Online Logic course
During the pandemic, I taught an asynchronous introductory logic course. I have made all of my instructional videos available on YouTube. (I am equally proud of the soundtracks I composed for each video!) For self-starters, you can work your way through this material by purchasing a copy of the textbook Language, Proof, and Logic and its associated software.
LPL = Language, Proof, and Logic
Week 1: Preliminaries
Course Logistics
What is Logic? LPL: Introduction (pp. 1-11)
Software Manual: Ch.1-2: Using Submit.
Install Course Software.
Do “You Try It” on pp. 8-11.[1]
I. Propositional Logic
Weeks 1-2: Atomic Sentences(due 11:59PM)
Atomic Sentences: LPL, 1.1 – 1.4 (pp. 19-25, 28-29)
Software Manual: Ch. 3: Using Tarski’s World
Do “Hidden Assignment(s)” in Course Policy Document.
Do 1.2 – 1.5, 1.9 (pp. 25-27, 30)
Validity and Soundness: LPL, 2.1 – 2.2 (pp. 41-46)
Introduction to Proofs: LPL, 2.2 – 2.5 (pp.46-66)
Software Manual: Ch.4 (Using Fitch)
Do 2.19, 2.20, 2.25, 2.26, 2.27 (pp. 62, 66)
Week 3: Boolean Connectives: The Basics
Boolean Operators: ¬, ∧, and ∨: LPL, 3.1 – 3.3 (pp.67-77) Do 3.3, 3.6, 3.9 (pp. 70, 73, 77)
Translation & Equivalence: LPL, 3.4 – 3.7 (pp. 77-90) Do 3.15, 3.16 3.18, 3.23 (pp. 81,83,88)
Week 4: Boolean Connectives: Logic
Software Manual: Ch.5 (Using Boole)
Introduction to Truth Tables (Tautologies, Contradictions, and Contingencies): LPL, 4.1 – 4.2 (pp. 93-109) Do 4.2, 4.7, 4.12 (p.104)
Truth Tables and Validity: LPL, 4.3 – 4.4 (pp. 106-118)Do , 4.22, 4.24 (pp. 109, 113)
Weeks 5-6: Proofs
Methods of Proof: LPL, 5.1 – 5.4 (pp. 128-142)None!
Proofs with Conjunction and Disjunction: LPL, 6.1 – 6.2 (pp. 143-155) Do 6.2, 6.4, 6.6 (pp. 155-156)
Negation, Subproofs, and Strategies: LPL, 6.3 – 6.6 (pp. 156-176) Do. 6.11, 6.14, 6.15, 6.19, 6.22, 6.29, 6.34 (pp. 165, 168, 173, 176)
Conditionals and Biconditionals: LPL, 7.1 – 7.3, 7.5 (pp. 178-192, 198) Do 7.1-7.3, 7.18 (pp. 185, 189)
Week 7: Conditional Proofs
The Logic of Conditionals: LPL, 8.1 – 8.2, 8.4 (pp. 199-215, 223-225) Do 8.20, 8.21, 8.34, 8.49 (pp. 213-214, 224)
Reconstructing Arguments
Problem Set I
I. Predicate Logic
Week 8: Quantification I: The Basics
Introducing Quantification: LPL, 9.1 – 9.4 (pp. 229-241) Do 9.2, 9.5, 9.6 (pp. 236, 241)
Translating with Quantifiers: LPL, 9.5 – 9.6 (pp. 241-253) Do 9.16, 9.17 (pp. 250-251)
Week 9: Quantification II: Logic
LPL, 10.1-10.2 (pp. 259-277; Note: I did not find this to be an especially good discussion of the concepts covered. Don’t worry about it too much; just make sure you get the basic gist of the key points.)
Equivalence and DeMorgan’s with Quantifiers: LPL, 10.3 (pp. 277-282) Do 10.24, 10.26, 10.28, 10.29 (p. 286)
Week 10: Multiple Quantifiers
Introduction to Multiple Quantifiers: LPL, 11.1 – 11.3 (pp. 298-309) Do 11.9, 11.10, 11.17 (pp. 305, 309)
Paraphrasing with Multiple Quantifiers: LPL, 11.4 – 11.5, 11.8 (pp. 309-317, 324-327) Do 11.20, 11.24 (pp. 312, 316)
Week 11: Proofs
Methods of Proof with Quantifiers: LPL, 12.1-12.4 (pp. 328-347)
Formal Methods for Universal Introduction and Existential Elimination: LPL, 13.1 – 13.2 (pp. 351-361) Do 13.8, 13.12, 13.13, 13.15, 13.16 (pp. 356, 359-360)
Week 12: Proofs (Continued)
Strategy and Tactics: LPL, 13.3 (pp. 361-367)Do 13.23, 13.27 (p. 368)
Final: Problem Set II
[1] I’ve mentioned this “You Try It” exercise, but I recommend (but do not require) that you do all of the “You Try It” exercises in each week’s reading as a useful way of gaining understanding of the material (and getting participation points if you have questions).
