a parse tree, then complete truth-tables, and ultimately learn to build truth-trees for predicate formulae involving identity. The emphasis is on reading off counterexamples to invalid arguments from completed trees.
CONTENT STRUCTURE
Each chapter features both review materials and homework assignments, including quizzes and lab problems. The end-of-chapter quizzes and practice questions provide fully automated feedback to the student; the ample practice lab problems offer tutoring, while the problems in the chapter’s lab assignment do not, providing students with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of the skills developed in completing the practice problems.
USING THE COURSE AT ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS
At Carnegie Mellon and elsewhere, Logic & Proofs is offered as a semester-long introductory logic course. In addition to working through the online material at a specified rate (approximately one chapter per week), the class meets in small groups once a week for an instructor-led discussion session. Active student participation is not only encouraged, but required.
At some institutions, Logic & Proofs has been offered as a fully self-paced course, with online and drop-in instructor and TA support, but without regular class meetings. At yet other institutions, Logic & Proofs is used as the main resource for a course with traditional weekly lectures, as well as meetings with a TA. In all three modes of use, Logic & Proofs has been found pedagogically effective. See the relevant research by Patchan, Schunn, Sieg and McLaughlin at the AProS project site.
The course has been taken since 2007 by more than 12,000 students for credit at various institutions including Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Mellon Qatar, IUPUI, Francisco Marroquín University (Guatemala), Haverford College, University of British Columbia, University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Kent State University, College of Lake County, University of Washington, University of Maryland (College Park), and the University of South Florida. The course is is now also being offered through Stanford’s EPGY Program to high-school students.
What students will learn
By the end of this course, students will have learned how to critically evaluate arguments, not just in philosophy and mathematics, but also in ordinary life. They will learn to:
- explain what an argument is, and determine whether or not a given passage constitutes an argument.
- identify the premises and conclusion of an argument, and represent the argument in standard form.
- determine whether a given argument is a bad or a good argument, and why this is the case.
- create diagrams that graphically depict the structure of arguments.
Learning objectives by module
Part 1: Introduction
- Chapter 1: Statements and Arguments
- Determine whether or not a sentence of English expresses a statement, and if so,
to identify the statement expressed. - Explain what a statement is, and discuss how statements are related to
sentences. - Explain what an argument is, and determine whether or not a givenpassage
constitutes an argument. - Identify the premises and conclusion of an argument, andrepresent the argument
in standard form. - List the criteria an argument must meet in order to be considereda good
argument, and explain why each criterion is necessary.
- Determine whether or not a sentence of English expresses a statement, and if so,
Part 2: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Statements, Premises, and Conclusions
- Create diagrams that graphically depict the premises-and-conclusion structure of
arguments. - Determine whether or not a sentence of English expresses a statement, and if so,
to identify the statement expressed. - Determine whether premises support the conclusion jointly or independently.
- Explain what a statement is, and discuss how statements are related to
sentences. - Explain what an argument is, and determine whether or not a givenpassage
constitutes an argument. - Identify the premises and conclusion of an argument.
- Create diagrams that graphically depict the premises-and-conclusion structure of
- Chapter 3: Arguments, Validity, and Structure
- Analyze logically structured support that can link premises and conclusion of an
argument. - Create diagrams that graphically depict the structure of arguments.
- Determine whether a given argument is a bad or a good argument, and why this is
the case. - Explain what a structured statement is and give examples of statement structures
that are logically important.
- Analyze logically structured support that can link premises and conclusion of an
Part 3: Sentential Logic
- Chapter 4: Syntax and Symbolization
- Construct and identify formulae of sentential logic.
- Construct and use parse trees.
- Discern the logical structure of English sentences.
- Explain the grammar of the logical language of sentential logic.
- Symbolize English sentences as formulae of sentential logic.
- Chapter 5: Semantics
- Construct a truth-table for a given formula or argument.
- Determine the truth-value of a formula relative to a given truth-value
assignment. - Explain what a truth-value assignment is.
