Introduction to Mathematical Logic (PHIL 155.951)

This course is an introduction to symbolic logic. To study logic is to study argument and reasoning. Students will learn how to clearly express and evaluate arguments as well as how to spot and prove fallacious reasoning – invaluable skills both in and out of the classroom. We will be learning the languages of sentential logic and quantificational logic and students will develop the skills to translate between these and English as well as becoming acquainted with the notions of logical consistency and validity and differ-ent methods of testing for and proving these. Students should come away able to understand and apply these formal languages and with useful skills enabling them to argue and reason well.

The required text for this course is: The Logic Book; M. Bergmann, J. Moor, J. Nelson, fourth edition, McGrawHill, 2004. ISBN 0-07-294401-3

This text is required as we will be working from it each week. Students should purchase this new as each copy comes with a CD-ROM pack containing exercises and solutions which we will be using throughout the course.

Jennifer Wright’s webpage