20809261Elementary Logic
Course Information
Description
A course in contemporary formal (symbolic) logic covering both propositional and predicate logic with identity. Students will learn to represent English sentences into symbolic notation and then test or demonstrate validity using truth tables, a derivation system, truth trees, and counter examples.  Fulfills the Quantitative Reasoning Part B requirement at UW-Madison, as well as the logic requirement at Edgewood College. Assumes a solid background in Algebra. For a course focused on critical thinking and informal logic, see course #20809264, Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking (previously called Reason in Communication), which fulfills the Quantitative Reasoning Part A requirement at UW-Madison as well as the logic requirement at Edgewood College.
Total Credits
4
Course Competencies
  1. Explain symbolic logic, the study of formal reasoning
    Assessment Strategies
    Oral or written product
    Criteria
    Describe inference rules
    Define components of an argument
    Analyze the logical relationships between premises and the conclusion
    Explain how to derive the conclusion from the premises

  2. Represent arguments into symbolic notation
    Assessment Strategies
    Oral or written product
    Criteria
    Represent English sentences into symbolic notation
    Identify ambiguities in English sentences
    Symbolize English sentences into the formal language in a way that accurately represents the original English

  3. Analyze methods for proving that an argument is either valid or invalid
    Assessment Strategies
    Oral or written product
    Criteria
    Differentiate between the form of arguments and content of arguments
    Test validity using the truth table procedure
    Demonstrate validity using a deductive procedure
    Generate a counterexample when the argument is invalid

  4. Use both propositional and predicate logic
    Assessment Strategies
    Oral or written product
    Criteria
    Define propositional and predicate logic
    Symbolize sentences to determine various properties
    Describe the distinctive features of propositional logic
    Utilize the groundwork of propositional logic into constructing predicate logic

  5. Use a derivation system
    Assessment Strategies
    Oral or written product
    Criteria
    Use derivation rules correctly in both propositional and predicate logic
    Determine the relationships between formal sentences
    When valid, provide a proof of the conclusion from the premises
    Use symbolic language to determine the logical relationships between various formal sentences

  6. Test or determine validity using truth tables, a derivation system, truth trees, and counterexamples
    Assessment Strategies
    Oral or written product
    Criteria
    Find the invalidating row on a truth table to provide a formal counterexample
    Use truth tables to discover the relationship between individual sentences and other formal sentences
    Use all inference rules correctly to prove the conclusion follows from the premises
    If using truth trees, be able to identify closed and open trees and their significance
    If the argument is invalid be able to provide a counterexample