Objectives and Content:

In this course, we will ask the difficult question “What is good reasoning?” We will begin from a broad perspective by studying rhetoric, informal logic and fallacious reasoning. Then we will focus in on symbolic deductive logic and techniques of natural deduction. The main goal of the course will be to increase our skills in analytical and abstract reasoning, but along the way we will encounter questions about the applicability of logic to such fields as mathematics, linguistics, cognitive science, computer science, natural science, social science, and of course philosophy.

Resoures:

Text: Patrick J. Hurley, A Concise Introduction to Logic, Tenth Edition, (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2000).

Aplia Website: www.aplia.com (Course Key: ZQPF-9F7Y-8B7E)

Use this website for homework, to check your grades, to engage in online discussion with your classmates and to receive announcements about the course.

Reading:

All required reading should be completed before class on the day that the reading is due. Check the schedule every day to be sure that you are keeping up on your reading.

Graded Work:

There are three types of graded work: (a) homework assignments, (b) exams, and (c) participation.

(a) All homework will be done on the Aplia website and is due at 2:30 every class day (except exam days). Check the Aplia website every day to be sure that you are keeping up with your assignments.

(b) There will be three exams. Each exam is intended to cover the materials we will have covered since the previous exam, but logic is by nature cumulative, so the exams are somewhat cumulative even though they are not intended to be.

(c) I expect full engagement in class from every student. Practice is the key to learning logic, and you do not get the practice you need if you are not participating in classroom activities. Therefore, class participation is a graded component of this course.

Grading:

In general, homework is graded automatically by the Aplia website. If you get a problem wrong, you are permitted to retry the problem up to two more times. The average of all of your attempts will be your score for that problem. If you think that the Aplia website has made a mistake, please bring it to my attention so that I can resolve the issue.

Exams will be conducted during class time and are graded much more strictly than homework assignments, since the expectation is that you have achieved a higher level of mastery over the material by exam time.

Final grades will be calculated by a weighted average between the three graded components of this class. The weights are as follows:

Exams=50%

Homework=35%

Participation=15%

Classroom Policies:

1. It is important that you practice your logic skills everyday. So, you should not miss a day of class unless you absolutely have no alternative. To encourage a perfect attendance habit, I do not accept homework if you are not in class the day it is due. This also means that you cannot turn in an assignment after the due date no matter what your reason for missing the due date might be. If you are not in class you will not receive credit for that day’s work.

2. Electronic devices are distracting to your classmates and to me and are potentially distracting to you, so all electronic devices are prohibited during class. This includes laptops and cell phones.

3. Studying in pairs or in groups is an excellent idea. However, any work that you turn in for a grade must be your own work. Copying someone else’s work is cheating.

General Advice:

1. Expect to make mistakes. Try to learn from them. That is why we are here.

2. You will find that the course increases in difficulty as we proceed. Try not to get discouraged if you do not understand something right away. Just keep doing your best, and talk to me for additional instruction. I know many different ways to approach this material; another approach may work better for you.

3. I love helping students. That is why I am a teacher. So, please do not hesitate for a moment to talk with me in office hours, after class, or even if you just happen to run into me at the grocery store. Please do not think that you are bothering me: this is what I do.

4. Logic is fun!

Schedule:

Consult this calendar to be sure that you are keeping up with your reading and homework.

Sections 1.1-1.2 Sep. 12	Sections 1.3-1.5 Sep. 14	Section 1.6 Sep. 16
Sections 2.1-2.3 Sep. 19	Sections 3.1-3.2 Sep. 21	Sections 3.3 Sep. 23
Section 3.4 Sep. 26	Sections 9.1-9.3 Sep. 28	Review Sep. 30
Exam 1 Oct. 3	Section 6.1 Oct. 5	Sections 6.2-6.3 Oct. 7
Sections 6.4-6.5 Oct. 10	Section 6.6 Oct. 12	Midterm Break Oct. 14
Section 7.1 Oct. 17	Section 7.2 Oct. 19	Sections 7.3-7.4 Oct. 21
Sections 7.5-7.6 Oct. 24	Section 7.7 Oct. 26	Review Oct. 28
Exam 2 Oct. 31	Sections 4.1-4.3 Nov. 2	Section 8.1 Nov. 4
Section 8.2 Nov. 7	Section 8.3 Nov. 9	Section 8.4 Nov. 11
Sections 8.4-8.5 Nov. 14	Section 8.5 Nov. 16	Review Nov. 18
Exam 3 Nov. 21