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I.
PREREQUISITES
None; this course satisfies the Tier I Mathematics requirement for Ohio
University students.
II.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course
covers three basic areas of Logic:
- the Logic of
the Categorical Syllogism (so-called "Aristotelian Logic,"
named after Aristotle, its inventor);
- Informal Logic,
the study of the everyday mistakes or fallacies many of us make when
we argue;
- the system of
Propositional Logic, in which you will learn to symbolize the propositions
composing arguments and determine in a rule-governed way whether the
argument is valid.
In addition to these
three areas, you need to master the basic concepts or language of logic.
The sections below describe in detail the material that will be covered
on the examination.
III.
TEXTBOOK AND SUPPLIES
ISBN-13 9780495168690 Hurley, Patrick, A Concise Introduction to Logic, 9th ed (with Burch Study Guide and multimedia CD), Ohio University custom edition, Wadsworth Publishing Company, 2006
This textbook is available only from EdMap.
The Study Guide portion of the textbook contains many answers to the problems in the Hurley text, as well as additional problems you may want to do, and further explanations of the material. So, if you get stuck on something in Hurley, be sure to look at Burch's treatment for help.
The multimedia CD contains additional audio files and animations to illustrate the concepts presented in the textbook, as well as additional exercises.
...available from
EdMap's distance-learning online
bookstore.
| STUDENTS
ARE STRONGLY ADVISED NOT TO BUY TEXTBOOKS UNTIL REGISTERED
IN COURSES AS REQUIRED ADDITIONS CAN CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. |
IV.
PREPARING FOR THE EXAMINATION - A PLAN OF ATTACK
The
following is a suggested method for preparing for the examination:
| (1) |
Consult the list on the next page to see what sections of Hurley are
to be read for each lesson; |
| (2)
|
Read
these, then read the related sections in Burch (which pages of Burch
you should read will be obvious as you go along); |
| (3) |
Work most or all of the exercises from the given sections for which
the answers are provided in either Hurley or Burch; |
| (4) |
Continue to the next unit. |
Good luck—I
hope it goes easily for you. I teach this course on the Athens campus
in a "self-paced" system, in which the students learn the material
on their own for the most part. So I know that these books explain things
clearly enough and provide enough exercises to work well in the context
of independent study.
Lessons Covered
in Philosophy 120
|
Lesson |
Topic |
Assignment
in Hurley
(Chapter and Section) |
|
1 |
Recognizing
Arguments |
1.1 and 1.2 |
|
2 |
Deduction,
Induction, Validity, Soundness |
1.3 - 1.6 |
|
3 |
Informal
Fallacies |
3.1 - 3.5 |
|
4 |
Categorical
Propositions |
4.1 and 4.2 |
|
5 |
Categorical
Syllogisms |
5.1 |
|
6 |
Reducing
Number of Terms; Standard Form |
5.4 and 5.5 (4.4 and 4.6 are recommended) |
|
7 |
Venn
Diagrams and Rules |
4.3, 5.2 and 5.3 |
|
8 |
Symbolization
for Propositional Logic |
6.1 and 6.2 |
|
9 |
Truth
Tables |
6.3, 6.4 and 6.5 |
|
10 |
Rules
of Implication for Propositional Logic |
7.1 and 7.2 |
|
11 |
Rules
of Replacement |
7.3 and 7.4 |
|
12 |
Conditional
Proof |
7.5 |
|
13 |
Indirect
Proof |
7.6 and 7.7 |
V.
NATURE OF THE EXAMINATION
The examination covers all of the material assigned above, including basic
concepts and logical techniques. You will have two hours to complete the
examination. All materials will be provided; you are not permitted to
use textbooks, notes, or supplementary aids.
VI.
GRADING
The examination is worth 100 pts, distributed over 36 questions according
to the significance of the material. Your grade will be based on the following
scale:
|
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+ |
= 91 - 100
= 88 - 90
= 85 - 87
= 81 - 84
= 78 - 80
= 75 - 77 |
|
C
C-
D+
D
D-
F |
=
71 - 74
= 68 - 70
= 65 - 67
= 61 - 64
= 58 - 60
= 0 - 57 |
|