PHIL 2140 Introduction to Logic

Course Overview

This course covers the two best known systems of formal logic: propositional logic (also called truth-functional or sentential logic) and first-order logic (also called predicate or quantificational logic). Students will learn the language of both systems, and be able to construct truth-tables, formal proofs, and counterexamples to logical arguments.

Please Read: An important note to the students: Logic vs Critical Thinking!!

Connections to Other Courses

There are no prerequisites for this course, but an affinity with mathematics and logical thinking will definitely help. Also, logic is covered in various MATH and CSCI courses, and in fact MATH and CSCI majors are strongly encouraged to take this course. Follow-up courses to this course are PHIL-4140 Intermediate Logic and PHIL-4420 Computability and Logic (both require this course as a prerequisite, and it is strongly encouraged to take Intermediate Logic before taking Computability and Logic ). Finally, logic is used in CSCI 4150 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence.

Typical Schedule of Topics