- Explain what tautological, contingent, and contradictory formulae are.
- Find a counterexample to an invalid argument, using a truth-table or truth-tree.
- Give the truth-conditions for the logical connectives.
- Use truth-tables to analyze arguments and formulae.
- Chapter 6: Derivations
- Apply and identify applications of rules of inference within a derivation.
- Establish the validity of rules of inference.
- Explain the structure of derivations.
- Chapter 7: Indirect Rules
- Apply and identify applications of the inference rules for negation.
- Explain the structure of indirect rules of inference.
- Find contradictions to use in applications of indirect rules.
- Chapter 8: Strategies and Derived Rules
- Apply and identify applications of derived rules.
- Approach proof construction problems in a strategic fashion.
- Provide explanations of and explain some significant properties of the logical
connectives.
- Chapter 9: Elementary Metamathematics
- Explain how a biconditional can be considered logically equivalent to a formula
in disjunctive normal form. - Explain the connection between truth-tables and Boolean circuits.
- Find a disjunctive normal form equivalent to any formula.
- Show that two formulae are logically equivalent just in case their biconditional
is a tautology.
- Explain how a biconditional can be considered logically equivalent to a formula
Part 4: Predicate Logic
- Chapter 10: Syntax and Semantics I
- Analyze the internal logical structure of English sentences.
- Construct atomic formulae from predicates and singular terms according to
syntactic rules. - Identify and distinguish between predicates and singular terms.
- Semantically interpret and evaluate formulae constructed using predicates and
singular terms.
- Chapter 11: Syntax and Semantics II
- Analyze the internal logical structure of English sentences involving quantity
terms. - Construct arbitrary predicate formulae according to the syntactic rules.
- Semantically interpret and evaluate predicate formulae.
- Analyze the internal logical structure of English sentences involving quantity
- Chapter 12: Derivations
- Apply and identify applications of the inference rules for the quantifiers.
- Chapter 13: Strategies and Derived Rules
- Convert an arbitrary formula into an equivalent formula in prenex normal form.
- Develop, apply, and identify applications of derived rules.
- Extend the strategic considerations for the construction of proofs to predicate
logic.
- Chapter 14: Identity and Functions
- Apply and identify applications of the inference rules for identity.
- Give the Russellian analysis of sentences involving definite descriptions.
- Translate English sentences involving identity into the extended language of
predicate logic. - Use function symbols in translating both English sentences and mathematical
statements.
Course assessments, activities, and outline
Preface
Logic & Proofs
PART 1: Introduction
Chapter 1: Statements and Arguments
Quiz: Statements and Arguments
PART 2: Introduction
Chapter 2: Statements, Premises, and Conclusions
Quiz: Statements, Premises, and Conclusions
Lab: Statements, Premises, and Conclusions
Chapter 3: Arguments, Validity, and Structure
Quiz: Arguments, Validity, and Structure
Lab: Arguments, Validity, and Structure
PART 3: Sentential Logic
Chapter 4: Syntax and Symbolization
Quiz: Syntax and Symbolization
Chapter 5: Semantics
Quiz: Semantics
Lab: Semantics
Chapter 6: Derivations
Quiz: Derivations
Lab: Derivations
Chapter 7: Indirect Rules
Quiz: Indirect Rules
Lab: Indirect Rules
Chapter 8: Strategies and Derived Rules
Quiz: Strategies and Derived Rules
Lab: Derived Rules
Chapter 9: Elementary Metamathematics
Quiz: Elementary Metamathematics
Lab: Elementary Metamathematics
PART 4: Predicate Logic
