PHIL 2500 - Course Overview

The methods and principles used to distinguish correct from incorrect deductive arguments, with emphasis on contemporary techniques of analysis.

Course Overview

Introduction

This is an introductory level course in symbolic logic. The content of this course is sometimes called ‘mathematical logic’ or ‘Boolean algebra.’ While this course can be viewed as one in applied mathematics, no previous courses in mathematics are assumed for Philosophy 2500. Indeed, I wish that you had not ever taken any courses in mathematics before taking this one. Why? Because one of the great difficulties which many people have in mastering this course is overcoming a needless fear of mathematics—a fear which has been instilled in them from their taking poorly taught courses in mathematics. If you are "mathphobic," attempt to come to this course with an open mind and an optimistic attitude.

The content of this course is, then, a type of algebra. And while it is related to the algebra you may already have studied, it is not to be identified with that form of algebra. As we develop the algebra of this course, we shall apply it to various aspects of our ordinary language, English, both to develop criteria for separating good from bad arguments and to analyze and construct arguments. This course has, therefore, both theoretical and applied aspects. Because of this dual nature there are, first, a number of definitions, principles, and rules which must be both understood and memorized. Second, these definitions, principles, and rules will be applied in various concrete contexts. This application is best and most easily learned by working through many exercises and working at these exercises daily. If you skip days, you will quickly begin to loose what you have previously mastered. This can become extremely frustrating and counterproductive.

The great bulk of the material covered in this course is cumulative. That is to say, what you learn at any one time will be used throughout the course. So, if you do poorly on one section of the course, this will negatively affect any following work. Further, since the course is cumulative, if you get behind in your work it is extremely difficult to catch up. Thus, the very nature of the course demands constant daily drill in order to grasp and to be facile with the material.

Usually, then, if you ignore your assignments for several days, you will find it difficult to "pick up and catch up." In general the results of such an attempt will be disheartening. While everyone has different skills and study habits, I suggest that you plan to spend at least two hours a day studying and working with the materials in this course. Some will find this amount of time excessive, while others will find it not enough. In the end, you will have to be the honest judge of the time required for you to succeed at the level you wish.

"But why," you no doubt will ask yourself, "should I spend such time and effort on this course?"—especially if your reason for enrolling is, "I need to fulfill another math requirement and, because I hate math, I am taking this philosophy course to avoid that math requirement." While it is true that this is, after all, "another math class," there are other reasons to study and master the material offered in this course. These reasons become the general objectives of the course, as follows:

1. to assist you in grasping English more firmly and using it more correctly;

2. to aid you in more clearly expressing yourself through English;

3. to help you in constructing arguments relating evidence to some claim being suggested;

4. to provide you with methods for critically analyzing arguments given in support of various claims;

5. to instill in you a rational approach to problem solving;

6. to give you some very powerful tools useful in protecting you against charlatans in all areas of your life—for the rest of your life.

Obtaining these objectives goes far beyond the bounds of this single course. The skills you will learn here are highly transferable. They will serve you very well for the remainder of your life—no matter what you do or where you do it!

The Textbook

The textbook you will use in conjunction with this course guide is Understanding Symbolic Logic. To get a quick overview of some of the features of your textbook, it is wise for you to read the "Preface." This will tell you something about the important features of your text.

I hope that you do not find this book to be "just another math book." First, a good number of examples are worked in the text itself. You need to follow these examples carefully, actually working through them yourself with pencil and paper. Second, strategies are introduced to help you better grasp when it is best to use various rules that you will memorize. Often it is not that we do not know the rules, but rather we do not know when to use a particular rule in a concrete situation. Learning successful strategies is very helpful with this. In your course guide I amplify this notion of strategy. Third, there are many exercises for you to work. I firmly believe that it is only in doing logic that one becomes logical. The more exercises you work, the better. Fourth, you will find half of the exercises completed in the back of the book. You can use this material to check your work after you have tried the problems yourself. This will help to build your confidence in doing logic. Fifth, at the beginning of each unit there is a clear list of objectives to be mastered in that unit. Make sure you understand these so that you can be confident of achieving each lesson’s goals. Further, at the end of each unit there is a review of the important technical information—definitions and rules— presented in that unit. Sixth, on the inside covers there is a summary of the rules you will need to know and memorize. This is a convenient way to have all the rules in front of you.