Week 1: Preliminaries
Course Logistics
What is Logic? LPL: Introduction (pp. 1-11)
Software Manual: Ch.1-2: Using Submit.
Install Course Software.
Do “You Try It” on pp. 8-11.[1]
I. Propositional Logic
Weeks 1-2: Atomic Sentences(due 11:59PM)
Atomic Sentences: LPL, 1.1 – 1.4 (pp. 19-25, 28-29)
Software Manual: Ch. 3: Using Tarski’s World
Do “Hidden Assignment(s)” in Course Policy Document.
Do 1.2 – 1.5, 1.9 (pp. 25-27, 30)
Validity and Soundness: LPL, 2.1 – 2.2 (pp. 41-46)
Introduction to Proofs: LPL, 2.2 – 2.5 (pp.46-66)
Software Manual: Ch.4 (Using Fitch)
Do 2.19, 2.20, 2.25, 2.26, 2.27 (pp. 62, 66)
Week 3: Boolean Connectives: The Basics
Boolean Operators: ¬, ∧, and ∨: LPL, 3.1 – 3.3 (pp.67-77) Do 3.3, 3.6, 3.9 (pp. 70, 73, 77)
Translation & Equivalence: LPL, 3.4 – 3.7 (pp. 77-90) Do 3.15, 3.16 3.18, 3.23 (pp. 81,83,88)
Week 4: Boolean Connectives: Logic
Software Manual: Ch.5 (Using Boole)
Introduction to Truth Tables (Tautologies, Contradictions, and Contingencies): LPL, 4.1 – 4.2 (pp. 93-109) Do 4.2, 4.7, 4.12 (p.104)
Truth Tables and Validity: LPL, 4.3 – 4.4 (pp. 106-118)Do , 4.22, 4.24 (pp. 109, 113)
Weeks 5-6: Proofs
Methods of Proof: LPL, 5.1 – 5.4 (pp. 128-142)None!
Proofs with Conjunction and Disjunction: LPL, 6.1 – 6.2 (pp. 143-155) Do 6.2, 6.4, 6.6 (pp. 155-156)
Negation, Subproofs, and Strategies: LPL, 6.3 – 6.6 (pp. 156-176) Do. 6.11, 6.14, 6.15, 6.19, 6.22, 6.29, 6.34 (pp. 165, 168, 173, 176)
Conditionals and Biconditionals: LPL, 7.1 – 7.3, 7.5 (pp. 178-192, 198) Do 7.1-7.3, 7.18 (pp. 185, 189)
Week 7: Conditional Proofs
The Logic of Conditionals: LPL, 8.1 – 8.2, 8.4 (pp. 199-215, 223-225) Do 8.20, 8.21, 8.34, 8.49 (pp. 213-214, 224)
Reconstructing Arguments
Problem Set I
I. Predicate Logic
Week 8: Quantification I: The Basics
Introducing Quantification: LPL, 9.1 – 9.4 (pp. 229-241) Do 9.2, 9.5, 9.6 (pp. 236, 241)
Translating with Quantifiers: LPL, 9.5 – 9.6 (pp. 241-253) Do 9.16, 9.17 (pp. 250-251)
Week 9: Quantification II: Logic
LPL, 10.1-10.2 (pp. 259-277; Note: I did not find this to be an especially good discussion of the concepts covered. Don’t worry about it too much; just make sure you get the basic gist of the key points.)
Equivalence and DeMorgan’s with Quantifiers: LPL, 10.3 (pp. 277-282) Do 10.24, 10.26, 10.28, 10.29 (p. 286)
Week 10: Multiple Quantifiers
Introduction to Multiple Quantifiers: LPL, 11.1 – 11.3 (pp. 298-309) Do 11.9, 11.10, 11.17 (pp. 305, 309)
Paraphrasing with Multiple Quantifiers: LPL, 11.4 – 11.5, 11.8 (pp. 309-317, 324-327) Do 11.20, 11.24 (pp. 312, 316)
Week 11: Proofs
Methods of Proof with Quantifiers: LPL, 12.1-12.4 (pp. 328-347)
Formal Methods for Universal Introduction and Existential Elimination: LPL, 13.1 – 13.2 (pp. 351-361) Do 13.8, 13.12, 13.13, 13.15, 13.16 (pp. 356, 359-360)
Week 12: Proofs (Continued)
Strategy and Tactics: LPL, 13.3 (pp. 361-367)Do 13.23, 13.27 (p. 368)
Final: Problem Set II
[1] I’ve mentioned this “You Try It” exercise, but I recommend (but do not require) that you do all of the “You Try It” exercises in each week’s reading as a useful way of gaining understanding of the material (and getting participation points if you have questions).