Chapter 10: Syntax and Semantics I
Quiz: Syntax and Semantics I
Lab: Syntax and Semantics I
Chapter 11: Syntax and Semantics II
Quiz: Syntax and Semantics II
Lab: Syntax and Semantics II
Chapter 12: Derivations
Quiz: Derivations
Lab: Predicate Derivations
Chapter 13: Strategies and Derived Rules
Quiz: Strategies and Derived Rules
Lab: Predicate Derived Rules
Chapter 14: Identity and Functions
Quiz: Identity and Functions
Lab: Identity and Functions
Functions & Computations
PART 5: Set Theory
Chapter 15: Sets and Operations
Chapter Test: Sets and Operations
Sets and Operations: Problem Set 1
Chapter 16: Cartesian Products and Relations
Chapter Test: Cartesian Products and Relations
Cartesian Products and Relations: Problem Set 1
Chapter 17: Functions
Chapter Test: Functions
Functions: Problem Set 1
Chapter 18: Sizes of Sets
Chapter Test: Sizes
Sizes: Problem Set 1
Chapter 19: ZF
Chapter Test: Principles for Sets
ZF: Problem Set 1
Chapter 20: Calculable Functions
Chapter Test: Calculable Functions
Formal Set Theory
PART 6: Logical Framework for Set Theory
Chapter 21: Formal Proofs
Lab Assignment: Formal Proofs
Chapter 22: Quantifier and Identity
Lab Assignment: Quantifier and Identity
PART 7: Incompleteness: Set-Theoretic Representation
Chapter 23: Natural Numbers as Sets
Lab Assignment: Natural Numbers as Sets
Chapter 24: Functions and Sizes
Lab Assignment: Functions and Sizes
Chapter 25: Internalization of Syntax
Lab Assignment: Internalization of Syntax
Chapter 26: Gödel’s Theorems
Lab Assignment: Gödel’s Theorems
Logic & Proofs Exams
PART 8: Exams
Chapter 27: Package A
Midterm Exam #1
Midterm Exam #1 – Argument Diagramming
Midterm Exam #1 – Truth-Tables
Midterm Exam #1 – Truth-Trees
Midterm Exam #2
Midterm Exam #2 – Truth-Tables
Midterm Exam #2 – Truth-Trees
Midterm Exam #2 – Derivations
Midterm Exam #3
Midterm Exam #3 – Truth-Trees
Midterm Exam #3 – Derivations
Final Exam
Final Exam – Argument Diagramming
Final Exam – Truth-Trees
Final Exam – Derivations
Chapter 28: Package A
Midterm Exam #1
Midterm Exam #1 – Truth-Tables
Midterm Exam #1 – Truth-Trees
Midterm Exam #2
Midterm Exam #2 – Truth-Tables
Midterm Exam #2 – Truth-Trees
Midterm Exam #2 – Derivations
Midterm Exam #3
Midterm Exam #3 – Truth-Trees
Midterm Exam #3 – Derivations
Final Exam
Final Exam – Truth-Trees
Final Exam – Derivations
Chapter 29: Package B
Midterm Exam
Midterm Exam – Truth-Tables
Midterm Exam – Truth-Trees
Final Exam
Final Exam – Truth-Trees
Final Exam – Derivations I
Final Exam – Derivations II
Chapter 30: Package C
Final Exam
Final Exam – Argument Diagramming
Final Exam – Truth-Trees
Final Exam – Derivations
Chapter 31: Package C
Final Exam
Final Exam – Truth-Trees
Final Exam – Derivations
Resources
Other course details
This is a semester-long course, taking one week to cover each of the 12 core chapters of the material. That includes the homework assignments at the end of each chapter.
The course can also be used as an accelerated, 4 to 6 week introduction to or review of logic, at the rate of two to three chapters per week (possibly omitting some chapters or sections), to be followed by additional topics for the remainder of the semester.
January, 2018
Coming soon.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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- internet access
- an operating system that supports the latest browser update
- the latest browser update (Chrome recommended; Firefox, Safari supported; Edge and Internet Explorer are supported but not recommended)
- pop-ups enabled
- cookies enabled
Some courses include exercises with exceptions to these requirements, such as technology that cannot be used on mobile devices.
This course’s system requirements:
- none listed (subject to change)
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