Since I am a "teacher-at-a-distance," I cannot help you in the more direct and daily way in which I do my more traditional classroom students. As an Independent Study student, you have to take up part of the teaching effort yourself and become both student and teacher. This is a serious challenge, demanding a great deal of self discipline. There will be times when you have questions about a lesson, an assignment, or some section in the text. When you have such a question, I am not there the "next day" to help you. Your first step, then, must be to attempt to help yourself. Reread carefully the passage which is bothersome to you. Reread carefully what has led up to the troublesome passage. Try writing out as clearly as possible exactly what it is you do not understand. Sometimes clarifying a problem in writing is sufficient to resolve that problem. If nothing at all seems to work, then write to me through Independent Study, call me—but not collect—at (706) 542–2823, or e-mail me at harrison@uga.edu. If I am not available when you call, leave your name, the nature of your call, and a return number where I might reach you. But, remember, in the last analysis, this is an Independent Study course.

Format for Written Assignments

You are required to follow these guides in submitting your lessons. Any lesson not following these guides will not be graded, but assigned an "I."

1. At the beginning of the first page of each submitted lesson, clearly indicate the number of the lesson, the unit number and the pages covered in the textbook, and the text page number(s) from which the exercises are drawn.
2. Put your name in the upper right-hand corner of each page of the lesson.
3. Write on only one side of the paper.
4. Consecutively number each of your pages in the center of the bottom margin.
5. Be neat, using dark lead pencil—if I cannot read your work, I assume that it is incorrect.
6. Do not copy any verbal arguments from the book onto the pages that you are preparing to submit.
7. Leave large margins on all sides of a page so that I have room to make comments.

Diagnostic Tests

Lessons 4, 8, and 14 are diagnostic tests to help you prepare for the final examination. Completing these tests according to the directions will help you to determine how well you have grasped the material. You will submit your answers for grading in the same manner in which you submit your written assignments, so that you can obtain feedback on your progress.

Grading Procedures

The fourteen lessons which you will submit count fifty percent (50%) of your final grade. Your final examination counts the other fifty percent (50%). You must pass the final examination to pass the course, regardless of grades earned on lessons. You are responsible for knowing and abiding by Independent Study policies and procedures. See your Student Handbook for detailed information.

The final examination is a comprehensive, three hour, closed-book, monitored examination. You may not have any notes, copies of the rules, or the like. You begin with only blank paper in an examination booklet provided and a good supply of pencils and erasers, which you must bring with you to the examination site. Even though you will not now understand all of the technical terms (you will later), you might want to turn to the end of this course guide and read what I have said there in "About the Final Examination." Having some idea about the nature of the final examination ought to help guide your study habits.

Lessons are graded, with comments, and returned to you. I attempt to grade a lesson within ten working days after I receive it. In planning when you want to receive your lessons back, you must take into account mailing time, the time the lesson is at the Independent Study office, the time it requires for campus mail to get your lesson to me from that office and back, etc. You will receive a numerical grade, or an "Incomplete," on each of your lessons. The numerical grades translate into letter grades in this way:

100 - 90% = A
89 - 80% = B
79 - 70% = C
69 - 60% = D
59 - 0% = F

If you receive an "I"—that is, an "Incomplete"—on a lesson, I shall indicate to you what you must do to rework that lesson before submitting it to me again for a grade other than an "I". Resubmitted lessons must include the original incomplete lesson along with the revised lesson! Your resubmitted lesson will then be graded, and that grade recorded.

You should not submit any new lesson until you receive the previous lesson back from me. If you do mail me a lesson without having seen my comments on previous lessons you are very apt to continue making the same mistakes as you submit further lessons.

You may need your final grade by a specific date. If so, please note that it usually requires minimally a month after you mail your letter to the Independent Study office requesting a final examination before all of the necessary arrangements can be made to give you your final. Six weeks is a safer amount of time to allow in order to receive your grade for the course. After you have handed in your final, it may take another two to three weeks to have your final graded, the grade recorded, and a copy of that grade sent to you. This is especially true if the University of Georgia is closed for a holiday or vacation time. A great part of the "time problem," however, is mailing various things back and forth between all of the people involved in giving, grading and recording. In the last analysis, you are responsible for meeting your deadlines and using your time wisely.